Bibimbap is the name of a signature Korean dish and a staple of Korean kitchen table throughout the land. I know this because Wiki told me as I haven't yet had the pleasure of traveling the lands myself. I did go to into Soho though for my first taste of this exotic treat.
Bibimbap isn't just the name of the restaurant. It means mixed rice and was originally born out of a way to use up leftovers. Delicious leftovers. The best leftovers.
The Bibimbap in Soho is tiny with very little space to maneuver but after about 15 minutes of waiting, we were able to get a table as a walk in group of 4. Service is brusque but efficient which means the wait wasn't too long.
Being unfamiliar with Korean food as a whole, I did what I always do - picked a few of the meat options lol.
We started off with the prawn katsu, spicy rice cakes, and some dumplings. Prawn katsu was delicious according to my dining buddies.
The spicy rice cakes were odd - like gelatinous carbs in gloop. The veggie of the group powered through them though.
The dumplings were good so I'd recommend including them in your starter mix.
Next up was the actual bibimbap. Not knowing what to expect, I played it safe and went for the fillet beef. What showed up was a bowl made of burning hot stone with loads of fresh veg and a pile of raw mince meet hiding underneath a fried egg.
What is this I asked my chums. You gotta mix it up they said while the bowl was still hot. So I did and the sizzle was real. As you mix, the meat cooks, the veg softens ever so slightly, and it all just comes together.
If you don't fancy cooking your meal yourself, you can go for the beef strips which arrived cooked and looks just as yum.
After a spot of mixing, it was time to add the sauces. Red for chilli, yellow for miso (their version of soy).
The portion sizes are immense which makes the pricing seem even more reasonable. It really is a hearty, delicious meal in one.
xxs