Bornga Korean BBQ - Haymarket

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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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DETAILS:

Address: Level 1/78 Harbour St, Haymarket NSW 2000

Phone: (02) 9304 0390

Site: Facebook Page / Online Bookings!

Instagram: @borngasydney

Stir-fried Kimchi / Kimchi-bokkeum (김치볶음)

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.

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INGREDIENTS:

• Kimchi, 2 cups (slightly overripe kimchi)

• Oligo Syrup, 2 tbsp (올리고당)

• Sesame Oil, 2 tbsps

• Olive Oil ~3 tbsp

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METHOD:

1. Heat up a deep pan with olive oil on high heat

2. Add Kimchi to pan, flatten to get as much heat as possible

3. Stir fry on high heat for 5 min, stirring and ensuring as much heat is on kimchi as possible

4. Add in 2 tbps Oligo syrup and Sesame oil. Note, you can do this using just a normal spoon.

5. 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.

Korean Beef Soybean Stew / Doenjang jjigae (된장찌개).

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.

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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.

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METHOD:

1. 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.

Jicca Dining - Neutral Bay

A new Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant has just opened in Neutral Bay - and we are very very excited. Why? Because it Ken Takenaka’s latest restaurant. Ken has been behind the very successful and popular Sushi Train in Cremorne - which is cited as one of the best in Sydney and appears in Good Food Guide lists frequently.

The restaurant is located nearly diagonally opposite The Oaks in Neutral Bay. Near the Vodaphone store where Ben Boyd Road crosses Military Road (the photo below will make it obvious to locals).

Toddler Play Zone!

We are so excited that Ken-san has included a Toddler play area in Jicca. Such a great idea, which comes from and inspired by his own son. You can see that it entertained Zach the perfect amount whilst we relaxed and read the menu.

…I can imagine that the tables next to playzone might become quite popular with parents! (though you don’t really need to be sitting right next to them). I’ve included more photos of this playzone later.

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Menu (As of Jan 2020):

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Bruschetta (2 pieces, $8.00)

Fresh tomato, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, baguette.

Bruschetta is one of those items we love to order as a starter in Italian restaurants. Jicca’s is up there with the best we’ve had, very fresh, very tasty and quite morish.

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Wafu Natto with Vongole ($16.00)

Wafu is the soy-based, japenese-inspired, pasta sauce. Vongole is “with clams”.

My wife ordered the Wafu Natto with Vongole and it is a perfect demonstration of a Japanese-Italian fusion dish. The soy and natto were done in a careful way as to not be too strong or overpowering (as both of these ingredients can be). My wife was a big fan of this, and is keen to try other variants.

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Carbonara ($15.00)

Fresh cream, parmigiano-reggiano, bacon, black pepper, egg.

Carbonara is one of my favourite pasta dishes, and I was keen to try Ken-san’s version. The first thing that jumped out at me was the very carefully soft-cooked poached egg sitting on top. It reminded me of an onsen-egg you’d get in a ramen dish. I immediately broke that into the pasta - and quietly smiled at how it’s a unique take on how Italian’s would use raw egg and allow the heat of the pasta to cook it into the dish.

The dish was really delicious and surprisingly light for a creamy carbonara. The sauce was lighter and more liquid, but that didn’t detract at all - in fact I was happy for it as I don’t want to walk out feeling ill.

As you can see by the next photo, I didn’t really enjoy it…

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Kids Cream Bacon Spaghetti ($8.00)

An example of the kid’s cream bacon pasta. A generous serving for a toddler. Zach managed to consume about half of it, and we took the rest home for later/another meal.

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French fries ($5.00)

We ordered a side of fries because we often like to have them up our sleeve for Zach. They were really good, and a good-sized portion.

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Hojicha Crème brûlée ($5.00)

Roasted Japanese Green Tea Crème brûlée

This is an amazing dessert and I would recommend that you order it. My wife isn’t a dessert person, and I don’t typically enjoy Crème brûlée’s but we both loved this.

Somehow it managed to thread the needle of not being too sweet, yet being a great dessert.

My wife wanted a larger serving size, and I said that next time we could order one each!

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Some more shots of the play area;

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PRO:

• Delicious food, made by an amazing chef (*he’ll be embarrassed I said this).

• Toddler playzone is amazing. We loved it so much, it was nice to RELAX.

