Queues out the door at new all-you-can-eat restaurant
It’s hard work to get a seat at this South East Qld restaurant newcomer but the buffet meals for just $50 are seriously good value.
QWeekend
Don't miss out on the headlines from QWeekend. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It’s just gone 5pm on a Saturday and at Sunnybank’s newest restaurant, there’s a line out the door 25 people-deep.
As others approach the swelling crowd, they’re guided to a sign with a QR code to register their name for a table, with a text or WhatsApp message to be sent when it’s their turn to go inside.
This is Seoul Garden at Market Square.
The Korean barbecue and hotpot buffet restaurant, which has four sister venues in Melbourne of the same name, opened at the end of last year and has been the most in-demand eatery in the suburb since.
‘Devilishly sophisticated’: The brilliant new restaurant worth the drive
‘Elegant, minimalist and sleekly noir’: New Brisbane restaurant brings the glam
In fact, this is my third attempt to dine at the venue, turned away twice previously because it was too full and being advised that if I wanted to secure a table I would need to arrive at 5pm as the restaurant doesn’t take bookings for groups of less than four. So what’s drawing in such crowds when hospitality is supposedly suffering with fewer people dining out?
No doubt it’s the cost of living-friendly prices of just $49.90 per person for a 90 minute all-you-can-eat feed. It’s even cheaper at lunchtime, coming in at $43.90pp. Kids aged 4-9 are always 50 per cent off, while weekends and public holidays incur a $5pp surcharge.
Sowhat do you get for under 50 bucks?
Think a Korean version of Sizzler.
There are trays and bowls filled with everything from Korean fried chicken and vegetable pancakes to kimbap, cooked prawns, crab and kimchi. There are soups and stews, dumplings and salads and more condiments than you could imagine. Then there’s the hotpot section, with guests able to load up pots with vegetables, tofu, noodles and an abundance of seafood, such as baby octopus, squid, mussels, king prawns and fish. Plus, the popular barbecue section, featuring more than a dozen varieties of meat, including Angus brisket, chuck tendons, ox tongue, spicy marinated chicken, lamb cutlets, and soy-soaked pork belly.
To cook it all, each table in the clean, brightly lit space with rows of banquettes and booths, features an inset barbecue and an electric hotplate for the hotpot. The friendly and highly efficient staff, who flit about the chaotic room collecting empty plates, delivering drinks and filling up buffet stations, provide cooking instructions as diners are seated. These are some of the best grills in Brisbane. Reliable, smoke-free and with no hot and cold spots.
First of all, let it be said, if you’re looking for the finest of fare, it ain’t here. The mountains of teriyaki chicken, galbi jim and fried hokkien noodles made in bulk quantities aren’t going to set your tastebuds alight. And the barbecue meat selection, while abundant, doesn’t offer the premium wagyu or high-grade beef selection that you’ll find at traditional barbecue restaurants. The marinated meats are also on the slightly bland side, possibly as their marination time has been cut short simply trying to keep up with demand. However, for the price, there’s no denying there’s plenty of value to be had here if you’re not too fussy.
My tip is to indulge in the hotpot station, where the seafood is fresh due to the excessive turnover, and you can control the flavours yourself thanks to myriad seasoning options including ponzu, Thai suki, oyster and soy sauces, chilli oil, garlic and more.
And if you have kids, the dessert station will be a must, with ice creams in intense, artificial hues ready to be crowned with the likes of m&ms, sprinkles and toppings; alongside a tight collection of cakes, mousses and fruit.
Drinks come at an additional cost, with a decent array of cocktails, mocktails, juices, Asian beers, soju, cider, spirits and soft drinks starting at $4 and capping out at $18. There’s also a $15pp fee for excessive wastage over 150g, while takeaway is not allowed. If you miss the days of Sizzler, or love an Asian-themed RSL buffet, you’ll find pleasure here.
Seoul Bistro
Market Square, Shop 9, Level 2/341 Mains Rd, Sunnybank
3878 7040
seoulgarden.com.au
Open
Mon-Fri noon-3pm and 5pm-9.30pm; Sat-Sun 11.30am-9.30pm
Verdict
Food
Service
3 stars
Ambience
Value
Overall
Help! Kyle Sandilands is coming for my job
Aussie radio identity Kip Wightman has opened up on rebuilding his life after hitting rock bottom, and feeling the pressure as Kyle Sandilands targets Brisbane.
Fridge, vacuum, now the washing machine! It’s official, I’m broken
Nothing seems to last any more, certainly not our patience or our sanity, and I’ve had enough of it, writes Sharyn Ghidella.