K-Tarng

Baby of the family, K-Tarng is sibling to the more popular one in the family, Tarng on A'beckett Street. But let me just say, don't judge a book by its cover. 

The interior is nothing fancy, like not at all, but it's when I made my way to the back that I discovered a little spot of Korea hidden in good old Carnegie. Picture a little garden, tables and stools and fairy lights stretching to the sky. All I could think of was K-drama ! But onto the food.

Tarng's Spicy Fried Chicken

Of course we could not pass up ordering a serving of deep fried goodness in the form of Korean fried chicken. Smothered in a sticky sweet chilli sauce, the chicken was tender and juicy on the side yet super crunchy on the outside. Don’t bother with cutlery here, these babies are finger lickin’ good ! I could not get enough of this.

Pork BBQ

Next came out a sizzling hot plate BBQ Pork which I wasn’t overly fond of as the pork was rather dry and lacking in seasoning.

Kimchi Pancake

I’m mad about kimchi pancakes and these were definitely not an exception. What’s not to like about a fluffy pancake with crispy golden edges, with all its tangy and slightly spicy glory. Dipping these in a simple soy and vinegar sauce, we watched as they disappeared like magic.

Corn Cheese

We also spoilt our tastebuds (waitsline not so much) with a bubbling plate of Corn Cheese. Sweet corn kernels concealed in a creamy concoction of all things naughty - mayo, butter and sugar. And of course, roofed with extra melty mozzarella cheese.

I've been to K-Tarng multiple times now and have enjoyed each visit - it's just so easy. Come here on cold wintery nights for those extra calories to keep you warm and fuzzy.

K-Tarng

45 Koornang Road  

Carnegie, VIC 3163

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Big Mama

I think you would all agree with me when I say that Melbourne weather has been batshit crazy cold of late. It's forever raining and the wind bites. But don't forget, there's always a silver lining guys ! Myself ? I winter straight in the eyes and battle it out with good old Korean comfort food. Enter Big Mama.

Takoyaki

Takoyaki is the bomb - amazing little things I can never look past. And Big Mama delivered well - oozy octopus balls dripping in takoyaki sauce and mayo topped with shavings of dried bonito. Yum. 

Oven Cheese Ddeokbokki

Up next was our extra cheesy ddeokbokki. Oh boy, this was comfort food to the max - think carbs, carbs, cheese and more carbs. Chubby rice cake rolls, fish cake, cabbage and instant ramen pooled in a spicy sweet sauce topped with melty cheese.

Kimchi Jjigae

We also ordered a Kimchi Jjigae to share. Fiery hot, hearty, and full of flavour, we scooped spoonful after spoonful onto our steamed rice. We would have loved to see a few more slices of pork in there, but that did not stop us from emptying out the entire bowl. 

The result ? Winter - 0, Little Piggy - 1 

Big Mama

466 Swanston Street

Melbourne, VIC 3053

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Kong BBQ

From the brains behind the ever so popular Chin Chin and Baby, now comes Kong BBQ. Positioned comfortably on Church Street, Kong joins a bustling street of crowd pleasers - Top Paddock and Pillar of Salt. Fitted out by designers Eades and Bergman, the 60-seat restaurant is casual - simple yet bold. The menu, inspired by Korean and Japanese flavours focuses strongly slow cooking, the oriental BBQ way. 

Teriyaki Roast Ora King Salmon Ssam Roti Roll

The flavour and texture of Ora King Salmon was full, rich and buttery together with lashings of teriyaki  sauce mingled with the sweet crunch of wok fried Chinese broccoli and tomato. The roti was tender on the inside, soaking up all the sauces, yet the outer layer still crisp and nicely charred. Not exactly a Korean or Japanese inspired dish, but no one’s complaining here. My friend and I fell in love with this dish and had us singing praises for the entire meal.

Kong  Bossam BBQ Tray

I'm a big fan of bossam, mixing and matching bold flavours that you create in your own individual morsel. The gochujang BBQ chicken was delightful, pulled pork a little lifeless, pork belly and crackling absolutely lip-smacking and the beef brisket slightly dry but saved by the coffee infused tomato relish. Together with the fresh lettuce, tangy pickles, wombok kimchi & walnut ssamjang, we had lots of fun playing with your food - in an acceptable way of course. 

At Kong, atmosphere is loud and lively, service fun and friendly, and food marvously mouth-watering. Would I come back you ask ? Puh-lease, that’s not even a question - I’ve already been back for seconds. Kong is King.

Kong BBQ

599 Church Street  

Richmond, VIC 3121

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Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ

I get a lot of cravings. But when I get so hungry to the point that I turn hangry (hungry + angry), Korean food is usually the best solution. And on this particular day, it was up to Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ to rectify my hunger. 

