Arirang Korean & Japanese Restaurant in Clayton Park (30 Farnham Gate Road) was a complete unknown to Emily, Jen and me when we went out to lunch last Saturday on a dark and wet day. Emily had heard good things from a friend so we went to check it out.
The service was very friendly and we got a seat immediately.
Turns out the name of the restaurant is very complex and for me, so was the menu. I have had very little experience eating Korean food. Emily recommended I get the Bento Box which comes with a little bit of everything. My favourite kind of meal. I choose the one with beef.
It came with a lovely miso soup, which I adore.
A stunningly refreshing salad, black bean rice and some of the softest beef I have ever eaten.
Emily said the kimchi was a very light version, rather than the super strong traditional kimchi. It tasted like coleslaw to me. I got the noodles as a side dish and they were delicious.
You know a place is a local gem when people dare to go out for lunch on such a crappy, crappy day.
I got that entire meal for $9.95 plus tax and was it ever worth it. I love trying new food and this was a success. We all loved our dishes. The only issue? There are not a lot of vegetarian options. Some tofu dishes were served in a seafood sauce so if you are a vegetarian, you might find the menu challenging.
We wanted a quick but delicious bit to eat before hitting the stores to get some shopping done and try something new in Clayton Park. Arirang Restaurant was a fantastic choice, I would definitely eat there again. I give this restaurant four out of five wooden spoons.
Wow, that’s good value! I’ve never had enough nerve to try kimchi because of its sinus-clearing reputation. I didn’t know it came in “mild” LOL!
I agree, great price for all that food Debra. I’ve paid a lot more for less at other Asian restaurants.
Same here, heard crazy things about kimchi but it sounds like this version is not half as strong as regular kimchi so I was lucky, LOL. Although I do want to try the real deal one day.