Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Assa London Korean restaurant review

Assa is a small restaurant on St. Giles Street, a short walk from Tottenham Court Road station. It serves Korean food, and judging by the number of Koreans who dine there, authentic ones too. With the open plan kitchen right at the back, the restaurant has an 'Asian feel' to it, a far cry from the increasing number of pretentious modern Asian restaurants popping around Soho.

We've been coming here regularly since first reading about them on a copy of Time Out: 1000 Things to do in London for Under £10 I got from Nicola a couple of months ago. The place is regularly packed, a good sign of a good restaurant with loyal customers. Assa's speciality lies in hot pots where the food is cooked in a broth on a gas cooker in front of the customer, though there are plenty of other dishes on offer. Be warned that Korean food can be a bit spicy, so asked first! We personally recommend the Bibimbap, Kimchi pancake, Rabokki (noodles with rice cake) and one of the many hot pots on offer.

Two side dishes and tea are always offered for customers. The price isn't too expensive, and there's a special lunch menu (for example, a good portion of rice and beef for around a fiver). The decor of the place is rather mismatched, but gives it a homey feel to it. There is also a karaoke room in the basement, but never tried it. The toilets are also worth a visit, if only to admire the eccentric murals around it.

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