Banchan Archives | Tea For Tammi

A Yummy World should have been what Aladdin and Jasmine were singing about on that carpet ride. Because who cares about fireworks unless you have epic snacks to go with it, amiright?

Naturally, after singing A Whole New World obsessively as a child – the same way girls around the world sing Let It Go – I’d wander into a little Korean family style restaurant called Yummy World, and drag Simon from The Heart of Food along with me.

Given that this was essentially a second lunch, we *only* ordered a Hand Cut Noodle Soup (top picture) and a Chilli Glazed Korean Fried Chicken to share. The soup was intensely flavoured with shellfish and various seafood and the noodles were tender, with just a hint of bite. Very healthy tasting, and perfect for a cold, wet, windy winter. The Chilli Glazed Korean Fried Chicken was all sorts of sticky and finger licking sweet, laced with a very slight bitterness from orange rinds that were peppered through the dish. Like a jaffa chicken, almost. It threw me off at first, because I’m not a big marmalade fan, but by the end, I was scraping up every last sticky drop on those crispy wings.

And of course, the banchan. These Korean side dishes that add a fantastic variety to any meal, and instantly flood the table the moment you place your order. Simon says that these are very home-styled and quite rare to see in restaurants – I wouldn’t know, but I’d trust him – and I always enjoy the variety. And free flow? YES. Always.

The lady taking our order was quite efficient, even if English didn’t quite seem to be the language of choice. But the menu had pictures and the ol’ point and order procedure worked, so not too much of an issue there. I loved that it was packed with Korean families when we went – makes me feel much more confident in choosing Yummy World for lunch. With the crazy large number of Korean restaurants in Eastwood, I’m not so sure that they would be the top of my list for a meal, but great to have on hand as an alternate option!

This meal was independently paid for.

Yummy World Korean Restaurant
25 Railway Pde
Eastwood, NSW
Phone: 02 9874 8732

Ever heard of the phrase, “it’s too hot to eat?” I know, I know. Sacrilege. But still. Sydney’s had those days lately, and it’s been a real bitch. That’s why when Simon suggested Poong Nab Dong for their naengmyeon (Korean Cold Noodles), I leaped at the chance.

It’s like a salad, but with carbs. What’s not to love?

The Order:

Mul Naengmyeon, $13

Bibim Naengmyeon, $13

The Food:

There are two primary ways to have your noodles – dry, with a spicy chilli paste, or with a cold, refreshing beef soup laced with mustard and vinegar.

Bibim Naeng Myron, $13

I always opt for the chilli option because I just can’t help myself (I am Singaporean, after all), and when given an opportunity, I always go the extra spicy (see above explanation). Here, the Bibim Naengmyeon was a little bit on the sweet side and slightly one-dimensional in its flavours, even after I asked for an extra plate of chilli paste to zhuzh things up a bit.

Mul Naeng Myeon, $13

The Mul Naengmyeon fared much better, with a flavourful broth that stayed light and refreshing. It’s served with mustard and white vinegar on the side, for you to mix it up to your taste. Now that, was a noodle I can keep going back to.

The Service:

The service at Poong Nan Dong was a bit…non-existent. There was much waving and signalling in an empty restaurant, and even then I could swear that they were deliberately ignoring us. Not that they went out of their way to be rude, but being invisible never sits well with hungry foodies.

Oh and we did think that it might have been a push button on the table for service, too, like Jonga Jip.

Nope. No button.

Value for money:

$13 per person is pretty good value in Eastwood – especially in a sit-down restaurant situation – and even more so considering that we were given about 5 plates of banchan (Korean side dishes) to go with our meal. Banchan is usually refilled for free, which means that if you’re really still hungry after the huge bowl of noodles (I was stuffed), you can keep eating till your heart’s content.

Good value when compared to other non-side-dish restaurants, but average when compared to other Korean restaurants, where banchan is the expected deal.

The Vibe:

I’ve never seen Poong Nab Dong busy except for Friday and Saturday nights, and even at the peak of lunchtime (when we went) it still only had a smattering of people. There was a sense of eat-and-get-out about the place, and certainly nothing much there to keep you from leaving. Perhaps their Korean barbecue fares better than their a la carte times – but it’s going to be very difficult to get me leaving my usual Jonga Jip.

And finally,

With both a hit and a miss in the same meal, I’m not sure that I’m going to be going back to Poong Nab Dong. Mind you, the miss wasn’t a disaster, but coupled with non-existent service and no emotional attachment, the better-than-average Mul Naengmyeon isn’t enough inspiration to get me back through the doors.

Except for when I want to order that specifically, of course.

Oh, and one more thing: please don’t wear shorts or short skirts to visit this restaurant. Pleather seats plus a hot day has now given me the association of sticking painfully to the chairs. Not something I would like to repeat, #thankyouverymuch.

Posts tagged Banchan

A whole new…Yummy World Korean Restaurant, Eastwood

This meal was independently paid for.

Yummy World Korean Restaurant
25 Railway Pde
Eastwood, NSW
Phone: 02 9874 8732