The Hong Kong restaurant scene has options ranging from dirt-cheap street food to mortgage-your-home fine dining. Here is a feast of Korean cuisine that suits every spending limit
A quick meal for one
Address: Shop 21, 1/F, Kwai Chung Plaza, No 7-11 Kwai Foo Rd, Kwai Chung, N.T.
Opening hours: Mon- Sat: 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm; Sun: Closed
Phone number: 3591 9002
Vibe: A practical, down-to-earth interior with no flashy decor. The atmosphere is generally warm and lively although the restaurant may seem hectic and crowded during peak hours.
Grub: Bibimbap, beef/squid/chicken and other rice bowls range from HK$40 to HK$50. Authentic snacks (Korean fried chicken, rice/fish cake) cost around HK$25 each.
Sharing a meal with friends
Address: Shop B, G/F, Astoria Building, 24-38 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 12pm-midnight
Phone number: 2730 5577
Vibe: The interior design gives off a very relaxed and laid-back ambience, in contrast to the restaurant’s fast-food offerings. Regardless, the dining experience does not disappoint, with minimal waiting time and great service.
Grub: The award-winning kimchi rice dishes are a must-try, and will only set you back around HK$70-80. Various snacks, including vermicelli and sushi rolls, start at HK$30.
Spoiling a date
Address: G/F, 53 Pilkem Street, Jordan, Kowloon
Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm; Sun: Closed
Phone number: 2375 9805
Vibe: Provides a fine dining experience without the lavish decor. The design is very much minimalistic, with wood-panelled walls and conventional lamps. A brick wall towards the back is the restaurant’s only aesthetic luxury.
Grub: Unlike other Korean restaurants, this menu places emphasis on protein dishes rather than rice bowls. Many customers have praised its rib eye (HK$158) and braised mackerel (HK$128). The more adventurous diner should try the spicy, sauce-marinated crab of around the same price range.
When your parents are paying
Address: 18/F, Tai Hung Fai (Tsuen Wan) Centre, 55 Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan, N.T.
Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 4pm-2am
Phone number: 2408 1068
Vibe: The interior design sports a seamless fusion between retro and futuristic, with the entire restaurant glistening a lustrous silver, from the metallic tabletops to the torches and pillars that resemble tin cans to the pseudo barbed wire fence that encloses the dining area.
Grub: A full BBQ experience for a table of three to four would cost around HK$300, with various dishes including pork loin, baby octopus, cuttlefish, and lamb on offer, each priced at around HK$80. The menu also features side dishes including stews, pancakes and dumplings that are equivalent to the BBQ proteins in terms of price.
When your rich uncle is paying
Address: Shop B, 18/F, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Percival Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island
Opening hours: Mon-Sun: 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-11pm
Phone number: 2881 6823
Vibe: The atmosphere is very much that of a hole-in-the-wall eatery in one of Seoul’s night markets, except on a much grander scale with sophisticated tableware. Service is decent, although accommodation, despite its authenticity, lacks opulence given the restaurant’s charges.
Grub: Go for the set courses for two or more, ranging from HK$500 to HK$800, which includes anything from marinated prawns to beef noodles to secret-sauce short ribs.