King's Bakery
Launched in 2018, King’s Bakery is a favourite among Korean food buffs. “I named it King’s Bakery because in South Korea, we believe customers are always the King,” says founder Seok Jung, who is originally from Seoul. A certified coffee barista, Seok Jung landed in the city to visit some close friends and ended up opening a bakery. Korean classics like Gimbap (soy rice rolled in seaweed), Ramyeon (Korean soupy noodles) and Dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken) are the pop picks. “We’re opening our third outlet in Hindustan Park soon,” he informed.
Where:
a) Rosedale Plaza, Counter Number 8, Action Area III, New Town
b) 3B, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road (next to The Conclave)
Open: 11am to 11pm
Bite That Spoon
A BTS-inspired Indo-Korean restaurant, Bite That Spoon is the hot spot for K-pop enthusiasts and those fascinated by Korean culture. (For the uninitiated, BTS is a boy band, also known as Bangtan Boys.)
Fan art, posters, merchandise and a Korean pop music playlist ensures that one can fuel their K-pop obsession while sampling some delicious food.
“We have had customers visit us and send us their fan art all the way from Pune, Guwahati, Gangtok and other cities,” said Debasmita Ghosh, 26, owner and head chef at BTS.
Drawing all the Boba tea (tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls) lovers in the city, their menu also features Brown Sugar Milk Boba and Vietnamese Coffee Boba. The Korean Style Corn Dog (a sausage on a stick that has been coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and deep fried) and Buldak Noodles (Korean-style fiery noodles loaded with chicken and shrimp) are must-haves.
Where: 81B, New Santoshpur Main Road (behind Ashirwad Sweets)
Open: 2pm to 9pm (closed on Wednesdays)
Cafe TOV
A gateway into the heart of South Korea, this quaint cafe doubles as a great work-away-from-home spot. Sip on the original Maxim Coffee (a Korean favourite) or bite into a slice of the freshly-baked Orange Pound Cake, an ode to the tangerines and oranges that Jeju Island in South Korea is known for. Korean street food favourites such as Tukbokki (Spicy Rice Cake), Kimchi Momos and fluffy Korean Pancakes are our pop picks. Additionally, for those interested in learning Korean, TOV offers classes to pick up the language.
Where: C-234, Survey Park Rd, Ajoy Nagar, Santoshpur
Open: 10 am to 9 pm (Closed on Sundays)
Asia! Asia! Asia!
This 111-seater restaurant and grill brings the flavours of the vibrant streets of Asia to Kolkata. Founded by Abhimanyu Maheshwari (restaurateur & CEO at Zing Restaurants), his venture serves street food staples that date back almost 600 years, but with a twist.
Explore the best of South Korean street food within their extensive Asian buffet by sampling the Korean Sticky Potato and Grilled Gochujang Tofu, both of which are grilled on the Robatayaki (Japanese Charcoal Grill). “We plan to introduce new dishes such as Bibimbap as Calcuttans typically like rice. The grill adds a smoky flavour,” said the founder.
Where: DN-37, Sector V, Salt Lake, Landmark: Above Rang De Basanti Dhaba
Open: Noon-3pm and 7-11pm
Jessie Yung Kitchen
While you can expect to get a smattering of well-prepared and well-priced home-cooked Asian dishes, the Korean options from this family-run cloud kitchen stand out from the rest. We recommend their Jeyuk Bokkeum (Spicy Korean pork marinated in a gochujang based sauce) and the Gochujang XXL Korean Fried Chicken (Breaded chicken smothered in a sweet and savoury chilli paste) for those who are looking for an entry point into the cuisine.
Where: Home delivery only, 95, Matheswartala Road, Tangra, Kolkata
Timings: Noon to 9pm (Orders need to be placed in advance)
For those looking to experiment at home:
PS: While you're busy bingeing, try the Nongshim Shin Ramyun Instant Noodles and Samyang’s Hot Chicken Ramen. The bravehearted may opt for Samyang’s Hot Chicken Ramen to take up the Korean fire noodle challenge.