Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Peach Garden (Novena)
Peach Garden Chinese Restaurant Chinese
273 Thomson Road #01-06 Novena Garden S307644 Map
Tel: 6254 3383/63
Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm, Dinner 6.30pm-10.30pm
Limited parking space outside restaurant
Short walk from Novena MRT station
Located vaguely across the road from the popular Novena church, Peach Garden is purportedly run by two ex-waitresses and a former chef from Hua Ting Restaurant (don't quote me on that though). Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, so no photos for this entry.
The restaurant was expanding to occupy the next-door unit, and the two of us were seated next to a fake-wall partition that didn't feel particularly safe. Sounds of construction (and a thump or three) echoed through unimpeded.
Looking through the menu, the Fried Prawn Salad with Wasabi looked tempting, but in the end we settled for a starter order of Roast Pork, two Yellow Melon Soups with Seafood, one Sweet & Sour Pork and a plate of Hong Kong Kai Lan.
I must mention the tea, though. I asked for Tie Kuan Yin, and the initial taste was first-rate. Totally unexpected. In most restaurants, this same variety of tea becomes bitter very quickly. This one mellowed well and went down smoothly even after refills, without the dryness typical to over-brewed tea. I couldn't tell if they'd kept adding fresh tea leaves at each refill, but either way it was very satisfying.
The Roast Pork ($6) came as a portion of eight cubes in a 2x4 arrangement, and was served with small peanuts and a sharp yellow mustard sauce. My mom insists that if the roast pork in a restaurant is good, the rest of the food will be of a high standard, because it is difficult to get the top crispy and crunchy while keeping the rest of the meat tender and moist. As it happens, the top layer of skin was indeed crispy while not being hard, and the meat below it juicy and tasty. Definitely comparable to its counterpart from Lei Garden in Chijmes.
The Yellow Melon Soup ($10 ea) was presented as many restaurants do their melon soups these days - in the hollowed-out melon itself, standing vertically with the top chopped off, and piping hot. My first taste of the clear double-boiled soup was very pleasant, it's remarkably sweet and rich. Full of small de-shelled prawns and scallops. The walls of the melon didn't retain much of the soup's flavour though, and tasted bland in comparison.
Sweet & Sour Pork ($12) looked like a pretty large portion at first glance. On closer inspection though, the diced red and green bell peppers and pineapple pieces took up about half of the plate. The pork chunks were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside; sauce was a little on the sweet side but not too heavy or overpowering. Once again, very nicely done.
We requested for the Hong Kong Kai Lan ($16) to be lightly fried with garlic. Pleasant surprise came in the form of a large dish of baby kai lan, cooked with chopped garlic, and further topped with browned, crispy garlic bits. I was expecting the larger variety, which is normally more bitter. The vegetable was firm, but cooked well enough not to be crunchy, and the two styles of garlic enhanced its natural flavour and taste. The helping was generous, but I still felt that the price was on the high side.
The Black Glutinous Rice with Ice-Cream dessert ($3.50) was good, but we made the mistake of agreeing to let it be served in a coconut shell, which had added $2 to the price when I checked the bill. Strawberry and mango bits featured in the dessert, which I didn't really like. The sour counterpoint to the sweetness and fullness of the rice/ice-cream combo didn't hit the right spot with me.
Damage
Plain rice was charged at $0.60 per bowl, chinese tea at $1 per person, and a 'tibits' charge of $2 applied for the pickled lotus root slices that served as appetizer. Citibank had a 10% discount promotion for a la carte orders totalling above $50, so the final bill stood at $68.09 for two people, after service and tax.
Verdict: Food quality is excellent. A little bit on the pricy side, the cost of the veggie dish surprised me. Given a choice between Lei Garden and this, I'd take Peach Garden for food quality. Now I have some incentive to try the other Peach Garden branch at Eastwood, nearer home.
273 Thomson Road #01-06 Novena Garden S307644 Map
Tel: 6254 3383/63
Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm, Dinner 6.30pm-10.30pm
Limited parking space outside restaurant
Short walk from Novena MRT station
Located vaguely across the road from the popular Novena church, Peach Garden is purportedly run by two ex-waitresses and a former chef from Hua Ting Restaurant (don't quote me on that though). Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, so no photos for this entry.
The restaurant was expanding to occupy the next-door unit, and the two of us were seated next to a fake-wall partition that didn't feel particularly safe. Sounds of construction (and a thump or three) echoed through unimpeded.
