Ben Lewis

8 November 2020

Review

Bornga Korean BBQ - Haymarket

Ben Lewis

8 November 2020

Review

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

Ben Lewis

4 July 2020

Recipe

Stir-fried Kimchi / Kimchi-bokkeum (김치볶음)

Ben Lewis

4 July 2020

Recipe

If you are a fan of Kimchi then you must check out and try this super easy recipe. This is a great way to “"glow up” Kimchi into a very tasty side dish and is also a great way to save overripe Kimchi from having to be thrown away.

Note about kimchi ripeness:

This dish works best if the the kimchi is a little overripe. The sugar syrup is used to counteract the ripeness and if you are using fresh kimchi you'll reduce the measurements down to 1 tbsp. If you are using really overripe kimchi, you'll up the measurements to 3 tbsp.

INGREDIENTS:

Kimchi, 2 cups (slightly overripe kimchi)
Oligo Syrup, 2 tbsp (올리고당)
Sesame Oil, 2 tbsps
Olive Oil ~3 tbsp

METHOD:

Heat up a deep pan with olive oil on high heat
Add Kimchi to pan, flatten to get as much heat as possible
Stir fry on high heat for 5 min, stirring and ensuring as much heat is on kimchi as possible
Add in 2 tbps Oligo syrup and Sesame oil. Note, you can do this using just a normal spoon.
Mix and stir fry for another 3-4 minutes, until well cooked.

Place in a container that won't stain (glass) and use cling wrap to seal top before placing lid to minimise smell in fridge.

Tip: flatten the Kimchi down to maximise cooking area.

Note that I'm just using a normal spoon. No need to be super specific. This is more about having a 1:1 ratio for Oligo to Sesame oil.

Near the end, you'll note the cabbage is shrinking a bit, it's getting some char, and the smell is amazing.

Ben Lewis

19 June 2020

Recipe

Korean Beef Soybean Stew / Doenjang jjigae (된장찌개).

Ben Lewis

19 June 2020

Recipe

One of our favourite Korean soups is this hearty beef soybean stew. I have a personal mission to not only expand and improve my cooking in general - but also focus on Korean dishes. This was my very first attempt at making this - and I was really happy with how it turned out.

This soup is actually quite simple to make - though some of the ingredients might require a special trip to the Korean grocer to obtain.

INGREDIENTS:

200g, Korean Radish (cut into thin, bite size piece - see photos)
1 Zucchini, cut into thin quarters
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks spring onion
300-400g beef (try for higher quality stew meat or other well-marbled cut)
450g pack of soft-medium tofu (you may wish to increase this as the tofu was really good!)
6 tbsp Korean soybean paste (doenjang)
3 tbsp Korean chili pepper paste (gochujang) - Note: you may wish to reduce this to 2 or 1 tbsp if you were wanting to make it milder.
6 cloves of minced garlic (minced/chopped finely)
1.2 L of Korean Anchovy Stock (comes in teabags, I used 2 of them). Alternatively you may be able to use water used to wash rice
Black pepper to taste

Optional ingredients:
1 chili pepper (green and/or red). The recipe actually called for this to be added, but gochujang provides a good base level of spice to the soup - I would only add the extra chilli if you were keen on a quite spicy soup.
I’ve been told that you can add mushrooms and potatoes to this dish. I think I’ll try the mushrooms next time.
There is also a variant that uses thinly sliced shabu shabu style beef - which I would like to try another time.

METHOD:

Cut up all the veggies, and ingredients that require chopping. The photo below will help you visualise the way I cut them into “"bite-sized” pieces.

2. Preheat a large pot. Brown the meat (just sealing until it’s no longer pink).

3. Add the radish and continue to cook for a few minutes (the aim is to cook the radish a little).

4. Add the liquid base (stock/rice water), soybean paste, and chili pepper paste. Stir well to dissolve the pastes. Boil over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes.

5. Add the tofu, onion, zucchini and garlic. Boil for an additional 5 to 6 minutes.

6. Just before serving, add in spring onion and cook for another minute or two.

7. Serve in bowl with some rice.

Ben Lewis

7 December 2019

Review

Sang by Mabasa - Surry Hills

Ben Lewis

7 December 2019

Review

We are delighted that a fantastic new Korean restaurant serves up some of the most exception Korean food in Sydney! My wife has praised this place saying “it's the most authentic Korean she's had outside of Korea”.

I actually saved a review of this back in Nov 2018, but it took us nearly a year to first visit. We’ve been twice, and both times walked away so happy and also sad that our dining experience ended.

We are always on the look out for new Korean and places that do specific Korean dishes really well. My wife is Korean and having amazing Korean food helps with homesickness and cravings for things that her aussie husband hasn’t quite mastered cooking yet.

Weekend Lunch Menu (As of Dec 2019);

Lunch Specials (as of 07.12.2019)**:

**Note: the lunch specials changes frequently - but so far they’ve all been excellent. In fact, I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I wish some of the specials were regular items on their menu !

Jjim Mandu ($14.00)

Home-made pork or vege steamed dumplings with sides (v).

Korean dumplings (Mandu) are usually a good thing to order, and at a place like SBM we guessed correctly that they would be great. They were frankly perfect.

Jae yuk ($15.00)

Spicy BBQ pork belly with rice & sides.

Yae yuk is one of my favourite Korean dishes, and SBM’s version is really great. The dish comes out in it’s own small hot plate, and rice and sides come seperate. I’m glad that this is one of the regular menu items.

