Tohbang — Restaurant in London

Came here with a friend. I arrived early and they were kind enough to let me sit at my table whilst I waited. The google opening times are somewhat inaccurate in that they don't open for the evening until 17:30. Not sure when the lunch period ends?

As soon as my friend arrived we had a waiter take our drinks orders both opting for the plum soda turning out to be a great choice! Our waiter seemed a little bit elsewhere in that he wasn't really talkative or very helpful in explaining things hence why my rating isn't 5 star.

The food however was top tier as one would expect for a Korean restaurant run by Koreans. We had the kimchi pancake and Korean Fried Chicken to start both of which were super tasty and the perfect amount as an appetiser. We then had the mild beef stew and glass noodle hot pot which came served on a gas heater so it kept not just warm, but boiling. Just be careful with your tongue when it comes to these dishes as I scalded mine at least once out of stupidity and the rush to want to eat. We were provided with separate bowls to scoop from the hotpot. We ordered the 2-3 person hotpot and a side of 'bap' (cooked rice). In the end I don't think the bap was necessary as the hotpot on its own was more than enough for the two of us. The hotpot itself had plenty of stuff going on, chewy rice cakes, glass noodles, enoki mushrooms, beef, probably some other veggies I can't recall but it felt very wholesome and homely. One criticism is that it was lacking in seasoning, I think it could've done with a bit more punch? But that might just be me given the dish was completely mild (at the request of the friend who I was with) and the fact that a lot of the flavour in Korean cuisine is build around spice.

Overall I'd give this place a 4. Food offerings are great but the service could have been better. If you like Korean food, or want to try it, you definitely can't go wrong! The menu has all the classics bar one item which is shockingly missing!! Gimbap!! Look it up if you don't know but I feel this should be a staple on all...

Came here for dinner on a Monday evening and it's very empty so ofc we were able to just walk in.

We ordered the Korean fried chicken and requested half & half to try both the soy garlic and sweet chilli flavours. We also ordered the soft tofu broth with steamed rice and seafood pancake. Having read so many good reviews about this place, I gotta say I had high expectations but unfortunately they weren't met at all.

The fried chicken was below average compared to what I have had in other places in London. The batter was thick and not crunchy although the soy garlic sauce was well-executed. The chicken meat was slightly chewy and not juicy. Sweet chilli sauce had a nice kick to it which was nice but sadly not enough to make up for the flavour profile. The seafood pancake was okay, not exactly outstanding but not bad either. Could do with more seafood inside. The tofu broth was once again mediocre. Taste just didn't feel right but it did come with a generous portion of seafood and tofu.

Service was good with 2 friendly staff serving through the night and I got to practice speaking Korean with both of them which was nice. Atmosphere was relaxing and calm, a very Korean home-style place which was lovely.

Overall, it's not really a great place for delicious food but I could understand why people would come back for the atmosphere. I don't think I will revisit but at least I have...

The staff are friendly and helpful. The decor is … well … the food is really good and authentic … come here for the food!!

It would have been nice to have a way of drying one’s hands in the bathroom though. And the plastic table covers are utilitarian, if they lack in atmospheric charm.

Back to the food!

I must admit that I haven’t had gamja jorim as basically small fried potatoes, but they were still tasty. When I have made them or had them before, they’re typically braised, but perhaps this is to appease the locals.

The tteokbokki was very good! I’ve been privileged to have some fantastic tteokbokki in the past and this was quite good and satisfying. Just the right level of spice. Available both traditional and vegetarian too.

The yachae dolsot bibimbap came close to one I love at a restaurant that is sadly no longer there, so well done. Creating nostalgia is a great feat to pull off.

The bokum udon had a good balance of beef to noodle to broth and was a pleaser. And for someone with a low spice tolerance, this particular guest still found it a perfect combination.

The KFC was one would expect from Korean spicy-ish chicken and fit the bill.

Definitely an authentic spot.

If you know your Korean food, this certainly...