Midam - Shop 3 | 21 Farne Street, Sunnybank Hills QLD 4109

Not sure where to take your guests? Why not charm them with Midam? Offers a wide range of a-la-carte Korean dishes and all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet for only $28.50.

The moment I stepped inside, I felt I was walking through a peaceful nature sanctuary - the bamboo and wooden décor creates a very calming soothing ambience. Perfect place to chill after a long long week!

Not to mention it even comes with its very own waterfall!

Fortunately, the bathrooms do not involve any trees or waterfalls and I was extremely relieved to see that it was very modern.

PS - Please don't ask me why I have my camera with me in there.

In fact, I was super impressed with how high tech the toilet was - it comes with a really cool washing function. Umm I should probably focus more on the food and stop talking about the toilets, shouldn't I....

Being one of the biggest gluttons on this planet, how can I resist the buffet after seeing this? Pity it's only offered on Monday - Friday nights :(.

True to its word, Midam uses good quality charcoal which really does make a difference to the taste of the meat - gives it a delicious smoky flavour.

The Banchan arrived promptly and we got a fairly standard selection - kimichi, fishcake marinated with soy sauce and sesame oil, and Nokdumuk (mung bean jelly).

There's a very limited vege selection - there's garlic, chilli, shredded cabbage, sweet potato and onion. So if you're vegetarian, I definitely won't recommend this place. Though would anyone go to an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ buffet just to eat vegetables? I certainly wouldn't, so I didn't really mind.

Yes I know octopus isn't considered a vegetable.

In terms of meats, there's Marinated Pork Ribs, Marinated Pork, Fresh Pork Belly, Marinated Chicken, Beef Tongue, Marinated Thin Beef Skirt, Wagyu Beef, and Marinated Beef. Although not all the items on the menu was available, it was still a good variety.

Given that the meats were from Thomas Meats (famous Korean butcher at Sunnybank), I had high expectations. I was definitely not disappointed - the Wagyu was very well marbled and the pork belly was sliced to the perfect thickness (or thinness) such that it crisped up deliciously after it was grilled. Just a word of warning - the pork belly may be a little too fatty for some.

I also loved the subtle sweet and tangy flavours on the marinated meats - the meats were very fresh so the original flavours really came through and you don't need to drench them in sauces.

What I didn't like, however, was that each table was only given one big plate to hold the meats. Probably to ensure there's no wastage. Not necessarily a bad thing -  I guess - because there's a $20 fine for diners with leftover food.

There's also Coffee and Brown Rice Green Tea available.

Verdict
At only $28.50, it's fairly reasonably priced for an all-you-can-eat buffet and no doubt it's one of the better Korean BBQ buffets in town. What struck me the most, however, was the was the wonderful sense of peace and serenity in the restaurant. And of course, I will never forget the toilets either - they are equally fascinating :D.

 

Funny Funny Korean Bar & Restaurant - 85 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000

If you want to save money, don't go to Funny Funny. It's slightly more expensive than its Korean competitors, but the portions make up for it.
 

 
With a bar and main dining area, it's got a pretty cool upbeat vibe.
 

 
The menu offers an extensive selection, including traditional Korean choices such as dumplings, Bi Bim Baps (mixed rice), Korean pancakes, Fried Chicken, and Hot Pots.


Drinks/Set Menu


 

Pancakes/Mains

 

Main/Fried Chicken

 

Pan Fried / Hot Pots

 

Noodle

Bi Bim Baps/Soup

 

Right after we ordered, we were offered some Banchan (Korean side dishes to accompany your main). The sides tasted alright - guess it was free after all.

We were blown away by the Tsunami ($10), a booze platter containing 4 shot glasses filled with sake + soju + beer + whiskey. Surprisingly, it combined into an interesting drink with a subtle hint of sweetness which was very easy on the palette.

Tsunami $10

To spice up the evening, we ordered Old Kimchi with Pork Soup ($35). 

The first thing that caught my attention was this sign (and not the soup).

So anyway, I risked my life to try the soup.

Was it worth risking my life for?

 

Kimchi with Pork Soup ($35)

I'm not sure but I enjoyed it - Firm yet addictive glass noodles and pork belly soaked in a rich, kimchi-infused broth. You can definitely taste that the kimchi in the broth was perfectly aged, leaving an aromatic spicy sensation in your mouth. Unfortunately, the hot pot only comes with 2 bowls of rice, and any extras cost $2/bowl. I also found the pork belly a little tough.

Verdict:
So what are my overall thoughts about Funny Funny? I certainly thought the manager was funny - the flickering light in the fridge was blinding my friend and we wanted to move to a different table but he told us all the other tables were reserved whereas a junior staff was happy to accommodate our request :S. Funny that.

Warawara Izakaya - 153 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

 

Tempted by the $10 Lunch Specials offered here, I climbed up the stars and found a big, open space with intimate booths, small wooden tables and funky Korean artwork.

 

 

 

Despite being furnished with the typical wooden and earthy tones that most Korean restaurants use, Warawara Izakaya somehow felt more elegant and spacious, yet at the same time, fairly intimate. Must be the gigantic fish :)

After pondering at the $10 selections for quite some time, I settled on a typical Korean dish, Kimchi Pork Stew (it was not an easy choice).

As soon as we sat down, we were offered some Banchan (Korean side dishes to accompany your main). The sides were quite average and bland, but it was free after all.

The combination of exciting spicy Kimchi flavours with a delectable tangy flavour made the Kimchi Stew quite memorable. However, I think this stew should be renamed as the Kimchi Vegetarian Stew instead as there were large portions of tofu and kimchi but only pitiful amounts of pork. For only $10, it's still pretty good.

Try spotting the pork!

My Fellow Food Extinguisher ordered the Bulgogi Bento (Korean marinated beef), which came with a miso soup. Accompanied with generous servings of deliciously flavoured bulgogi and perfectly caramelised onion, authentic Korean pickles and creamy potato croquettes, it made me so jealous.

 

All Bentos come with free miso soup!

Verdict:
Cheap $10 lunches.