Hyu
EDITOR’S PICK! Owned by husband-and-wife duo Annie Chung and Woo Young Kim, Hyu is a little gem. Order the dakgangjeong (Dhs50), or crispy popcorn chicken covered in sweet and spicy sauce. The bibimbab (Dhs55), mixed rice with meat and vegetables, is the ultimate in Korean comfort food, served with a big runny egg on top that is whisked through to create a sauce. Hyu’s version is one of the best we’ve tasted outside of Seoul, served in a hot stone bowl. In true Korean style, every table is fitted with a grill for do-it-yourself barbecue. Order the yangnyumgalbi (Dhs90), or marinated beef short rib, and inhale the delicious smoky fragrance as it sizzles away in front of you. To eat, wrap the meat in a lettuce leaf, with a dab of spicy sauce and some garlic. Want your kimchi fix? Hyu’s kitchen pumps out about 50kg of the stuff a week. It’s served as a complimentary side dish, but here’s a tip: sometimes the restaurant also sells it to customers to take home.
O, JLT, Dubai, daily 11am to 3.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 5509152. Metro: JLT. @ koreanrestaurantdubai
Sobahn
Sobahn means ‘good’ in Korean and this hidden gem has a dinner buffet with unlimited BBQ meat. Get really involved with your meal and cook your food at your own table. Take a seat outside and barbecue with the Dubai skyline in the background.
Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, noon to 3pm, 6pm to 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 3807888. Taxi: Matloob Building. sobahndubai.com
Namu
The fine dining restaurant in the W Dubai Al Habtoor City serves a mix of Japanese and Korean fusion cuisine, but it’s the latter whose flavours dominate the menu.
Hotel, Al Habtoor City, Business Bay, Dubai, daily noon to 3pm, 6pm to midnight. Tel: (04) 4366677. Taxi: W Hotel, Al Habtoor City. namudubai.com