Food review: Galbi, Korean Table BBQ in Southsea

KBBQ has been on DD’s culinary bucket list for years, the idea of cooking a variety of meat and seafood on a table-top grill has always appealed.

Whenever I have suggested it in the past, friends and family have said ‘why should I pay to cook my own food?’

The answer to that ignorant question is the freshness of ingredients and variety of flavour, which Galbi, on Albert Road, Southsea, provides in abundance.

When DD and companion arrived, the intimate, sit-down restaurant was filled with the inviting scent of barbecue and the not-so-inviting sound of K-pop. An incredibly polite waiter turned on our hot-plate grill and put parchment paper on top – our cooking surface.

There was a wide selection of tapas options and the popular set menu – £22.95 per person for two starters, seven barbecue items and unlimited sides. This seemed the obvious choice. For the full cultural experience we had a bottle of Cass, a Korean beer, and Strawberry Soju, a flavoured rice wine.

Sharing plates of vegetable mandu (grilled dumplings) and kimbap (Korean sushi rolls) arrived quickly.

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The dumplings had a soft, flavourful filling with a crisp bite on the outside while the veggie kimbap seemed freshly prepared - both were complimented with soy sauce.

Next came the restaurant’s signature dish, galbi, which translates as ‘rib’ – in this case slices of beef short ribs off the bone.

They were addictive, the only criticism DD can muster is there were only four slices.

Next came pieces of chicken dripping in a sweet, spicy and acidic marinade served with pieces of lamb marinated with cumin.

Then, a personal favourite, slices of pork belly, rightfully unseasoned. Then Bulgogi which translates as ‘fire meat’ – thin slices of beef marinated in a dark, sweet soy-based sauce.

Once the seafood was served we were all set - we had prawns with soy sauce and lemon and diamond pieces of lightly seasoned squid.

At first cooking on the grill felt intimidating, but after a few moments you realise it’s no more difficult than flipping bacon.

For our sides or banchan, we were given kimchi (spicy fermented cabbage) danmuji (yellow pickled cabbage) seaweed and beansprouts. We were also given a bowl of rice, lettuce wraps and dips. We were encouraged to take a lettuce wrap and add rice, a barbecue item, a side and sauces.

All the dishes combined made for a varied dining experience - one where you decide which flavours you want.

We could ask staff for unlimited rice, dips and lettuce wraps which they did with beaming smiles. After cleaning our plates we couldn’t even consider dessert.

Galbi provided a memorable experience with amazing food and service to match.

Ratings (out of 5):

Food: 5

Value: 4

Ambience: 5

Kid-friendly: 3