kim restaurant, potts point

Kim is probably one of the most common last names in Korea.

But...

This Kim was definitely by far the hardest to find. Don't laugh - I'm just bad with directions, okay!?

While Kim may be typical and common in Korea, Kim Restaurant in Potts Point is nothing like that at all! (That's why it was hard to find!) It serves beautiful and classic Korean dishes while adding an exciting modern touch to it all.

... Anyway, we finally tracked down Kim in Llankelly Place and while that didn't exactly go according to plan, we were off to a great start after being given a serving of kombu chips on a tree stump!

Complimentary Kombu Chips: 

For those who aren't familiar with kombu, it's a seaweed that's commonly used in Japanese dashi soup because it's a great flavour enhancer and encompasses similar qualities as MSG ... minus all the health risks.

And as it turns out, they make one of the most tastiest chips I've ever eaten! They're crisp, ever so lightly salted and incredibly addictive. I don't know how but somehow I managed to restrain myself from stealing iFat's share while he was using the bathroom and left them momentarily unguarded.

Tang Tang Yukhoe ($14.00):
Spicy beef tartare, octopus, yolk, seaweed 

Raw egg? Raw octopus? Raw Beef?  Before you drop your jaw in disgust, hear me out first. This turned out to be my favourite dish of the night! It's a must order!

Eating this was super fun! Mix the raw egg into the meat. Place a large spoonful of it on the toasted nori sheets, roll it all up and plop it into your mouth! Easy!

The raw egg yolk is broken up and encases the already tender beef to make each bite silky soft. The velvety spicy beef, combined with the sweetness of the crunchy nashi pear, the fresh chewy raw octopus and the salty roasted seaweed sheet was just heavenly. I could easily have devoured the whole serving myself.

Haemul Pajeon ($14.00):
Pancake, squid, prawns, octopus, shallots

I've had countless seafood pancakes but none like this one!

Each mouthful is loaded with fresh, juicy prawns and firm pieces of chewy squid and octopus. The seafood is encased in the most airy and light yet super crispy tempura-like batter. None of that cakey and floury stuff you might usually get. The sweet and light soy sauce dressing gives the pancake extra flavour while the pickled onions temporarily make you forget how greasy and fattening this dish actually is.

Definitely another must order!

Yangnyum Tong Dak ($18.00/6 pcs):
TKFC, wings, nuts, bbq sauce 

No visit to a Korean restaurant is complete without ordering a serving of fried chicken.

Chef Tae Kyu's fried chicken (TKFC) is generously smothered in a sticky BBQ sauce and coated with crushed peanuts and green onions. The 'BBQ sauce' on the Yangnyum Tong Dak is actually sweet, saucy and actually quite spicy. At first, the spiciness doesn't hit you - it gradually creeps up on you and lingers on your tongue for what seems like eternity.

But the chilli can't stop me! (Well sometimes it can..). Because the chicken was great! It was still quite crisp while the meat was springy and super tender. By the end of it all, I was really grateful for the tiny side of pickled radish, which served as fantastic palate cleansers and a great remedy for the numbness on my tongue.

Dobbokki ($9.00):
Rice cakes, chilli sauce, pork floss

A small mound of rice cakes arrive covered in a handful of fluffy pork floss. I loved how they were chewy on the inside while deep fried until crispy on the outside. It's smothered in a sweet chilli sauce.

I could eat these forever.

And of course dinner doesn't end without dessert!

Hodoogwaja ($12.00):
Waffles, walnut praline, black sesame parfait

Just from its appearance I knew dessert was going to be good! A lot of my favourite things were on the one plate - waffles, black sesame, popcorn, strawberries and grapes! The dish stood out to me in terms of appearance, flavour and texture.

I mean, how cute were the waffles? They managed to jazz up walnut cakes - the plain Korean street food! And not only did it look elegant, it was extremely tasty too! The waffles were buttery and fluffy while the black sesame parfait was nutty and creamy. The salted caramel popcorn was crunchy, the fruit was tangy and the gloopy basil seeds were fun to scoop up. Everything was well balanced and not too sweet.

Like everything else we had tonight, it was perfect!

Kim Restaurant 
Shop 7 Llankelly Place
Potts Point, NSW 2011
f: https://www.facebook.com/kimrestaurantsydneyt: (02) 9357 4578
w: http://www.kim-restaurant.com.au/