Kimchi bokkeumbap @ Ban Di Bul
55 Bold St, Liverpool, L1 4EU
I still haven’t tried Korean BBQ but am reliably told Ban di Bul is one of the worst places to have it. Unsurprisingly that did put me off trying the restaurant for a while, but with bibimbap and kimchi on the brain — and Mojim Deli on Berry Street temporarily shut — I eventually visited a few months ago and was very pleased I did.
While each table at the restaurant is set up with a small integral grill and an extractor fan the menu at Ban Di Bul goes beyond BBQ, with a pretty wide range of noodle and hot pot dishes as well as Korean drinking food like tteokbokki (rice cakes with fish balls in spicy sauce) and kimchijeon (kimchi pancakes).
There is also a whole section dedicated to pickles — not only kimchi, but also kaktoogi (white radish) and oi muchim (chilli pickled cucumber salad). Delicious, and all available for just a few pounds or as a set for just over a fiver.
The kimchi is also the most important part of what is, in my opinion, Ban Di Bul’s best dish — a simple plate of kimchi fried rice with a perfect, lightly crispy egg on top.
Available with chicken, pork or, on request, meat-free. Ultimately the choice of protein doesn’t mean a huge amount except as an additional texture. All you’ll be able to taste is the deliciously pungent, sour-sweet pickled cabbage. Maybe I do need to try the BBQ.
