Whether it’s a Saturday night, or a Monday night, Arisun is packed. Extended families crowd around tables with bubbling vats of hot pot, while couples cheers with glasses of soju. There’s a mix of K-pop and Western music videos playing on a big projected screen in the corner and the chatter is constant. There’s a lot going on at this Chinatown eatery but it only adds to the homeliness and fun of the space.
Whether Korean cuisine is right up your alley, or you’ve never ventured past Japanese flavours before, you’re bound to find a dish, or three, to sample from Arisun's. It’s really actually a fusion of Korean-Japanese food so you’ve got everything from teriyaki chicken and pork katsu bento boxes for less than $25 at lunch time to sweet and sour black bean noodles.
The restaurant’s signature dish is their Korean fried chicken. Juicy chicken thighs are chopped up, battered and fried before you get to choose which flavour you’ll go with. If you can’t decide between soy garlic, honey tabasco, jalapeno mayo, sweet and spicy or cheese, opt for the tasting platter that comes with four options plus fries and creamy Asian coleslaw.
Unless you’re really hungry, trust us and share the hot pot. It comes out with all the fixings like fish cakes, thinly sliced Wagyu, tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes), noodles and vegetables arranged inside, ready for boiling. If you want less of a DIY-situation, the Korean barbecue meats like the hunks of beef rib, Wagyu beef and spicy pork belly have already been seared for you.
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Polish off your Asian share-style feast with a house cocktail like the tropical Gangnam Style or the Arisun Idol mixed with original soju, the much-loved crisp Korean spirit. Best yet, you can keep the good times rolling because the restaurant closes at midnight throughout the week, and at 2am on weekends. Make sure you phone a friend, or four, to make the most of the family-style menu with big dishes that pack a punch.
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