Mo Dum Gue C (BBQ Set C)

Having a hard time choosing which cuts of meat to order, we went with BBQ Set C - a combination  of yang num galbi (marinated beef spare ribs), beef sirloin, soy chicken and spicy pork belly. Though a couple of cuts were quite average, the dish that was most enjoyed was the spicy pork belly. You can never go wrong with pork belly.

Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Spicy Sauce

As the meats sizzled away, the naengmyun arrived - a Korean style buckwheat noodles smothered with tangy spicy red chilli pepper sauce complete with various crunchy veggie toppings, tasty beef slices and half boiled egg. It was fun contrasting bites of these icy cold noodles with pieces of charred meats straight off the grill.

Seafood Pancake

Lastly, but definitely not the least, the Seafood pancake was absolutely delicious. Crispy on the outside, yet light and fluffy on the inside. So simple, yet so satisfying. 

Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ has clearly positioned themselves as the spot where carnivorous students flock to for a good feed. The menu is broad, food is served promptly, and service is no fuss. Their biggest drawcard is certainly size - where when quality may not be the highest, they make up in quantity. 

Dae Jang Geum Korean BBQ

235 Little Bourke Street  

Melbourne, VIC

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Darac Grill & Bar

There are a few ways one can keep warm on cold Melbourne nights. Snuggling up with warm blankets, cranking up the heater, or piling on layers and layers of clothing are just a few of the options available. But, what better way to warm your body and get the taste buds going than a spicy Korean army stew at Darac Grill & Bar.

Cheese Kimchi Sausage Stew

Looking around, every table had an army stew going. Come to Darac and not order one ? Don't be crazy, Darac is particularly famous for their stews. 

Our pot bubbled and boiled, and minutes later, our stew had turned a bright fire-engine red - it was ready. It was jam packed with sausages, spams of all sorts, kimchi, cheese, macaroni, japchae, ddeokbokki, zucchini  cabbage, tofu and onions. The combination of cheese and kimchi was genius, resulting in a creamy, yet spicy and tangy concoction which we generously ladled over our rice.

Spicy Pork Bugolgi

We also ordered the Spicy Pork Bugolgi, D-man's go-to Korean dish. This pork belly dish was full of flavour, though we found the marinade was slightly sweeter than what we would have preferred.

Cheese Fire Chicken

Spicy Korean stir-friend chicken covered in a thick layer of mozzarella cheese which oozed into every nook and cranny. You can imagine how fast we demolished this dish.

Beef Bibimbap

For carbs, we had the Beef Bibimbap which I though was just your average bibimbap. Served in a hot stone pot, the rice was accompanied by beef, an assortment of vegetables and eggs which we drizzled in chilli sauce.

Seafood Spring Onion Pancake

Fluffy triangles of pancake stuffed with seafood, vegetables and spring onion. Great flavour, though would have appreciated it more if it was crispier.

With its cozy vibes and comforting food Darac Grill & Bar was just one of those places that leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling. With the cooler weather in full swing now, I know I'll be back.

Darac Grill & Bar

51 A'Beckett Street 

Melbourne, VIC

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Koba K-BBQ

Drumroll, please. Korea in Mexico in Melbourne. That is, the beautiful marriage between Korean BBQ and the Mexican Tortilla and has landed in Melbourne. Hello Koba BBQ!

Brother and sister, Will and Rosa have brought the next big thing (I called it) to Melbourne. With Will on the grill and Rosa up front, the two work in harmony in serving mouth-watering fusion offerings of Mexican and Korean flavours six days a week. 

Ordering is simple here. 1. Pick your Koba (taco, burrito or rice bowl), 2. Pick your Filling (beef, chicken, spicy pork or tofu + rice), and 3. Complete your Koba (salad + sauce). Okay, let's get started already.

Koba K-BBQ Burrito 

The burrito was jammed with kimchi fried rice, spicy pork, chunks of fresh kimchi, cucumber kimchi, seasoned soybean/mung bean sprouts and smokey BBQ mayo. The 24 hour marinated spicy pork was full of flavour and had a slight chew to it that I really liked. The creaminess of the smokey BBQ mayo sauce that smothered the pork meshed well with the kimchi fried rice, and various banchans wrapped together. Loved the fusion. I could have easily eaten a whole one to myself, but had decided to share one with A so I could sample the tacos too.

Koba K-BBQ Tacos

After coming hot and smokey off the grill, the tacos are topped with whatever toppings you please. For me, beef bulgogi, kimchi slaw, tomato salsa, mushrooms, cheese and gochujang please. The ingredients were fresh and the Korean - Mexican flavour hit was as delicious as anticipated, thanks in part to the lusciously subtle heat provided by the traditional gochujang paste. 

The balance between Asian and Mexican influences were spot on and are sure to satiate the hungry mouths of Melbournians. Korexican at Koba BBQ - get on it.