Looking through the menu, the Fried Prawn Salad with Wasabi looked tempting, but in the end we settled for a starter order of Roast Pork, two Yellow Melon Soups with Seafood, one Sweet & Sour Pork and a plate of Hong Kong Kai Lan.
I must mention the tea, though. I asked for Tie Kuan Yin, and the initial taste was first-rate. Totally unexpected. In most restaurants, this same variety of tea becomes bitter very quickly. This one mellowed well and went down smoothly even after refills, without the dryness typical to over-brewed tea. I couldn't tell if they'd kept adding fresh tea leaves at each refill, but either way it was very satisfying.
The Roast Pork ($6) came as a portion of eight cubes in a 2x4 arrangement, and was served with small peanuts and a sharp yellow mustard sauce. My mom insists that if the roast pork in a restaurant is good, the rest of the food will be of a high standard, because it is difficult to get the top crispy and crunchy while keeping the rest of the meat tender and moist. As it happens, the top layer of skin was indeed crispy while not being hard, and the meat below it juicy and tasty. Definitely comparable to its counterpart from Lei Garden in Chijmes.
The Yellow Melon Soup ($10 ea) was presented as many restaurants do their melon soups these days - in the hollowed-out melon itself, standing vertically with the top chopped off, and piping hot. My first taste of the clear double-boiled soup was very pleasant, it's remarkably sweet and rich. Full of small de-shelled prawns and scallops. The walls of the melon didn't retain much of the soup's flavour though, and tasted bland in comparison.
Sweet & Sour Pork ($12) looked like a pretty large portion at first glance. On closer inspection though, the diced red and green bell peppers and pineapple pieces took up about half of the plate. The pork chunks were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside; sauce was a little on the sweet side but not too heavy or overpowering. Once again, very nicely done.
We requested for the Hong Kong Kai Lan ($16) to be lightly fried with garlic. Pleasant surprise came in the form of a large dish of baby kai lan, cooked with chopped garlic, and further topped with browned, crispy garlic bits. I was expecting the larger variety, which is normally more bitter. The vegetable was firm, but cooked well enough not to be crunchy, and the two styles of garlic enhanced its natural flavour and taste. The helping was generous, but I still felt that the price was on the high side.
The Black Glutinous Rice with Ice-Cream dessert ($3.50) was good, but we made the mistake of agreeing to let it be served in a coconut shell, which had added $2 to the price when I checked the bill. Strawberry and mango bits featured in the dessert, which I didn't really like. The sour counterpoint to the sweetness and fullness of the rice/ice-cream combo didn't hit the right spot with me.
Damage
Plain rice was charged at $0.60 per bowl, chinese tea at $1 per person, and a 'tibits' charge of $2 applied for the pickled lotus root slices that served as appetizer. Citibank had a 10% discount promotion for a la carte orders totalling above $50, so the final bill stood at $68.09 for two people, after service and tax.
Verdict: Food quality is excellent. A little bit on the pricy side, the cost of the veggie dish surprised me. Given a choice between Lei Garden and this, I'd take Peach Garden for food quality. Now I have some incentive to try the other Peach Garden branch at Eastwood, nearer home.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Ikukan
Ikukan Japanese Charcoal Grill Japanese
23 Mohamed Ali Lane #01-01 S068979 Map
Tel: 6325 3362
URA coupon parking at Club Street public carpark, or China Square nearby.
Nearest MRT - Chinatown Station (North-East Line)
Tucked away in a dim corner just off Club Street is this intimate little restaurant by the name of Ikukan.
Don't let the Japanese Charcoal Grill description fool you though - the smoke and fumes stay in the kitchen and not on your clothes, which is a pleasant change from other grill-type Japanese and Korean restaurants.
The establishment is small in area, but with some strategic placement of mirrors, doesn't leave you feeling claustrophobic. Tables are amply spaced - you won't need to rub shoulders with your neighbour. Dark wood strips alternating with metal contrast strongly against cream-colored walls to break your sense of distance, and draw attention away from the size of the room.
The action takes place in the kitchen behind a see-through glass panel (which I forgot to take a photo of). The focus of the kitchen is the charcoal grill, painstakingly tended to by Chef Seto.
The waitresses seem a little disorganized, and there's some confusion as we ask about a promotional offer that involves a free bottle of wine. Order four set meals and they'll provide a bottle of red or white, on the house. Sounds good; we opt for that. Unfortunately none of these are available with the promotion:
J picks a series of dishes from the Prix Fixe Course set menu, while the rest of us go for the Early Spring Kaiseki set. Here are some highlights.