Soondubu Jjigae ($15.00) - **LUNCH SPECIAL / Limited time**

Spicy silken tofu soup

Words really can’t describe how good this version of Soondubu is. Perfect? Amazing? I’m getting sad thinking about the fact that this was a lunch special which means it was only available for a limited time.

Kimchi Bibim Guksu ($15.00) - **LUNCH SPECIAL / Limited time**

Spicy cold noodle with Kimchi

This was the dish that my wife was dying to have. She was so satisfied with this dish, it really felt like being back in Korea. It was really tasty, and I noted that it was very popular with our Korean friends who went to try it - and on Sang by Mabasa’s Instagram account!

Banchan (Side dishes) - FREE / Complimentary

It wouldn’t be a Korean restaurant if you weren’t given some panchan. The exact mix changes constantly, but expect to have a kimchi, a more neutral/green option, and perhaps a fishcake. This guess is just based off the two visits we’ve done.

Pomegranate Ade ($6.00)

I love this so much that I don’t think I can come here and not order it! So good and refreshing. The only trouble is convincing our toddler that it isn’t juice for him to try/have.

Older Lunch Specials (cira Nov 2019):

As I mentioned before, the lunch specials change frequently which is a double-edged sword. You constantly get new and amazing things to try - but when you love it, it’ll likely be gone.

Ddeok Bokki ($15.00) - **OLD LUNCH SPECIAL / Limited time**

Spicy Stir-fried rice cakes

Whilst Ddoek Bokki is normally casual street food, this is exactly the high-quality you’d expect to have as a restaurant dish. My wife likely still wants to order this.

Note: since this was a lunch special back in Nov 2019, they might not make it / have it available to order.

Kong Guksu ($15.00) - **OLD LUNCH SPECIAL / Limited time**

Cold Soy-bean noodle soup

This was my adventurous order - I love cold korean noodles, but have never had the soy-bean variant before. My wife said that it would likely be very good, and whilst it was (according to her native expertise) I have to admit I was slightly disappointed by it. Not because of the dish, but rather my own inability to enjoy soy-bean as much as I thought I did.

I didn’t really eat that growing up and the flavour is something I’m learning to appreciate. To be frankly honest, the biggest reason I was disappointed was because I knew I could have ordered something else from the menu and made a pact that that I’d have to come back to try more of their menu.

Note: since this was a lunch special back in Nov 2019, they might not make it / have it available to order.

PROS:

Could be the best tasting Korean restaurant in Sydney.
Every lunch special has been amazing, and all the food has been really great.
They have a high-chair !

CONS:

Lunch menu seems to be more appealing / better options than dinner menu.
Amazing lunch specials disappear too quickly and you’ll be wanting more!
Extremely limited soup options for dinner/takeaway

OVERALL:

We love love love SBM and only wish that they did more of their menu at night/dinner so I could come and get takeaway once a week. Sadly, we seem to only be limited to visiting at lunch on weekends.

DETAILS:

Address = 98 Fitzroy St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Phone = (02) 9331 5175

Website = https://www.sangbymabasa.com.au

Menu = https://www.sangbymabasa.com.au/menu.html

Instagram (for weekly specials!) > @sangbymabasa

MAP:

Ben Lewis

23 August 2019

Recipe

Ben’s Beef Bulgogi (불고기)

Ben Lewis

23 August 2019

Recipe

Bulgogi is one of those simple Korean dishes that is easy to make, and serves as a basic introduction to Korean food. I personally would introduce people via Galbi Jjim, Kimchi Jjigae, or Korean BBQ - but Bulgogi is a good safe option for most people.

This is my recipe for Bulgogi - which is quick and simple to make, and yields leftovers. You may have/want to visit a Korean grocer/butcher for one or two items (you can ask the staff to help you citing the specific items).

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow onions, sliced into slivers
3 spring onions, chopped
5-6 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup light soy sauce*
2 Tbs normal soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil*
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ tsp Korean red pepper flakes*
2 pinches black pepper
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds*
100g (or 1-2 cups) Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 pack Enoki Mushrooms, sliced
500g of thinly sliced beef. (you can get this from a Korean butcher).*
Vegetable oil (or rice bran oil).

*Korean Grocer:

The items marked with * are definitely going to be at a Korean grocer (with maybe the exception of the beef, you may need to look for thinly sliced beef - check Japanese grocers too!).

Method:

Check beef, if it has excess blood or is partly frozen, place in a medium bowl and soak in water for 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, Add the garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, red pepper flakes, pepper, sesame seeds and stir, then add chopped ingredients; onions, green onions, mushrooms,
Add the sliced beef to the bowl and hand mix the beef with the bulgogi marinade for approximately 2 minutes. (Tip a food prep glove will help here).
If cooking the bulgogi immediately, allow the beef to soak in the bulgogi marinade for 15-30 minutes in the fridge before cooking. If you plan on cooking later, cover the bowl in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
To cook the bulgogi, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick pan.
Add half of the marinated bulgogi to the pan and cook in batches. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. The beef only needs about 3-4 minutes to cook. Watch the colour of the meat, once you no longer see raw/under cooked parts it'll only need about a minute more before you remove from heat. You need to be careful not to overcook.
Sample a small amount - you may want to adjust salt (via small amount of soy) or pepper.
Repeat this process with remaining batch.
Serve the bulgogi with steamed rice, topping with roasted sesame seeds