You’ll be thankful for the extractor hoods ranged around the room here, sucking up the smoke from the grilling meats – though that distinctive smoky scent will still hang around your hair and clothes long after you’ve finished your meal. The décor is Spartan, the service low-key and spot on. Banquettes run along the walls, seating diners wielding black chopsticks ready to sizzle their lunch to precisely their taste.
Meat is king at this well-established venue – fine strips of well seasoned raw côte de bœuf, medallions of entrecôte, pork belly and more are lined up ready for the miniature barbecue set up at the centre of each table, flanked by a whole battery of accompaniments in a dinky ceramic holder: kimchi, green salad, sautéed green beans, namul sauce and others, which you can contemplate as your meats sizzle their way to readiness. You can also order a bowl of dolsot bibimbap to the table, that delectable mix of rice and vegetables served in a hot stone bowl and topped with a fried egg. Mix it up into a lovely mess with the cooked meats, and you have the ultimate (and very filling) comfort food. If you’re still hungry, the menu also includes sushi, prawn balls, sashimi and gyoza, to fill any lingering gaps.
Prices are around €17-€24 for a set menu, €27 for a full barbecue menu with bibimbap. It isn’t the cheapest meal around, but it is more than enough to fortify you for a night out – or a marathon.
TRANSLATION: ELLEN HARDY