Korean Discovery- Bibigo

Korean Discovery...

There is little I associated with Korea other than politics and Samsung, let alone could I even pinpoint any sort of food with it other than rice. Blimey, I had been missing out; And most likely you have too. Korean food is fresh, simple, healthy and divine. And it is all thanks to these two restaurants that I have been able to nurture my new found love for an intricate and unique cuisine: Bibigo and Kim's Mini Meals.

My baptism into Korean food began while on a shopping trip with my mother and my sister: Tired feet took us in search for a Vietnamese restaurant my sister had previously been to and recommended, this was where I spotted Bibigo. Curious at what on earth a Korean restaurant could have to offer we all wandered over to the restaurant, peering at the menu. One glance told me to walk away, the tables empty, the menu very expensive and most importantly a Waiter was striding over to lead us into the trap of guilt. I quickly wandered down the road while my companions were lured in to his small talk. And surely enough, they were- he offered us two free starters (most of which were worth in excess of £8) and who can say no to two free starters? Certainly not the Miller girls.

So inside we were, into this slick, modern room playing suave minimal music that seemed only to be entertaining a sole Korean couple at the back. Native Koreans present- my perception altered a little for the better. We asked what the manager recommended, to which he replied in exactly the way I like the staff to- with confidence. So at his recommendation we ordered: Pajeon (Seafood pancake), Red Chicken, Black Cod, Hot Stone Galbi and a Hot Stone Bibimbap with Beef.

Out came first was the Seafood Pancake, made with spring onions, chili, leek, squid, shrimp and probably some other kind of fishy thing. Wow, crunchy exterior, melt-in-your-mouth interior and a fresh flavour that was completely new to my palette. While the sticky chicken tasted like an upmarket version of a Chinese sweet and sour, I was so overwhelmed by the Seafood Pancake I hardly noticed.

The next course came out primarily with the Hot Stone Galbi, beef steak in a cliche but pretty darn good hoi-sin/teriayaki sort of sauce, chargrilled and served with lettuce leaves. Initially I was in awe of this dish, yet soon it became forgotten by what was to come. Black. Cod. Yet this cod was far from black, it was burnt orange in colour, far more representative of the flavour it possessed. Sweet, tangy sauce coated a perfectly cooked cod fillet- and combined with the grilled asparagus and kaiso salad I was almost having an POOF (public orgasm over food). Alongside this came the classically Korean dish a Hot Stone Bibimbap with beef. Of which we had with Wild rice, vegetables, herbs, marinated shredded beef and an egg yolk. All of this was presented to us in a beauty of a display on a hot stone, of which the waitress mixed up sizzling in front of our greedy eyes. This dish was more simple - rather like a more interesting and healthier Chinese special fried rice with fresh veg, it was my mothers favourite.

The bill came to around £65, which would have been around £80 if we hadn't got the first two appetisers free. But golly it was worth it- I was drawn into the world of Korea, my new little gem of a cuisine I will now follow all my life, and moreover, I was drawn in with style. Thank you Bibigo.

Bibigo: 58-59 Great Marlborough St  London W1F 7JY