O Chef! My Chef! - A Change of the Blog Content?

Hello Ladles and Jelly-spoons~

Hello all~ Jia here,  and yes that was a play on the famous "Oh Captain! My Captain!" from Walt Whitman's poem, but I heard it first from the 'Dead Poets Society' movie(which is pretty good by the way). The topic of today's blog is the European-Asian buffet restaurant My Chef on Queen Street. Some of the images weren't mine because I thought I'd taken them but realised I hadn't once I got home.

Credit: https://wooh.co.nz/mychef-page-299-1-550.html

 I was working on this during my exam period and I shouldn't have but the temptation was too great. However, exams are now over and I can blog guilt-free. Recently we went out for the first time in ages because it was Songie's birthday. Which brings up something important. We started this blog because at the time we were eating out fairly often and could try many different places but as of late we realised we haven't been going out as much because we're not exactly social butterflies.

Yeah I guess we're pretty similar to Heimlich from A Bug's Life.

In fact this is probably me when we finally go out.

Credit: http://disneypixar.tumblr.com/image/94853751796

We do have a lot of posts to catch up on but besides that, we are thinking of making this a food and lifestyle blog. We do some travelling after all, though mostly to Singapore. It's just a thought at the moment, we're still on the fence about it right now. Just a head's up though, so you all don't start wondering why we've suddenly become a lifestyle blog as well as a food one. I mean we've already done something like that with the previous blogs, such as the China one, but you know, it will be slightly different.

Back to the food blog about My Chef, even though it's a buffet my friends and I just know it as a Korean BBQ place because honestly, it is the main reason anyone goes as far as I know. I went there on the last day of the semester with Brad, as a small reward for getting through half a year of uni, even if there's still exams. Our other friends weren't able to make it but it was alright since we ate enough to make up for it!!

Credit: https://wooh.co.nz/mychef-page-299-1-550.html

To get there, you have to go upstairs or up the ramp next to St Pierres Sushi in Mid City and it's opposite the Japanese place, Nikko.

Atmosphere
 It's got a friendly vibe, being a noisy buffet area. It's not so noisy that you have to shout to talk to your table mates though. Each of the tables are set with gas fueled BBQ hot plates and the whole place as a warm sort of aura(yes the fact it's a BBQ place helps), due to the wooden floors and furniture and beige walls. I did notice that it's quite a tight squeeze between chairs which is a pain when you all want to go get food and all that. ALSO: you have to pay attention very carefully to where you're walking. I didn't get a picture but the wooden floors were somehow very uneven and I nearly tripped over a couple of times, and I'm sure the table near me would have appreciated the raw meat flung on them.

We were sat in a more private walled table, and they helpfully provide spare cans of gas to use if you run out. They also usually provide aluminium foils which you do constantly need to change.

The wooden screen doors on the walls also give it a more Korean feel to the place.

Food

Credit: https://wooh.co.nz/mychef-page-299-1-550.html

The drinks bar had self-serve drinks, presumably coffee at the corner there, and two containers of drinks. I sampled the milky off-white one, which was a strange sweet liquid with rice bits floating around it. I'm not totally sure what it was but it was quite nice.

 The food, being a buffet, was spread out at the walls, having a range of cooked foods on one side, then transitioned to the raw meat in one section. 

There's also a freezer at the side should you feel you want even more selection but the best stuff is in the meat bar already.

Credit: whangareinz.com 

I didn't try much of the cooked food because I was more interested in the BBQ, but I have sampled the kimbob(basically Korean sushi) and the fried chicken wings. The cooked food isn't bad either, and I especially like the crispy skin of the chicken which is cooked to perfection. It does soften after a while though of course so it may not be crispy when you eat it. 

Now, the BBQ itself. For those of you who haven't tried Korean BBQ, and are wondering about the difference between normal BBQ and this, its probably just the smaller grill that you use and the type of meat. While there's charcoal grills like Faro, more commonly the grill is like a hot plate that has a small portable stove underneath, and to keep it relatively clean you are given a foil to cook your meat. These get filled with oil and burnt bits over time so you have to change foil after a while. We started off with Bulgogi and Fresh Pork Belly, because it seems like a logical choice seeing as when I eat Korean usually I go for the Bulgogi. I do, however, have a preference for marinated meat and these, well, weren't. There was one container that had sauce in it but was generally empty of any meat so I didn't really pay attention to it; Galbi. 

