Bibimbap - Cheap, cheerful and perfect for the whole family

3 Luk Fo Tsun Road, Kowloon City, 2718 4368

FARE Stone-pot rice dishes (bibimbap) with the usual beef, pork or seafood, but there's also a vegetarian option with tofu. AMBIENCE Casual and bright, with metal and plastic chairs, Formica tables and friendly staff. English menu. COST HK$50 to HK$100 to share a range of typical Korean appetisers, a filling bibimbap and a couple of side dishes. WHO TO BRING Your entire family - it's cheap enough - to share a heartwarming meal, or friends wanting to eat something a little different. TURN-ONS The side order of kimchi was fiery and refreshing, with succulent crunchy cabbage and a hint of sourness in the marinade. The beancurd in the minced pork and tofu hot pot (above) was silky and soft, while the mince was rich and wholesome. The rice in the bibimbap, a blend of Japanese and Thai grains, was fat and yielding with a few crunchy nuggets that had been stirred into the rest of the dish from the roasting-hot bottom of the pot. The pine nuts added a welcome nuttiness and the bean sprouts a nutritious crispness. The pork dumplings in soup had thin skins and were juicy and pink inside, but the broth could have had a little more flavour. TURN-OFFS By the time we got to our second helping of the bibimbap, the bottom grains had charred to black, and the beef strips were a little dry. The appetisers were nothing special. DRINKS Soft drinks only.