Honest, homely Korean that’s easy to like.
Noodlies, Sydney food blog revisits an old favourite and regrets not coming back sooner.
Korean restaurants in the Sydney CBD started out servicing the large international student community, though these days the punters are more diverse. Eastwood, Burwood and Strathfield are known for great suburban Korean.
But Korean and Lidcombe doesn’t exactly roll of the tongue.
That is, unless you live in the area. This is still an undiscovered hidden gem for honest Korean food.
The carpark side of the station is an oasis of Korean delights, Korean grocery stores, hair dressers, cafes and of course, restaurants. Not the fancy-schmancy type, these are no-nonsense eateries that families frequent.
PR Korean restaurant is typical of these eateries. Around three years old, it’s not much to look at from the outside; typical busy picture menus, multiple fonts, clashing colours and simple, stark decor.
Sure, you can get individual dishes like bi bim bap, kim chi chi ke – but their specialty is cook at your table combos made for groups or at least couples, perfect for suburban dining.
We choose the chilli chicken combo which includes a pa jeon (Korean pancake) and marinated chicken that’s cooked at your table with cabbage, moreish ddeokbokki (rice tubes) and intriguing sesame leaves.
It starts off raw and white in a large 40cm flat pan, then the gochujang (korean chilli paste) marinade starts to colour the everything as they cook.
Watch the noodlies featured video above to see the mouthwatering metamorphosis.
And then, just when you think it’s all ready to eat, our waitress slides in a bowl of short rice and soon the white short grains also turn red and delicious.
Despite the colour, this dish is relatively mild, it simmers rather than burns. If anything the dish is on the sweet side, chicken well-cooked and tender, cabbage still crunchy.
At $48 for two, it’s great value and a visual as well as gastronomic feast. Perfect food for groups.
Head to Lidcombe, there’s lots to like in this little K-town in Sydney’s west.
PR Korean Restaurant
10 Bridge St, Lidcombe
Ph: 9646 5936