Koba K-BBQ

119 Hardware Street 

Melbourne, VIC

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Mrs Kim's Grill

​Mrs Kim's Korean BBQ is a family owned business that has been delivering delicious meats marinated in their well-kept secret recipe for over 15 years.  It was only natural that the next step was taken, which led to the opening of Mrs Kim's Grill. Located amongst the plethora of other Korean restaurants in Carnegie​, Mrs Kim's has come in with a bang and is sizzling hot.

​Moo, Oink Baa & Cluck Cluck are the sets to choose from. Designed to cater for two people​, these sets are a brilliant way to sample a variety of their food without having to think too much.  All sets come with your selected meat, spring onion salad, kimchi, pickled onions, a choice of salad, soup of the day, butter and garlic potatoes & corn, and steamed rice. 

​For a family of five, we decided to order three different sets to cover all bases - Moo, Oink and Baa.

Spring Onion Salad

 Smoked Salmon & Onion Salad

Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Soup of the Day

Whilst waiting for our meats to arrive, we dug into the side dishes to settle our rumbling stomachs. There was the mandatory kimchi, which was fresh and crunchy but lacking in flavour and spice. There were also the unexpected, Westernised salads - a smoked salmon, onion, rocket and caper salad & tomato and avocado salsa which were a refreshing change from the usual suspects. Alternating on the various salads, we also enjoyed mouthfuls of the soup of the day.

Baa Set 

Soy Lamb Ribs 700g

The soy lamb ribs were sweet and succulent. In between chatting with us, the owner, Joanne also did an excellent job in cooking and serving the lamb . It was perfectly charred on the outside, yet still had that slightly-pink centre. My brothers thoroughly enjoyed gnawing on the lamb ribs, with no signs of wastage anywhere ! 

Moo Set

Famous Marinated Galbi Beef Ribs 350g & Skirt Steak 150g

We greatly appreciated the meats coming out progressively. This forced us to pace ourselves and allowed us to enjoy the flavours of each cut separately. Galbi is obligatory when my brothers are around. There is just something so satisfying about beef ribs, and Mrs Kim's were top notch.

 

 Butter and Garlic Potatoes & Corn

Oink Set

Chilli Pork Belly 250g & Pork Skirt Fillet 150g

Dad was a little hesitant when we ordered the Oink Set, though was singing praise at the moment he sunk his teeth into a piece of crispy chilli pork belly. Who could say no to pork belly anyway ? The smell, the sight, the sounds of pork belly sizzling away was saliva-inducing. The tangles of spring onion were sharp, fresh and welcomed between mouthfuls of rice and pork belly. Fortunately for my brothers, the chilli was on the down-low, though not so fortunately for me. I would have enjoyed a bit more kick in the dishes, but you can't please everyone.

Coupled with great food, Joanne and her team were enthusiastic and friendly. Having only opened for a few weeks, they have already built a loyal following of customers who dine there at least three times a week, and I can easily see why. With three previous unsuccessful Korean BBQs in that exact spot, the curse has finally been broken. Mrs Kim's Grill, you're on fire. 

Mrs Kim's Grill

136 Koornang Road 
Carnegie, VIC

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Let's Bab

Let's Bab ! 

Translated directly, meaning 'Let's Rice' ! Cute.

In need of a quick & hot lunch, my brothers and I popped into Let's Bab.
Fast, delicious, generously sized meals at very affordable prices ! This is what I call value for money.

Soon doo boo jjigae

Hot boiling soon doo boo jiggae ! Was still boiling away as it arrived to our table, and I actually had to wait a few seconds so I could snap a photo. You can see here that in that time, my brother attacked the fried tofu. I do have to say, that tofu was hella delicious. Golden cubes of deep-fried tofu drizzled with BBQ sauce and kewpie mayo. 

Seafood Ramen

Instant ramen in a spicy seafood broth. Seafood included shrimps, baby mussels and pipis. Was pretty much a standard korean ramen dish.

Spicy pork BBQ 

A very generous serving indeed- all for $10 ! Loved that the pork was on the leaner side. Was very flavoursome, and luckily for my brother, was not too spicy.

Takoyaki 

Octopus and cabbage balls

Takoyaki being my litlle brother's most favourite dish ever, we had to order these. Despite having so much food, was very tempted to order another serving. Aside from these amazeballs being a little on the smaller side, they were everything we could have asked for. A smooth and creamy takoyaki encasing a juicy piece of octopus.

 Korokke

Croquettes. I have the worse tendency to pronounce this as 'croquet', like the wooden ball and mallet game in Alice in Wonderland. I mean I know the difference and I know its pronounced croquette, but it gets me every tume. Super embarrassing. These beautifully breadcrumbed babies held the creamiest potato mash inside and were complimented with two sauces. 

Out of all the Korean cafes along Warrigul Road, Let's Bab has always been and will always remain a favourite whenever I just want an easy meal.

Let's Bab
623 Warrigal Road 
Chadstone, VIC

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