KIMCHI CULT - CHRIS EATS

FAR EAST MEETS WEST END!

OK, so first of all let me start by saying this is a place I’ve been dying to try for the last few months. So much so that a few weeks ago I was left devastated during a beer tasting at Grunting Growler when one of the other ‘tastees’ told me that Kimchi Cult was closed on Sundays.

Having spent most of the week looking at the menu this was not what I wanted to hear. Especially considering the fact that the following week they announced that would now be opening Sundays, cue rejoicing all round albeit to late for me that time.

So let’s cover the basics first; Kimchi Cult serve up Korean fast food in a small premises just off Byres Road in the west end. When I went I was lucky to get there early enough to grab a table but be prepared that this may not always be the case.

As well as sitting in they also offer takeaway and delivery through Deliveroo for those lucky enough to be eligible. It’s not licensed so don’t be expecting a beer or some wine with dinner but don’t let that put you off. The food is excellent and the plethora of bars nearby means you won’t need to wait too long for your next drink.

And the food is excellent! The menu offers up a variety of ways to enjoy your kimchi, for those who don’t know what kimchi is it’s spicy, fermented cabbage. You can have it as a side, with fries, in a rice bowl, in steamed bao or even on a burger.

So of course I had to try it every which way! Which brings me to the next great thing about Kimchi: the value! Now bearing in mind there was two of us; I ordered the Kimchi Cult Special Hamburger, pulled pork bibimbap, half and half fried chicken, bulgogi fries and two bao’s (pulled pork and bulgogi brisket) with the banchan (yellow pickled mooli).

All of that, including two soft drinks, came to under £40 and as they told me when I ordered “that’s quite a lot of food!”

With that in mind I opted for the ‘bring it out as it’s ready’ policy. First to arrive was the Bibimbap, which if i’m honest was the dish I was least enthusiastic about. Bibimbap is a rice bowl topped with veg, egg, dried seaweed, kimchi (of course), a generous helping of cho gochujang hot sauce and in my case pulled pork. For someone who generally favours noodles over rice I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this dish.

Next up, and definitely one I was excited about, was the Bulgogi fries. In a time where poutine seems to be on offer everywhere (not complaining) these fries were a refreshing variation. The fries themselves would have been tasty but topping them off with slow roasted brisket and hot sauce was always going to make this a winner in my eyes! Chuck on some spring onions and mayo and it’s a home run.

The next delivery to the table, which was already getting pretty full, was the Kimchi Cult Special burger. As burgers go this was a great burger! It had everything you want or need on a burger; cheese and bacon namely. Add on some mustard and some kimchi and again you’ve got a refreshing twist on a classic dish. There’s not much else to say other than if you’re craving a burger then you really should get down and try this.

Now there’s few things that could distract me while eating a burger but the arrival of the steamed buns and pickled mooli certainly did. I’ve not encountered steamed buns on many menus since I’ve been back in Glasgow but when I have I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them. This time was no different! It would be hard to choose between the two; the pulled pork and bulgogi brisket were both delicious but I’d say to go for the pulled pork purely because I love me some sriracha.

The final arrival at our now teetering table was the fried chicken and it was worth the wait, in fact it would have been worth twice the wait! I don’t think I’ve ever had fried chicken as good (or as crispy) as this anywhere I’ve been. The surprising thing for me, giving my love of spice, is that the best of the two was the soy garlic glaze. That said I could eat my own weight in the gochujang hot sauce ones and still go home a very happy man!

If you’ve made it this far then it’ll be no surprise to you to find that I can’t recommend Kimchi Cult highly enough. The food was outstanding, there wasn’t a dish I wouldn’t happily have again today, and to top it off The Cure was playing in the background the whole time I was eating myself into a food coma. The only issue for me was the size and not being able to book a table but that’s a very small concern and one that wouldn’t stop me going back again and again.

KIMCHI CULT REVIEW

Food: 5/5

Atmosphere: 4/5

Value for Money: 5/5

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