From the Kaiseki menu:
Seasonal appetizer
The ikura (salmon roe) with grated radish, on the top row, is very interesting; the rich flavour of the ikura complements the bitterness of the radish nicely. Middle row boasts some green vegetable, which seems to have been boiled or stewed until soft. Topped with bonito flakes. The last row features two baby squids cooked with miso paste, which I think tastes a little fishy.
Sashimi: Yellow tail, tuna and salmon
Standard fare. Presentation is very appealing, and the quality of the fish is good. Unfortunately, the wasabi used is processed wasabi and not freshly ground wasabi. The latter has a more earthy taste and grainier texture, and isn't as sharp as the processed variety, but tends to be more fragrant.
Sushi: scallop
Grilled on either side and then sliced almost all the way through the middle, the scallop still retains some of its soft, juicy texture. It blends well with the vinegared rice, quite nicely done indeed.
Grill: Charcoal grilled Tofu with foie gras
This is the highlight of the evening's meal. The foie gras and miso-topped tofu match so well, I'm at a loss to describe the sensation as the combination melts in the mouth. Texture is fantastic, and the size of the foie gras is more than decent! Value for money, right there. I tend to feel nauseous if the liver taste is too strong, and I dislike tofu with a passion, but I finished this course right down to the last morsel. Ex-cel-lent!
Pot: Hotchpotch-style Beef and bracken
A fair helping of thinly-sliced quality beef, with some more vegetables that I couldn't identify, and a bamboo shoot cutting, in a tasty sukiyaki-like broth. The sauce is just light enough to drink like a soup, and makes Dad long for a bowl of rice to pour it into. The meat is tasty and tender, but I let mine simmer in the scalding-hot pot for a little too long while taking photographs, so a little bit too done for my liking. Very satisfying all the same!
Rice: Rice with baked pacific sandlance fish in clear soup
Tip that blob of wasabi into the soup and mix well. Not murky like porridge or gruel, the rice retains its shape, consistency and bite throughout. Hard to describe, but good.
Sweet: Wafu-roll cake
Looking at the description I don't expect much, so I'm pleasantly surprised when dessert pops into sight. A beautiful combination of green tea ice-cream and a small dollop of red bean paste top off what looks like a slice of Swiss roll. The cake feels a bit like sponge cake, but is surprisingly light and firm and doesn't become mushy under the melting ice-cream. Halfway through, I discover, to my delight, the banana piece and the strawberry in the wafu roll. Yummy!
Intermission
Not a real one, of course. Just that I wanted to separate the two sets on parade tonight. So here's a blatantly bad picture of the charcoal grill, and the stuff cooking on it. That rice ball looks gooooood...
And now, back to the other set.
The Prix Fixe Course menu, which I forgot to take dish names from:
Appetizer: Duck meat with jalapeno salsa
Sliced duck breast, slightly pink in the middle and still very tender, laid on top of what seems to be a pickled jalapeno salsa, and served with a slightly sweet-and-spicy sauce, with a bit of mild japanese mustard on the side. The meat goes well with the mustard, or perhaps that should be the other way around - the mustard goes well with the meat.
Sashimi: Yellow tail, tuna and salmon
Does this look familiar? It should, it's the exact same thing as in the kaiseki above.
Main: Beef steak with 3 sauces
The meat is slightly overcooked, not as tender as it could be. The seasoning makes the beef very tasty though, and finishing 200 grams of it is quite a task. It's served with rice and 3 different sauces - a spicy chilli belachan-type sauce (but nowhere near as hot), japanese mustard, and some darker brown sauce which I can't identify but is the tastiest, to me at least.
Dessert: Ume sorbet with choya
That's what J claims it is, since I won't touch the stuff. I have her word for it that the choya is good.
Total damage for the night - about $260 for the four of us. That's three kaisekis at $58+++ each, one Prix Fixe set at $48+++ and $5 extra for the beef option, and a complimentary bottle of red. There are cheaper options on the menu, of course, but the kaiseki should be tried at least once.
Verdict: Recommended! I enjoyed dinner thoroughly.
23 Mohamed Ali Lane #01-01 S068979 Map
Tel: 6325 3362
URA coupon parking at Club Street public carpark, or China Square nearby.
Nearest MRT - Chinatown Station (North-East Line)
Tucked away in a dim corner just off Club Street is this intimate little restaurant by the name of Ikukan.
