When people ask me what the best Korean BBQ is in Sydney - I now have to recommend Bornga. Before now I would have said 678 Korean BBQ - and whilst that is still one of our top favourite places - Bornga takes the lead (just).
We treated ourselves to a new Korean BBQ. Bornga opened in 2019 and sadly it’s take us this long to discover it. Part of a popular South Korean chain, and headed up by a well known chef Baek Jong-won.
You’ll never spot where the restaurant is.
Menu (as of Nov 2020);
Ordering via QR Code / your own mobile!
One thing that is pretty neat is that when you sit down you are asked to use your booking detail / slip given to you upon entry to visit the QR Code. That code brings up your online menu / how you order. You simply punch in what you’d like - and shortly after banchan (sides) and dishes come out.
Banchan / Sides (Free)
An assortment of really great banchan! (Kimchi was amazing).
All of the banchan was delicious. The kimchi in particular was spot on and was enjoyed by my wife (tough critic) and myself (someone that appreciates it, but doesn’t eat kimchi in regular amounts).
One of the nice touches was the ‘cucumber soup / O ee Naeng guk’ which is a common thing to serve with BBQ in Korea - but not something you’d typically see in a Sydney restaurant. This was refreshing and served as a good palate cleanser.
Woosamgyeop / Beef Loin ($23)
This is considered one of their specialties and was something we were keen to try. Lightly marinated, very thin beef cooked very quickly - and was happily eaten very fast. The only detractor was that I felt that we could have had more!
Wagyu Deungsim / Premium Wagyu Scotch Fillet ($42)
We were tossing up what to actually order - and we decided to pick things that looked really good that we wouldn’t normally get. Let’s make it a special occasion and have something really yum. The waygu scotch fillet was exactly that… delicious. Because it was not marinated we actually cooked this first (to avoid ruining the grill). There was a discussion about ordering a second serve - but we decided to be rational.
Wagyu Yangnyeom Kkot Sal / Marinated Wagyu Beef Short Rib Meat ($36)
We had only originally planned to order 2 meats at the beginning - but after finishing the loin, and then deciding that doubling down on wagyu scotch fillet would be excessive - we opted to try the marinated short rib. This is actually something we would typically order, and it was really good.
Yesan Tteokgalbi / Grilled Short Rib Patties ($23)
This was a really superstar of a dish. I picked this one because I thought Zach (our toddler) would appreciate some meat with his rice, and I suspected that ‘short rib patties’ were going to be really good. I was more than right - they were fantastic. Really tender and tasty - I would recommend getting these, particularly if you’ve got someone that isn’t super great with spice/chili.
Bornga Naengmyeon / Cold buckwheat noodle (Mini-size $12)
Cold buckwheat noodles are an amazing thing to combine with BBQ - and something adventurous to order if you haven’t had them before. Icy cold, just the right amount of tart flavour - the mini-size was perfect for me. You’ll have to add a little vinegar & mustard (just a small amount) and mix it in to get a really Korean version.
Kimchi Jjigae / Spicy kimchi stew ($18)
We are fairly tough critics of Kimchi Jjigae as we try it at every Korean restaurant we go to. Unfortunately this version was fine / adequate - but stood out against all the other dishes that made you think yum! I don’t think we’d order this again. I wonder if the soups/stews are not their strong suit as another review mentioned that their Soybean paste stew (which I can make / here is the recipe) wasn’t stellar either. The thing that gives me pause is that the cold buckwheat noodles were very good.
PROS:
Top marks for BBQ, Sides, Decor, Ordering, Staff, experience.
Staff were quick, attentive, and observant.
Did I mention everything was yum?
CONS:
I didn’t take any photos of the cooked meat - sorry.
The Kimchi Jjigae was average/ok - it was fine, but not something we took home.
It ended up being fairly expensive, so it’s only going to be a place we can visit on special occasions.
OVERALL:
A new favourite Korean BBQ, having just inched out 678 for overall experience. Don’t get me wrong, I still am a big fan of 678, but Bornga really provided an amazing meal / experience. I would gladly bring friends and family that are dying to try Korean BBQ.
DETAILS:
Address: Level 1/78 Harbour St, Haymarket NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9304 0390
Site: Facebook Page / Online Bookings!
Instagram: @borngasydney