Korean restaurants started popping up in every neighbourhood in Japan at least ten years or so ago. Part of it is simply that yakiniku is Korean food to begin with, but lately the more serious, properly Korean places have started moving in too.

Makgeolli and beer

They have recreated a Korean samgyeopsal joint really well. From the oil-drum stools on down, I keep wondering where on earth they source all this stuff.. probably it means there is steady enough demand to mass-produce it.

The grill plate

They have done a pretty good job of copying the Korean style

How to eat samgyeopsal..

You can just eat it however you like, surely..

The menu

The spread

Pajeori, lettuce, perilla leaves — everything you would expect is there.

Samgyeopsal

The meat is good quality and the price is decent too. In Seoul these days a serving runs about 20,000 won, and this was close to half that..

Jijimi

In Korea you stuff yourself with meat first and only then move on to the side dishes, but in Japan people seem to eat about half the meat and then fill up on the other Korean dishes. From where I sit we should be eating more meat, but the Japanese diners are more of a “that’s enough for me” sort.. well.. getting to try a whole range of Korean food in Japan is only possible at a place like this, so I suppose it can’t be helped..

Naengmyeon

Factory-made, but perfectly edible.

Bibimbap

The menu really covers everything.

Rosé tteokbokki

Even this is on the menu…

Hotdog

Korean corn dogs are part of the Korean wave now too..

We ate well and it came to under 3,000 yen a head, so the value is genuinely great. Prices really are Japanese prices.. there is talk of wages going up and prices going up from here on, but a sudden explosive jump like Korea’s is unlikely to happen.

한국어로 읽기日本語で読む