Don't let the Japanese Charcoal Grill description fool you though - the smoke and fumes stay in the kitchen and not on your clothes, which is a pleasant change from other grill-type Japanese and Korean restaurants.
The establishment is small in area, but with some strategic placement of mirrors, doesn't leave you feeling claustrophobic. Tables are amply spaced - you won't need to rub shoulders with your neighbour. Dark wood strips alternating with metal contrast strongly against cream-colored walls to break your sense of distance, and draw attention away from the size of the room.
The action takes place in the kitchen behind a see-through glass panel (which I forgot to take a photo of). The focus of the kitchen is the charcoal grill, painstakingly tended to by Chef Seto.
The waitresses seem a little disorganized, and there's some confusion as we ask about a promotional offer that involves a free bottle of wine. Order four set meals and they'll provide a bottle of red or white, on the house. Sounds good; we opt for that. Unfortunately none of these are available with the promotion:
J picks a series of dishes from the Prix Fixe Course set menu, while the rest of us go for the Early Spring Kaiseki set. Here are some highlights.
From the Kaiseki menu:
Seasonal appetizer
The ikura (salmon roe) with grated radish, on the top row, is very interesting; the rich flavour of the ikura complements the bitterness of the radish nicely. Middle row boasts some green vegetable, which seems to have been boiled or stewed until soft. Topped with bonito flakes. The last row features two baby squids cooked with miso paste, which I think tastes a little fishy.
Sashimi: Yellow tail, tuna and salmon
Standard fare. Presentation is very appealing, and the quality of the fish is good. Unfortunately, the wasabi used is processed wasabi and not freshly ground wasabi. The latter has a more earthy taste and grainier texture, and isn't as sharp as the processed variety, but tends to be more fragrant.
Sushi: scallop
Grilled on either side and then sliced almost all the way through the middle, the scallop still retains some of its soft, juicy texture. It blends well with the vinegared rice, quite nicely done indeed.
Grill: Charcoal grilled Tofu with foie gras
This is the highlight of the evening's meal. The foie gras and miso-topped tofu match so well, I'm at a loss to describe the sensation as the combination melts in the mouth. Texture is fantastic, and the size of the foie gras is more than decent! Value for money, right there. I tend to feel nauseous if the liver taste is too strong, and I dislike tofu with a passion, but I finished this course right down to the last morsel. Ex-cel-lent!
Pot: Hotchpotch-style Beef and bracken
A fair helping of thinly-sliced quality beef, with some more vegetables that I couldn't identify, and a bamboo shoot cutting, in a tasty sukiyaki-like broth. The sauce is just light enough to drink like a soup, and makes Dad long for a bowl of rice to pour it into. The meat is tasty and tender, but I let mine simmer in the scalding-hot pot for a little too long while taking photographs, so a little bit too done for my liking. Very satisfying all the same!
Rice: Rice with baked pacific sandlance fish in clear soup
Tip that blob of wasabi into the soup and mix well. Not murky like porridge or gruel, the rice retains its shape, consistency and bite throughout. Hard to describe, but good.
Sweet: Wafu-roll cake
Looking at the description I don't expect much, so I'm pleasantly surprised when dessert pops into sight. A beautiful combination of green tea ice-cream and a small dollop of red bean paste top off what looks like a slice of Swiss roll. The cake feels a bit like sponge cake, but is surprisingly light and firm and doesn't become mushy under the melting ice-cream. Halfway through, I discover, to my delight, the banana piece and the strawberry in the wafu roll. Yummy!
Intermission
Not a real one, of course. Just that I wanted to separate the two sets on parade tonight. So here's a blatantly bad picture of the charcoal grill, and the stuff cooking on it. That rice ball looks gooooood...
And now, back to the other set.
The Prix Fixe Course menu, which I forgot to take dish names from:
Appetizer: Duck meat with jalapeno salsa
Sliced duck breast, slightly pink in the middle and still very tender, laid on top of what seems to be a pickled jalapeno salsa, and served with a slightly sweet-and-spicy sauce, with a bit of mild japanese mustard on the side. The meat goes well with the mustard, or perhaps that should be the other way around - the mustard goes well with the meat.
Sashimi: Yellow tail, tuna and salmon
Does this look familiar? It should, it's the exact same thing as in the kaiseki above.
Main: Beef steak with 3 sauces
The meat is slightly overcooked, not as tender as it could be. The seasoning makes the beef very tasty though, and finishing 200 grams of it is quite a task. It's served with rice and 3 different sauces - a spicy chilli belachan-type sauce (but nowhere near as hot), japanese mustard, and some darker brown sauce which I can't identify but is the tastiest, to me at least.
