Last Saturday after the K-Pop Academy class, a bunch of us decided to head over to Yori for an early dinner. One of the main reasons I decided to join in (aside from the fact that I can never say no to Korean food) was because someone mentioned earlier that they serve Cheese ddeobokki (Rice cake and fish cake in sweet red chilli sauce). I was excited about that cos I love me some ddeokbokki and a cheesy one sounds heavenly (and it was).
We got to the restaurant early for dinner, but they were already a few customers eating and they were all Koreans. That is usually a good sign, one thing my food exploration has taught me is when the people local to the cuisine frequent a restaurant, then it has a good and authentic taste (Take note of that :). We were greeted by the friendly waiter whom I later found knew one of the girls in our group, She was really easy-going which I really appreciate in staffs at a restaurant.
Here's what we ordered....
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| This was what was left of the Banchan (side dishes) before I took a picture. They were complimentary which was a plus because some restaurants charge you for it. It consisted of stir-fried beansprouts and potato strips. |
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| Next was the Cheese ddeokbokki, I must say I didn't now what to expect but it was delicious. It had the right amount of kick to it (although I have a high-tolerance to spice). If you are not good at handling spice, it would be a good idea to mention that to the waiter beforehand. The cheese added flavour to it almost changing the original ddeokbokki taste. It is definitely worth a try if you love cheese otherwise I wouldn't recommend it. I still prefer the original dish but I can see myself giving this a try once in a while. Also, I later found out that Yori is the only restaurant that serves the Cheese Ddeokbookki. |
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| I feel as though a Korean meal is never complete without some Jeon (Pancake). This is KimchiJeon which has slowly become a staple dish for me. I love the thin crisp pancake mix that layers over the kimchi blending the flavour to make this yummy savoury must-have. If you can't stomach kimchi on it's own but still want to try it, this is a good way it out. The pancake was perfectly made and I approved of it. |
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| I had never tried korean BBQ before and I was surprised of this. Here was a good opportunity for me to have a taste of it and I went for it. I didn't know what to expect. There was duck, short ribs, chicken and pork to choose from (they had an extensive BBQ menu, but these were the options we chose) and I went for the duck. In case you are not aware of what this is, basically the raw marinated meat is cooked in the grill on your table and you eat it fresh off the grill. You can choose either rice or lettuce to go with it. If you opt for the lettuce, you pick a leaf and first rub it with the paste provided , add the meat and side dishes (we ordered an extra side dish of pickled spring onions), wrap it and shove the entire thing in your mouth. It was an explosion of flavours and I loved every bite of it. I seriously give this 5 stars. It is healthy, filling and delicious. Who wouldn't love that, right? |
My Verdict
First off the location of this restaurant is great. It is just a short working distance from Piccadilly circus and not far from the famous Oxford and Regent Street. Short walking distance from Piccadilly circus station as well. It is a definitely a good tourist destination. The atmosphere is laid back with nice KPop music playing in the background, not too loud to get on your nerves if you aren't into the music. The staff was so friendly and she hung out a bit with us which was nice. The food arrived still hot which I value in a restaurant. The food quality and taste albeit not the best Korean food I've had is acceptable and their menu is actually extensive. It was a meal of firsts with the BBQ and cheese ddeobokki for me and by the end of it, I thought it was worth the visit. The price was a quite reasonable for a restaurant at that location and I think their lunch menu is even cheaper.
See you next time with more food adventures, who knows what cuisine I'll try out :) stay tuned!!
안녕,
meera
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