Good times are on the menu at this North Hobart eatery

This North Hobart restaurant is a great venue for a group – servings are generous and affordable – and the whole vibe is very laid-back and designed for casual, fun times, writes Alix Davis.

Hobart Gangnam Korean restaurant's fun bright interior perfect for casual dining. For TasWeekend Indulge Picture SUPPLIED

When Korean popstar Psy’s unlikely hit, Gangnam Style, was unleashed on the world in July 2012, it was the first time most of us had heard of the upscale Seoul neighbourhood, famous for food and shopping. Now, 13 years later, the song’s video is one of YouTube’s most-watched, with 5.5 billion views and counting (Baby Shark is No. 1 with a mind-boggling 15.5 billion views), and Gangnam is globally synonymous with Korean food, K-pop and good times.

Which is exactly what you’ll get when you drop into Gangnam, a Korean pub that opened in North Hobart in November. There’s a continuous loop of K-pop videos on the TV, a head-bopping soundtrack and a menu of Korean favourites designed to eat with a beer or soju, the clear, distilled Korean alcoholic beverage, often referred to as ‘Korean vodka’, due to its neutral flavour and similarity to vodka. Traditionally made from rice, it’s now commonly produced using other ingredients like wheat, barley, sweet potatoes, or tapioca.

There are three types of soju available ($18-$20 and ranging in alcohol from 13.5 per cent to 21 per cent) as well as a number of soju cocktails, Korean beers and Australian beers and ciders on tap. All of which pair well with the easy-to-eat, and share, dishes on offer. We start with a serve of mandu ($10), four fried dumplings stuffed with vegetables and served with a garlic soy sauce. The dumplings have a pleasingly crisp exterior and a soft filling – the fresh coleslaw on the side is a nice counterpoint.

Hobart Gangnam's fun, bright interior is perfect for casual dining. Picture: Supplied

Hobart Gangnam is a great venue for a group – as with seating for up to 140 people – there’s plenty of room for everyone. Picture Supplied

You can’t have an evening of Korean food and drink without at least one serving of KFC – Korean fried chicken (or chi-kin, as it’s listed on the menu), which gained popularity when it was introduced to the country by American servicemen in the 1950s.

There are a number of options available – including the Smoky Hot ($19) that comes with a four-chilli rating and is too hot for even the staff. Consider yourself warned. We opt for the garlic soy version ($19), which is the most popular, and we can see why. Boneless pieces of chicken are battered, deep-fried and served with sauce on the side – it’s moist and tender and delicious.

Hobart Gangnam’s tender, delicious fried chicken in a variety of flavours, ranging from ‘smoky hot’ to ‘garlic soy’.” Picture: Supplied

Another foodstuff introduced by US soldiers is cheese, with which Korea is now obsessed. Consumption per capita has doubled over the past 10 years, with popular Korean restaurant chains adding cheese to everything from kimchi stews to fried chicken. Mellow mozzarella is the most popular variety – giving relief to the chilli heat found in some Korean dishes, so how could we go past the corn cheese ($10), that arrives in a cast-iron pan and consists of corn kernels covered in melted mozzarella? I think there’s some mayonnaise hidden in there as well, and it’s a hot, cheesy joy – get ready to pull your mozzarella strands to extremes.

Hobart Gangnam Corn Cheese for TasWeekend Indulge Picture SUPPLIED

Gangnam is a great venue for a group – there’s plenty of room for everyone (it seats 140 people), servings are generous and there’s nothing over $20. There’s no bookings, no table service and the whole vibe is very laid-back and designed for casual good times rather than an intimate date a deux.

Japchae ($15) is another Korean classic – clear noodles made from sweet potato have the texture of tasty rubber bands and are mixed with vegetables, including delicate enoki mushrooms, then doused in a sweet soy sauce.

A side order of kimchi (Korea’s national dish of chilli-fermented cabbage or radish) and crisp pickled radish cuts through the sweetness and provides some crunch.

Our final dish is a heaped plate of beef bulgogi ($19). This dish is originally from the Pyongan province in North Korea and consists of thinly-sliced beef that’s been marinated then grilled. Here it’s served in a bulgogi sauce with cabbage and makes a filling meal.

Grab your favourite Blackpink T-shirt, brush up on the horsey dance and head to Gangnam.

A selection of Hobart Gangnam’s tasty dishes. Picture: Supplied

GANGNAM

285 Elizabeth St,

North Hobart

Opening hours: 7 days, 5.30pm-9.30pm

@gangnam_hobart

On the menu

Mandu, $10; corn cheese, $10; japchae, $15; Korean fried chicken, $19;

beef bulgogi, $19.