Just when there was some meat, and I got up to try it, this guy was in front of me so I patiently waited seeing as there was enough for both of us, but he just kept taking putting it on his plate. He just would not stop. I watched in disbelief as he took all the remaining Galbi and returned to my seat disappointed. However the efficient staff were quick to notice it and returned to refilled it completely so ha! jokes on him now. On the other hand because the meat that he got, sat in the marinade for a while it was able to soak up more of the sauce... oh well. It was still really good. I quickly filled up the plate(and left some for others like a polite person would) and went back to the table. 

Pork Belly and a piece of Galbi

Delicious Galbi grilling<3

 The bone wasn't as troublesome as I thought it would be, it separated fairly easily from the meat. Marinated meat is the best though, seriously.

Yay I didnt have to cook!

Service

Being a buffet you don't really have much need for service. There is a bar at one end and that's where most of the staff congregate if they're not refilling food or attending to customers. As noted earlier though, they were efficient and put aside spare foils and gas cans around the tables. They're also fine with helping you restart your stove grill when you decide that perhaps taking a break and turning the flame off is a good idea(which, by the way, is not). I'm serious, this happens every time at any Korean BBQ I go to. And every time, we can't get the flame going again, and have to ask the staff to help.

Presentation

Being a buffet I suppose the presentation is up to you, so I'll have to pass on this.

Price

The price is reasonable and student friendly, which explains the amount of students in the place, and you can eat as much as you like. They do have a stipulation that if anyone does not finish what they took then everyone at the table will pay a $10 extra fee. I reckon this is a good idea so that it ensures that people don't take too much and waste food. Us, we took in small amounts but many times, and took a break between plates so we could digest a little.

Conclusion

I think this place is worth a try whenever you're craving some Korean BBQ. The only other one I'm aware of in city that's not more upscale like Faro is the one at 492 Queen St, Auckland CBD, but it's a bit of a walk for uni students compared to this one just upstairs in Midcity at 239 Queen St. If you want to make a booking, call them at 09-3770855. Again, watch out for the floor and don't forget to finish all the food!

Thanks for reading,
Just the One Lamb

Faro on Lorne Street

Greetings ladles and jelly-spoons!

 So our dual first food post will be on the Korean BBQ restaurant on Lorne St, in Auckland CBD. It's address is 5 Lorne Street, Auckland for those who have curious souls. It's relatively high end and the service is quite good. It gets really crowded around 7 ish so it is best if you make a booking if you want to make sure you get a table.

I know that's not much to go on so lets dive right into it:

Atmosphere: The restaurant is pretty big despite the entrance being deceptively average-sized and easy to miss. It's well-lit and there are little details that give the place a Korean feel to it,from things like the chairs and the wooden kitchen windows, to the more authentic touches such as the wallpaper, the screen doors, etc which we love as you feel like you've just walked into a nice little restaurant in Seoul. Having gone to this place sometime close to the winter season the warmth from the many grills operating at the time were a welcome addition. There is the issue of the place being a quite smoky from the BBQs because the fan tube can't suck up everything, so it's recommended to sit at a table nearer to the entrance. That being said , a down side to sitting near the entrance is that you may get additional smoke from cigarette users from outside. Try not to sit in a confined room, as it's a lot more smoky than the other tables due to the fact that there are no windows whatsoever and no ventilation other than the fan tubes.

Food: We had two orders of beef scotch fillet, one order of pork belly, one order of prawn and one order of ox tongue. These were all cooked on a charcoal grill just like the ones in Seoul (we've been there, we would know) as shown in the picture below and as mentioned before there's a vacuum from the ceiling to suck up the smoke (also shown in the picture below). Take note that the grill is really hot and simply radiates heat, so unless you thrive on that kind of temperature don't put your face too close to it (I know that's common sense but there are certain people out there...).

Side dishes are refilled for you for free which is a huge plus side for this place as the meats themselves usually aren't enough to fill a person up. When ordering a main (Beef, Pork etc) you are automatically eligible for seven side dishes. The side dishes are quite appealing and you really are fairly spoilt for choice with seven of them. Out of all the chestnut jelly one is usually the one that has to be replaced the most often. It has a delightful texture (for those who are into that kinda thing) and has a note quite salty but not overly sweet taste with a hint of nuttiness. From what we could tell from the menu (which is in Korean but with English subtitles) for another $20 you could get an extra two side dishes plus a salad and a traditional Korean soup that usually accompanies a BBQ so it really is up to the individual on whether they're going there for the whole experience or just for the basics.

