review

Seoul Food

Update: Chef Chung Jae Lee has started his own restaurant and Seoul Food is no longer a traditional Korean restaurant.

Seoul Food

Lucky me got invited to join local foodies to try out the newest Asian joint in town – Seoul Food on Wood Street lead by 2012 SA “Chef of the Year” Chung Jae Lee. They’ve set up shop on 31 Wood Street in the fancy Élan Soho Suites, which is turning out to be a really cool building.

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For a restaurant it’s a pretty interesting with it’s cafe styled setting, it sets a relaxed tone for the restaurant. The minimalist style of the restaurant only brings out the goodness in the food, visually and to the taste buds. Onwards to the food! Pancakes with grilled prawns, an instant favourite. Beef soup, much like a spicy goulash and add in a Korean or two. Bimbimbap, a Korean staple. Coffee Pork Ribs, in it’s glorious, glorious state. Kinky Chicken, tempura chicken breast with honey mustard mayo on a salad with pumpkin purée I really enjoyed the taste testers – if I had no shame I would have licked the plates clean. The pancakes and prawns were cooked to perfection, grilled to maintain maximum juiciness and the green garnishing that no-one-could-figure-out-what-it-was and with (I’m guessing) a mango paste was a divine match. The beef soup and bimbimbap were sort of food, two items I can see the Koreans having for a family dinner. Mum foods.

Seoul Food coffee pork

The ribs were delicious, but in my excited asian moment I had expected it to be slathered in thick coffee syrup and the meat falling off the bone like I’d get in Asia. Chef Chung had mentioned that it was a dish in the works still, so I’m really looking forward to it. (On that day I had raved and raved about the celeriac mash. Sooooooo good.)

Seoul Food bibimbap

When it comes to reviewing food I like to go back and rate consistency. A few of my friends had wanted to eat at Seoul food the weeks after the initial taste test and so we went. I made it back an embarrassing 4 other times. A couple of the trips I ordered menu items: Kinky Chicken and the Beef Bimbimbap. I really enjoyed it more the second time around – the crunchy chicken with the smooth purée is a combination to be reckoned with and the bimbimbap was just a hot crispy mess :) *On a vego note – my vego colleague thumbs upped the vegetarian dullsot. It was like a modern bimbimbap topped with fresh salad on the rice mix. Stir fry chicken, tossed in soy sauce with veges and rice My friend loved it! The one three things I really love about Seoul Food:

  1. Service The wait staff is attentive and polite – the how many times I’ve been there they are always asking how was my meal, and if they could help with anything. That extra mile and smile always makes the food taste better. Chef Chung is ridiculously friendly as well and he makes rounds to patrons and just asks about their day.
  2. Food presentation How gorgeous is it!? Its picture worthy-ness exudes how much time, thought and effort to make the dish. Garnishing’s delicate but gives dishes the extra kick. Chef Chung and gang should be proud as of the dishes his kitchen serves.
  3. The daily specials Though I’ve been to Seoul Kitchen multiple times I’m always looking forward to it just because of the specials. It’s always exciting! I highly recommend you to ask the staff of the day’s specials and just be brave and order it. I’ve had the following:

Prawn pancake topped with bonito flakes. It was a huge pancake with freshly caught prawns and the yummiest garlic soy sauce. Deep fried Barramundi tossed in chili sauce and garden salad, $15 If you’re a hardcore sweet chili sauce lover you’d like this. My hubs isn’t so he thought the sauce was a bit much. The fish was fresh and fried perfectly. Wagyu Rump Steak (150g) with thin potato slices and creamy teriyaki sauce, $15 When I first read it on the menu I wasn’t sure what to expect. Creamy teriyaki sauce for a steak? Surely not. Pleasant surprises are always welcome! The sauce was light and just coated the steak which melted in my mouth. The potatoes were an interesting take to the Aussie baked potatoes and the edible flowers were very, very cool addition. It might seem like a small serve (and I could have had seconds) but it was just enough to feel so content.

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I’m looking forward to my next meal there already. Thought that’s enough awesomeness? Nuuuuuu, there’s more! Seoul Food is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Seoul Food

Contact details

Address: 31 Woods Street, Darwin NT 0800
Phone: 8981 0888
Online: Website, Facebook