Located along the bustling Main Road in Sea Point, aptly named restaurant Kimchi transports you across the continent to the shores of Korea with its authentic food offering and unique barbecue experience.

Fast Facts

Restaurant name: Kimchi BBQ Restaurant

Address: 178 Main Road, Sea Point, Cape Town

Contact number: 079 172 1239

Opening times: Monday to Sunday, from 11am to 9pm

The average price of main meal: R120 per person for most main meals, Korean BBQ experience cost R299 per person

Corkage fee: This is dependent on the type of alcohol and the number of guests, and averages around R50

Parking situation: On-street parking along Main Road

Food type: Korean cuisine

Food

As the official second branch to open, Kimchi BBQ Restaurant focuses on offering a bona fide South Korean dining experience. With a very wide menu to select from, it is advisable to take a shared approach to dining as the main meals are served in hearty portions. Starters include classics such as steamed edamame beans with salt, vegetable spring rolls, miso soup and dashi tofu, and pan-fried cubes of tofu served in a sweet sauce.

One of the massive drawcards that has many Capetonians flocking to this spot is the interactive BBQ experience, where guests can barbecue a selection of meats or vegetables all from the comfort of their table. Each table is fitted with a built-in gas BBQ set up with coals to ensure the dishes are smoked and cooked to perfection, and boy is it a fun experience.

It can be most compared to a braai, but Korean style. A range of different meat portions from beef to pork are available to BBQ and are served with various dipping sauces.

And for vegetarians and vegans, do not fret, there is a plant-based BBQ option that includes firm tofu and a range of vegetables. Main meals are best paired with a BBQ experience, and there is definitely no shortage of options, whether you are in the mood for noodle- or rice-based dishes.

Classic hot pot South Korean dishes such as kimchi jjigae and Sun tofu, a spicy stew served in a comforting warm broth with silken tofu and vegetables, are available.

This dish is akin to that of a warm hug enveloping your tastebuds and stomach with each bite. All the hot pot dishes are served in a traditional Korean hot pot container and paired with a portion of Jasmine rice.

A showstopper loved by all during the dining experience was the tofu fried rice. Paired with a range of fresh vegetables in an egg fried rice, this dish has no shortage of flavour.

The opening of this new restaurant follows the success of the first Kimchi restaurant located at the Hilton DoubleTree hotel in Woodstock. While the Sea Point brand is not halal, the one located in Woodstock is.

Drinks

Currently, the restaurant does not sell liquor, but you can BYO, and there is a corkage fee charged per table. Drinks available include soft drinks, iced tea and the general run-of-the-mill.

Keeping in line with offering a traditional South Korean experience, tap water is served in golden teapots with small stainless-steel cups, adding to the already East Asian ambience and dining experience.

Ambience

The indoor seating and tables are close together to create a cosy atmosphere, perfect for dining with friends and family. Although the décor is simple, it adds to the Korean principle of ‘less is more’ when it comes to design and style.

Tables are fitted with hidden drawers containing more utensils, highlighting the Korean culture for simplicity and functionality.

Service

The experience of South Korean culture extends to that outside of the kitchen and food offering. The service is impeccable with close attention to detail and a gentle manner that is pleasant and welcoming.

Staff are on hand to assist with setting up the BBQ system and provide a step-by-step on how to ‘braai’ your items.