The larger option for side dishes.

Personally I preferred the beef, because it has more taste than the pork. The ox tongue was also alright but I wouldn't order it on my own. I personally preferred the pork but that's simply because nowadays I find myself enjoying pork a lot more in general. Both meals were cooked to give them the best texture possible and none were under-cooked nor over done in any way. The pieces did vary, some were bite sized others were too large and had to be cut further so I think consistency is a small issue here.The ox tongue was nothing to rave about, and in terms of value for money was probably something that I regretted ordering.

Each person is given a dish with a small amount of salt on one side and a fair amount of some sort of sweet sauce on the other with a space for your meats in the middle. I think that the meats by themselves were fairly bland as they're not marinated (there is an option for marinated meats on the menu but this time we're just reviewing what we got) and dipping each bite of meat with a small amount of salt and then followed by the sweet sauce is the way I tend to go with eating it.

 



Presentation: Although this is a BBQ and food presentation is not a big thing, there is a fair amount to comment on in general. The grill, for example, is such a cool piece of cookware. The wire that the meat is cooked on is much better than in other BBQ places where it's a flat metal plate like some modern heating element. We love how that in Faro, you are able to see through and view the live coals underneath and the specific kind of grill that they use is very similar if not the same as the ones we saw while in Seoul, which adds an authentic feel to your meal. For the food itself however raw meat on a plate generally isn't very attractive unless you.. are into that kind of thing then this part is probably not for you. The side dishes, however, were presented neatly in little dishes.  However, seeing as it's a relatively high priced restaurant you would think the staff's uniform could be more professional than a colorful apron with their black clothing, maybe that's a Korean thing, but I know I've never seen that till now but feel free to leave me a comment below to let me know otherwise.

Service: The staff are very friendly and the owner himself interacts with all the customers too. Also, sometimes it takes a while for them to get back to you and although they cook the meal for you we have learnt from experience that sometimes the place gets too busy and that you should always keep an eye on your meat yourself if you don't want to be eating cinders. On that note a winning point for this restaurant is that if you don't know how to use the BBQ or you just want to relax and let someone else do it for you, this place is ideal because they usually take charge if you're a foreigner to these things (and by foreigner I mean anyone who's not Korean). One thing I would comment on is the fact that the staff don't ask if you want refills, like they do in Korea. Some customers may not be aware that you can refill for free, and when you show that you're willing to refill the side dishes, then it makes people feel more at ease. It was fairly awkward for us ask for refills so when it's offered it makes you feel like it truly is a service driven restaurant especially if it's something that they provide.

Price: The price was around $120+ for about five dishes . Unfortunately we didn't get a receipt so we can't give you the exact price but as you can tell it was fairly pricey. Not quite on the high fancy gourmet restaurants but at an average of about $24 a meal it wouldn't exactly be a student's first choice. If you went there with a group of people with small appetites, you might feel it's more worth the price. The side dishes are refilled for free, but as we mentioned above some people feel like it's quite awkward to ask for them so they generally won't. I suppose the money goes towards the service and the experience along with the authentic feel of the place as even with that kind of price tag on most nights this place is fairly packed.

Conclusion: Overall Faro on Lorne Street is a delightful restaurant to go to for many occasions. Perhaps not an intimate date setting (unless a smoky room with the smell of wine and cheap perfume is your idea of a romantic date) but definitely for a party, casual dinner (family or with friends) or for an authentic Korean BBQ experience. Their service is great and their food relatively well done. Everything about it, from the menus to the equipment used, screams authentic Korean restaurant and as we've mentioned many times before it's like stepping off the streets of Auckland and into Seoul. There are small things that we feel could be improved upon but in general this is really a one of a kind place that is probably only matched by their other branch out in the North Shore (though we have yet to try it). Recommended from their menu is the beef or pork (really depending on your preference at the time) and is further recommended to stay away from the luxury items such as ox tongue as they as add unnecessary cost for very little value.

Rating:  /10

Atmosphere:  9
Food:            6.5
Presentation:  7.5
Service:         7
Price:             5

Overall:  7/10

Thanks for reading this blog!!

The Lambs