Dessert: Ume sorbet with choya
That's what J claims it is, since I won't touch the stuff. I have her word for it that the choya is good.
Total damage for the night - about $260 for the four of us. That's three kaisekis at $58+++ each, one Prix Fixe set at $48+++ and $5 extra for the beef option, and a complimentary bottle of red. There are cheaper options on the menu, of course, but the kaiseki should be tried at least once.
Verdict: Recommended! I enjoyed dinner thoroughly.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Porta Porta
Porta Porta Italian
5 Stanley Street S068724 Map
Tel 62227461
Yellow-lot URA parking along street, $0.50 per half-hour after 5pm on weekdays
Nearest MRT - Tanjong Pagar station
Eight of us hit this cosy little retreat last night. Tucked away in a small lane somewhere between Shenton Way and Club Street, the restaurant is the only eatery open at night along this stretch. This branch is the downtown cousin of the more famous Changi Prison outlet.
We seem to be the only customers for dinner. Given its location, Porta Porta is fairly busy during lunch time, but very nicely quiet at night, just the way I like it.
The deep orange walls are covered with pictures, mirrors, wine racks, and shelves hosting the most interesting curios. White "laundry" is stringed across the walls, with streetlamps and soft lighting lending surprisingly to a very comfortable atmosphere. Danieil, restaurateur and ever the impeccable host, shows us to our table. Drinks arrive in short order.
We'd all ordered separately, and I can't remember the exact names of the dishes, so here's an approximate list with some comments from the diners:
There's definitely more to add to that list, but I can't recall at the moment.
With drinks and four glasses of white wine, damage for our party of eight worked out to be slighly north of $400 nett. Pretty reasonable, considering the very decent quality of food.
Verdict: Everyone loved the food! Add one more to the list of regular haunts.
5 Stanley Street S068724 Map
Tel 62227461
Yellow-lot URA parking along street, $0.50 per half-hour after 5pm on weekdays
Nearest MRT - Tanjong Pagar station
Eight of us hit this cosy little retreat last night. Tucked away in a small lane somewhere between Shenton Way and Club Street, the restaurant is the only eatery open at night along this stretch. This branch is the downtown cousin of the more famous Changi Prison outlet.
We seem to be the only customers for dinner. Given its location, Porta Porta is fairly busy during lunch time, but very nicely quiet at night, just the way I like it.
The deep orange walls are covered with pictures, mirrors, wine racks, and shelves hosting the most interesting curios. White "laundry" is stringed across the walls, with streetlamps and soft lighting lending surprisingly to a very comfortable atmosphere. Danieil, restaurateur and ever the impeccable host, shows us to our table. Drinks arrive in short order.
We'd all ordered separately, and I can't remember the exact names of the dishes, so here's an approximate list with some comments from the diners:
- Bread with eggplant dip - Chopped eggplants and garlic (and mushrooms?) in olive oil.
- Calamari - Very tender, nice. Overdosed this time, though.
- Bruschetta - "I really like the tomato bruschetta, tomato is juicy and not mushy, and the bread has some spicy spread, so it's a good mix of taste."
- Fish soup - Thick and hearty, with plenty of fish chunks. One of my favourites.
- Squid ink ravioli with crab meat stuffing - The sauce is "a little sweet, a little like chilli crab sauce without the chilli."
- Pan-friend swordfish - A little tough, I didn't like the texture very much, was OK taste-wise.
- Seafood risotto - "Liked the sauce, but found the rice too sticky, like a bit undercooked. Could ease up on the sotong but the sauce was good, would have liked some fish/mussels in it though."
- Tiramisu - "A little wet and soft."
- Apple pie - "Pales against most other dishes since the rest are good, so the apple pie seems ordinary. By outside standards, it's not bad!"
There's definitely more to add to that list, but I can't recall at the moment.
With drinks and four glasses of white wine, damage for our party of eight worked out to be slighly north of $400 nett. Pretty reasonable, considering the very decent quality of food.
Verdict: Everyone loved the food! Add one more to the list of regular haunts.
Monday, March 01, 2004
Ju Shin Jung
Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ
27 West Coast Highway #01-18/19 YESS Centre 1F S117867 Map
Tel 64640872
Lunch 12pm-2:30pm, Dinner 6pm-11pm, Open year round
Carpark uses Cashcard
Brought my parents to try this place last night on Josse's recommendation. Located just opposite Haw Par Villa, the restaurant sits on the plot of land where the old 88 food centre used to be, in the first floor unit right next to No Sign Board.
