• We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Cape Town, the city that keeps on giving, is an avid foodie’s dream. With a multitude of flavours to choose from, why not discover the sweet and spicy jewels of the East?

    Grab your chingus and head down to these culinary gems for a true taste of South Korea:

     

    Gogi

    It’s all about grill-it-yourself here at Gogi Korean BBQ in Newlands. The place where your Korean pop culture fantasies can come to life.

    If by sheer chance you’ve seen even a snippet of any Korean Drama, eight times out of ten it would look something like this: A team dinner, a celebration of some sort among a group of close friends, or a best friend duo soon to become lovers.

    And where might these classic K-drama scenes be set? At a grill-it-yourself style BBQ restaurant, of course.

    Plenty of meat, plenty of soju. It’s simply the authentic South Korean way of life.

    • Location: 1 Dean Street, Newlands
    • Operating hours: Tuesday to Thursday 12 pm to 9 pm | Friday and Saturday 12 pm to 11 pm | Sunday 12 pm to 9 pm
    Picture: @cpt_gogi / Instagram

     

    Korea Market

    The ultimate one-stop shop for K-drama fans dreaming to taste the tteokbokkimandu, corndog or Korean fried chicken they’ve seen on the latest episode. The best part is that it’s halaal too

    With the popularity of Korean pop culture rising steadily in Cape Town, it simply makes sense that Korea Market has become a local hotspot given its large variety of Asian goods in the supermarket section.

    • Location: first floor, St Peter Square 423 Main Road, Observatory
    • Operating hours: Monday to Saturday 9.30 am to 5.30 pm | Sunday 10 am to 4 pm
    Picture: @foodby_ellah / Instagram

    If you ever find yourself in Johannesburg, be sure to check out The 20 Best Restaurants in Midrand.

    Korean Kitchen

    In the heart of Stadium on Main lies one of the first Korean cuisine establishments to stock authentic Korean pop culture ‘merch’ and host events too.

    Korean Kitchen’s truly authentic Korean food experience is imbued with the heart of Seoul.

    After your meal is done and you’ve had a few drops of Korean liquid courage (soju, obviously), make your way to the noraebang (karaoke) rooms and live out your best K-pop idol fantasies with an extensive selection of both Korean and English songs.

    • Location: Stadium on Main, 103 Main Road, Claremont
    • Operating hours: Monday to Saturday 11 am to 7.30 pm | Sunday 11 am to 7 pm
    Picture: @koreankitchencpt / Instagram

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    Written by Tauhira Ajam for Cape {town} Etc.

    Feature image: Unsplash