• Great location that has a fair amount of street parking (Note: you might have to contend with people parking at The Oaks).

CON:

• Some items on the menu could use more explanation. The staff are great, but I could hear a few people question what “Wafu” was.

• I’m not sure I can get the Crème brûlée takeaway.

• (As it is newly opened), there isn’t a phone to book a table just yet - but it’s walk in currently.

OVERALL:

We are so happy and excited that Ken has opened this restaurant. Based on this experience we’ll be coming more often.

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Details:

Address: 99 Military Rd, Neutral Bay NSW 2089

Phone: Currently N/A (you can reach their Facebook Page)

Site: Facebook Page

Instagram: @jicca_dining

MAP:

 

You can check out other REVIEWS here.

You can read the rest of my BLOG here.

The Australian Bushfires - A short list of where to donate

One of the hardest things to do when a major disaster is occurring is to knowing exactly how to help and who/where is best to donate money in support. I have compiled a brief list of the options I would recommend based off a few factors:

• Official donation pages,

• The level of support received already,

• Recommendations from friends, family, social media,

• and reviewing the of the validity and efficacy of the charity / organisation via information from the Independent Australian Charities regulator (ACNC / Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission).

Disclaimer: this list is by no means exhaustive, and it is open to update/changes if people let me know.

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The List:

NSW Rural Fire Service Fund (RFS)

The RFS comes first in my list because of two factors, one is that NSW is the state that is likely needing the most support (not to discount the other states battling fires) and Secondly, it is part of the largest ever fundraising effort on Facebook established by comedian Celeste Barber having raised over $49.5 Million at present.

DONATE TO RFS HERE

A huge bravo to Celeste….

VIEW/DONATE to Celeste’s Facebook Donation Page.

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WIRES - Emergency Fund for Wildlife

WIRES is Australia's largest wildlife rescue organisation. I think it deserves equal ranking to RFS with needing support. A huge amount of Australia’s wildlife have been killed/injured/displaced because of the fires.

DONATE TO WIRES HERE

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Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

A Koala focused animal hospital that not only treats sick and injured koalas but it is also involved in research with various Australian universities to fight/prevent/cure koala diseases.

DONATE TO THE KOALA HOSPITAL HERE

Alternatively, you can support a GoFundMe that dedicated to Koalas - HERE

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Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park

Kangaroo Island has been ravaged by the fires. This wildlife park in South Australia is raising money for koala veterinary costs, koala milk and supplements, and extra holding and rehabilitation enclosures. The park has also taken in kangaroos, wallabies, an eagle and a possum. A GoFundMe page organized by park owner Dana Mitchell has raised more than $800,000

TO DONATE TO KANGAROO ISLAND KOALAS & WILDLIFE GOFUNDME CLICK HERE.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-save-kangaroo-islands-koalas-and-wildlife

A view of BEFORE and AFTER on Kangaroo Island;

AFTER:

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BlazeAid

a volunteer-based organisation that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods. Working alongside the rural families, our volunteers help to rebuild fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed.

DONATE TO BLAZE AID HERE

NOTE: ACNC has demonstrated that +99% of funds taken by BlazeAid are used to help

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Mogo Zoo Fire Recovery GoFundMe

Mogo Zoo is a small private zoo on the South Coast of NSW that is under threat / battling still with the fires. The GoFundme has been created to help provide equipment in an attempt to save the zoo and animals.

DONATE TO THE MOGO ZOO GOFUNDME HERE.

NOTE: ACNC has demonstrated that 97% of funds taken by Mogo Zoo are used to help.

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Support First Nations - Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities

There is a GoFundMe for First Nations Communities set up by musician and community rights advocate Neil Morris, a Yorta Yorta man. This provides "culturally sensitive, specific direct support" to First Nations Communities displaced by the fires. Donations fund temporary relocation costs, basic amenities, resettling expenses and more.

TO DONATE TO THE FIRST NATIONS GOFUNDME CLICK HERE.



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Local Fire Departments:

CFS Foundation > https://cfsfoundation.org.au/donate

Vic Country Fire Authority > https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/supporting-cfa

Western Australia (DFES) > https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/contactus/Pages/donations.aspx

Queensland Fire Department > https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/monitoring/Pages/contactus.aspx

…and already mentioned, NSW Rural Fire Service > https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/volunteer/support-your-local-brigade