When I heard that there was a cheap-and-cheerful Korean place on Glenferrie Road that churns out everyone’s favourite Korean dishes for $10 and under a pop, it would be an understatement to say that my curiosity was piqued. I needed to get that stuff in my face YESTERDAY. Luckily Amelia is always down for cheap food adventures, so we set off to investigate after a Sunday afternoon movie session.
Kimchi Lunchbox is clearly designed to be an ‘eat quick and do not linger’ kind of place. You order at a counter, collect your cutlery and napkins from the same counter and your drinks from a fridge, then sit at simple tables and chairs to await your food. You won’t be waiting long, the kitchen pumps out food with almost obscene speed.
Not only is the food quick but, word of warning, the servings here are the size of SPACE, so bring very eager and hungry tummies with you. Amelia’s teriyaki chicken lunchbox came with not only ample amounts of stewy chicken, but a mountain of white rice, a smaller mountain range of marinated beanshoots, spicy cabbage kimchi, beancurd strips and a piece of both orange and cantaloupe. While she wasn’t terribly fussed with the accompanying piles of vegetables, Amelia was very keen on the teriyaki chicken itself, and was slightly aggrieved that it was such a massive serving that she couldn’t eat it all.
I of course had to go with the vegetarian bibimbap, what with bibimbap being my most favourite dish in the history of ever. This one featured white rice, beanshoot kimchi, shredded zucchini, fat slices of shiitake mushroom, and a fried egg. The rice ended up being a bit too moist, and didn’t properly crisp up against the hot bowl as bibimbap should, but it was still a tasty and adequate version.
Kimchi Lunchbox won’t immediately become your very favourite Korean restaurant around town, but they will fill a hole for when you just need to get some bibimbap into you without completely cleaning out your change pocket. There’s enough vegetarian variety spread throughout the menu that I’m certainly interested enough to go back and see whether their versions of Korean savoury pancakes and jabchae are to my liking.
Kimchi Lunchbox
650-652 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn
Ph: 9818 1233