The restaurant's interior is bright and roomy. There's even a playground of sorts for kids; definitely a family-oriented restaurant. A couple of good-sized traditional dining rooms sit in the corner of the premises. For a Sunday night, the place isn't very crowded. A glance around reveals quite a number of Korean diners, always a sign of good quality in my book. ;)
In a paper sleeve are a pair of flat, tapered metal chopsticks, first time I've used such. The accompanying spoon also comes nicely wrapped in a custom-made paper sleeve. Very thoughtful touch.
The menu has a clean layout, complete with pictures and english descriptions. We take a while to pore over the menu, but eventually take the waiter's recommendation and order one of the beef combo sets, and a serving of mixed mushrooms.
Shortly after, the table is covered with a plethora of small Korean dishes.
I'm not a fan of kimchi, but there's plenty of choice with the non-spicy stuff too. The side dishes are free-flow, which is a nice surprise. On the left side of the photo you can see the cooking pit, which is a domed hotplate on top of a gas-fired charcoal stove.
There are more or less two options for the beef, seasoned (bulgolgi) or plain. The set that we ordered consists of three different types of plain meat - rib, sirloin and brisket - and a few slices of ox tongue. The quality of the meat is pretty darned good! We like the sirloin best, extremely juicy when cooked to medium.
In the photo above, you can see the exhaust slits lining the side of the cooking pit. They draw out most of the fumes, substantially reducing the smoke effect commonly associated with barbeques. The egg-and-beef-rib soup to the right of the pit is really, really tasty!
We end up ordering two extra bulgolgi and one more plate of plain sirloin, not because we were hungry, but because greed kicked in. :P Meat portions are decently large, but the bulgolgi tastes soooo goooood. I like it slightly burnt.
Total bill for the night - $210 nett for LOTS of beef for four people, drinks not inclusive (we didn't order any). There's a towel charge at $2 per person, and the usual +++.
Verdict: This place is hot! I like.
27 West Coast Highway #01-18/19 YESS Centre 1F S117867 Map
Tel 64640872
Lunch 12pm-2:30pm, Dinner 6pm-11pm, Open year round
Carpark uses Cashcard
Brought my parents to try this place last night on Josse's recommendation. Located just opposite Haw Par Villa, the restaurant sits on the plot of land where the old 88 food centre used to be, in the first floor unit right next to No Sign Board.
The restaurant's interior is bright and roomy. There's even a playground of sorts for kids; definitely a family-oriented restaurant. A couple of good-sized traditional dining rooms sit in the corner of the premises. For a Sunday night, the place isn't very crowded. A glance around reveals quite a number of Korean diners, always a sign of good quality in my book. ;)
In a paper sleeve are a pair of flat, tapered metal chopsticks, first time I've used such. The accompanying spoon also comes nicely wrapped in a custom-made paper sleeve. Very thoughtful touch.
The menu has a clean layout, complete with pictures and english descriptions. We take a while to pore over the menu, but eventually take the waiter's recommendation and order one of the beef combo sets, and a serving of mixed mushrooms.
Shortly after, the table is covered with a plethora of small Korean dishes.
I'm not a fan of kimchi, but there's plenty of choice with the non-spicy stuff too. The side dishes are free-flow, which is a nice surprise. On the left side of the photo you can see the cooking pit, which is a domed hotplate on top of a gas-fired charcoal stove.
There are more or less two options for the beef, seasoned (bulgolgi) or plain. The set that we ordered consists of three different types of plain meat - rib, sirloin and brisket - and a few slices of ox tongue. The quality of the meat is pretty darned good! We like the sirloin best, extremely juicy when cooked to medium.
In the photo above, you can see the exhaust slits lining the side of the cooking pit. They draw out most of the fumes, substantially reducing the smoke effect commonly associated with barbeques. The egg-and-beef-rib soup to the right of the pit is really, really tasty!
We end up ordering two extra bulgolgi and one more plate of plain sirloin, not because we were hungry, but because greed kicked in. :P Meat portions are decently large, but the bulgolgi tastes soooo goooood. I like it slightly burnt.
Total bill for the night - $210 nett for LOTS of beef for four people, drinks not inclusive (we didn't order any). There's a towel charge at $2 per person, and the usual +++.
Verdict: This place is hot! I like.
