Until now, if you were looking for an authentic Korean meal in Cambridge, you were rather limited for choice. Your best bet was usually  Bibimbap House on Mill Road, Little Seoul on Regent Street, or perhaps Yori on Green Street. For a city like ours, I have often felt we could do better – but now we have an extra option and…it is looking pretty good!

The restaurant is small but feels surprisingly spacious. The interior is basic and minimalist but retains an authentic Korean feel with posters of popular K-dramas on the walls and a TV playing Korean channels. The staff here are great – really chatty and incredibly friendly.

Party like a Korean!

Read their menu

The menu is small but features some exciting sharing platters, including cheesy pork ribs, grilled pork belly, and spicy stir-fry chicken. Each one comes with a selection of sides and a recommendation for the perfect drink pairing.

One thing that caught my eye was Somack; a popular Korean drink often served in bars and clubs. It is a mix of Korean beer and soju (a clear Korean spirit). As someone who used to drink a lot of Korean beer in my twenties (shout out to Hite beer!), I couldn’t resist giving this a go.

Instead of explaining the mechanics, I have included a video of them preparing it at the table. The beer is spread across four small glasses, each topped with a shot of soju. It clocks in at approximately 20% alcohol, adding a feisty kick and a taste reminiscent of a slightly more refined vodka. Even as a guy who can usually hold his liquor, it totally kicked my arse. I found myself slurring before I even knew what had happened – much to my wife’s amusement. It’s great fun and something a little different, but consider yourself warned! 🤣

The benchmark

My favourite benchmark for any Asian restaurant is their dumplings. If they can nail a dumpling, the rest of the experience almost always follows suit.

I found the dumplings at Kimchili to be absolutely excellent. We were served a portion of five, which were all large and crispy without being remotely dry. They were generously packed with pork and fried to a beautiful golden brown. Both pork and vegetable options are available.

I like it Cheesy & Corny

I had never heard of Corn Cheese before tonight, and it was exactly what I expected: a bowl of sweetcorn baked in a decadent mix of mozzarella and Korean mayo. It is one of those simple, fun dishes, mostly credited to the “huge cheese pull” factor. I found it particularly messy to eat with chopsticks and ended up surrendering to the spoon toward the end.

Jeon

Jeon is a traditional Korean savoury pancake made from a wheat-based batter and fried until crispy. My wife and I found this to be our favourite starter of the evening (out of some very stiff competition). It is served with a sesame soy dipping sauce and comes in three varieties: onion, kimchi, and seafood. It’s a bit of a challenge to navigate with chopsticks, so our server recommended breaking it up into smaller pieces before diving in.

Korean ribs

We originally wanted to order the ‘grilled pork belly BBQ’ platter, but they had unfortunately sold out. The gentleman serving us explained it is their most popular dish and goes quickly – I’d highly recommend trying it if you get the chance. This didn’t phase us, however, as the remaining options sounded fantastic, so we landed on the ‘cheese pork ribs platter.’

The ribs are marinated in a ‘sweet & spicy’ fruit sauce and then grilled before being smothered in melted cheese. It is then brought out in a large pan alongside a heap of chips.  If you are a fan of salty chips then you will love these, as they make no apologies for it here. The chips are thin cut and served crispy with salt liberally garnished on top.

I was genuinely impressed by how tender the ribs were. They felt slow-cooked rather than just grilled and the meat fell off the bone with only the slightest nudge. I counted 8 ribs in total, making this a fair portion, though I could have easily devoured double that.

Authentic Korean at its finest

Kimchili is a fantastic addition, not just to King Street, but to Cambridge as a whole, adding a much needed option for lovers of Korean cuisine in the city. The service was excellent from start to finish, and the menu offers exciting dishes I haven’t seen anywhere else.

I couldn’t fault a single dish this evening and the somack is an exciting addition that feels like extra thought and consideration has been put in, especially when compared to other places that will serve a bottle of their national beer and have done with it.

Definitely worth a visit!