There’s quite a few Korean restaurants and eateries across London and sadly I’ve never visited until now. My first Korean experience was at Kimchee on High Holborn and it did not disappoint!
Kimchee – What We Ordered
I spotted Chicken Katsu Finger (£5.70) on the starter menu and immediately knew that I had to order it. It was six pieces of crispy and delicious goujon style chicken pieces in a panko breadcrumb with a katsu dipping sauce on the side. It wasn’t the Japanese style katsu experience I’m used to but it was still tasty and very very hot temperature wise. I nearly burnt my mouth because I went in on them very excitedly.
One of the things I was very excited to try from Korean cuisine is grilled meat and in some Korean restaurants apparently they have a barbecue built into the table. Kimchee didn’t have this but they did have a charcoal grill section of the menu so we ordered Bulgogi (£10.90); strips of chicken marinated in ginger, Korean dark soy sauce and garlic which had been cooked on a charcoal barbecue grill. We asked for the chicken to be mild because (if you’ve read my Thailand Adventure blog you’ll know) we aren’t great with super spicy food. The flavours were incredible and I loved the charcoal smokeyness which gave the meat extra flavour.
We also ordered Galbi (£11.80) from the charcoal grill menu which is beef marinated in ginger and soy sauce too, but it had a slightly different flavour to the chicken. We also ordered two portions of Bap (sticky rice, £2.70 each) to enjoy with our selection of meats, You spread all of the dishes out on the tables and when you arrive, each place already has a small bowl and chopsticks so the idea is that you use a serving spoon to put a selection of food into your bowl so it’s great for sharing.
Looking around the restaurant it was clear that the food is authentic because of the amount of Koreans which is always a good sign. The restaurant itself was modern with lots of picnic style benches which highlights the focus of sharing food together.
Kimchee – 4/5
I was slightly disappointed that I didn’t get to experience a barbecue on my table which sounds like lots of fun but I thoroughly enjoyed my first toe in the water of Korean food and I’m looking forward to tasting it again.
Food – 4/5
Service – 3/5
Decor / Ambience – 4/5
A meal for two people cost £38, including service charge.
Which Korean restaurants should I try next?
Kimchee
71 High Holborn
Holborn
London
WC1V 6EA
