We are very partial to our favourite Korean restaurants—Hae Kum Gang, Arirang, and Hi Seoul—we're almost always there. But then again, we are also the kind of people who want to try out other places. We've been hearing about Dam's Kitchen for a while, and only now did we finally get around to trying out their food. You'll miss the place because it's not on the main road, but in the bylanes of HRBR Layout and your marker is that it's close to the CMR University HRBR Campus. Seating is upstairs and you're either greeted by the staff as you walk in or by the pet dog who we are told is Toto. The restaurant has an open kitchen format and you'll find the owner, Korean herself, either going through the bills or sending out orders.
Almost all the tables have a grill attached should you go for the Korean BBQ. The menu has some really interesting Korean food that goes beyond the Japchaes, Kimchi Jjigaes, and Tteokbokkis. Shabu Shabu is something that caught our eye which we are coming back for. We started off with Odeng Kimbap, which are fish cake kimbaps—savoury with a nice hint of spiciness. But before the kimbap came, the first things to arrive were the assorted sides or banchan that included fried zucchini pancakes, pickled radish, cucumbers, kimchi, and soy potatoes. You can get seconds and thirds and more of these.
A portion of Teokbokki and Godeungeo Gui were ordered to the table. The teokbokki was spicy with an underlying flavour of gochujang. Godeungeo or the pan-fried mackerel fish is seasoned only with salt and to be had with sticky rice and while we found the fish perfectly crispy, it was bland for our liking. But it was fixed with a little bit of kimchi and the other sides.
We're definitely coming back to try the rest of the menu, especially the K-BBQ, Jeyukbokkum, which is stir-fried pork in gochujang sauce, and the Korean Fried Chicken.
