17/3/15 - Updated with soft launch details.
Only a few months into 2015 and it really does seem that it's the year Korean food really takes off. The latest to hit central London is On the Bab, who are following up the Shoreditch original with a second restaurant in Covent Garden.
As with the Shoreditch original, they'll be focused on Korean anju dishes - food specifically designed to accompany alcohol - from a menu led by owner Linda Lee. They'll be bringing some of the favourite dishes to the Covent Garden restaurant, including steamed buns filled with bulgogi beef, spicy Korean chicken, spicy pork, or fried chicken and kimchi bokeum bab (Korean style kimchi bacon paella with a fried egg on top). Plus new dishes on the menu include:
- Yangyum chicken - Along with the original soy and sweet spicy coating, the new menu will include 'Padak' (fried chicken with sweet & sour spring onion topping) and 'Manuldak' (garlic chicken with Korean garlic garnish) ·
- Korimari – a version of the traditional 'Choongmoo Gimbab' - seaweed rice rolls with a choice of Korean barbecue meat, served with a side of ‘Myulchi Bokeum’ (sweet, chilli dried anchovies) and ‘Danmuji’ (street food counterpart of Kimchi)
- On The Roll - a Korean-style burrito rolled in a dry seaweed wrap with kimchi, seasoned vegetables with a choice of Korean barbecue meat. ·
- OTB Nibbles - including Seoul’s current street food trend ‘Gyeran Bbang’ (a Korean muffin cased baked egg) plus rice poppers and a selection of Korean bar snacks (marun anju).
And obviously, as this is all designed to be eaten with drink, there's plenty of that too.To give a “chimek” (chicken and beer) experience they'll have draught beer and 1.7 litre beer towers can be brought to the table. New additions to the current soju cocktail menu will be two slushy drinks, including the sojurita – frozen margarita prepared with soju.They've also imported a range of spirits for shots on boards of three, five and seven.
On The Bab Covent Garden will open 11 April at 36 Wellington Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7BD. There'a a soft launch - for walk-ins only, no bookings, with 50% off food on 10 April. Plus, if you eat at the original, plus Koba, Nizuni and Nizuni Go they're giving away introductory vouchers for On the Bab Covent Garden, including 50% off. For more information, follow them on Twitter @onthebab
