Needing somewhere quick, cheap & cheerful before we went to see a ‘work in progress’ routine by Mark Thomas (highly recommended), but not wanting to go anywhere near one of the horrible looking buffets around Leicester square and Charing Cross, a visit to Corean Chilli fitted our needs pretty nicely. In addition to this, Mr J was eager to sample the Korean BBQ on offer, having had an amazing version of this in Thailand recently, so Mr H, Mr J, Miss F, Miss R and I all trundled over the road (from the pub) to sample Corean Chilli’s wares. One of the first things that strikes you in this busy establishment right in the centre of town, is the number of young Asians present; usually a pretty good sign.

I have to admit that even after eating here before, I’d find it hard to name a traditional Korean dish, apart from the infamous Boshin Tang (dog meat stew). Boshin Tang is not (well, not that I noticed, anyway) on the menu at Corean Chilli, but a variety of hot pots and Korean style BBQ dishes are, plus a number of noodle & rice dishes.

Everyone being happy with trying the Korean BBQ style of cooking and after quizzing the waiter (about spiciness, speed of service and amounts required) we selected the Pork Belly and Spicy Chicken versions, plus a couple of sides and rice, which our waiter thought would adequately feed the five of us. Korean BBQ consists of a grill or pan being brought to the table, with the food then being cooked in front of you. When the cooking utensils and food arrived, I have to admit I was a little disappointed. The Pork Belly part of the BBQ consisted of essentially thick cut streaky bacon cooked on a foil covered grill, with the Spicy Chicken in a big dish, resembling a stir fry. Once the food was cooked, the pork belly was served in a lettuce leaf, along with some plum type sauce to go with it. I did really like the use of the lettuce leaf as a receptacle and the crunchy texture of the lettuce was a pleasant contrast to the texture and taste of the pork belly. The Spicy Chicken went with the rice and whilst it was quite tasty, it wasn’t very spicy, certainly not as spicy as the waiter had made out, anyway. Probably the best part of the meal were the crunchy pickled radish, as selected by Miss F.

As a concept, I’m not entirely sure having food cooked in front of you actually brings anything to the experience of eating or taste of the food. I guess it could add something to the atmosphere if you’re with a not very interesting bunch of people or a group of work colleagues you’re struggling to sustain a conversation with, but overall, I can’t say Korean BBQ really grabs me in any way. In regards to the restaurant itself, I would definitely go back as it does have some good dishes and is definitely a cut above your average noodle house. I can’t think of any other quick, cheap and cheerful places around that way and although the service can be a little brusque at times, there are a lot of worse places about.