Daebak

Korean

316-318 Kennington Ln, London SE11 5HY

£

Daebak is an infamous South-London haunt when it comes to Korean staples. If you’re a fan of Bimbimbap, Korean Fried Chicken, or noodles – there will be something to fall in love with here. I had long heard about Daebak and fellow Korean restaurant Jihwaja which is across the road and also caters for late-night karaoke lovers. Growing up in South London and with a majority of friends still living in and around the Vauxhall/stockwell/Brixton area, Daebak had become somewhat of a staple for quality, affordable Korean food that does the classics really well.

Myself and two friends went to Daebak one Friday evening after some drinks. We arrived around 8pm and were pleasantly surprised to be seated immediately at a free table. Despite the fame amongst my inner circle, it seems that Daebak is still a relatively well kept secret, not yet having fallen prey to the impossibility of getting London-based restaurant table on a Friday night without booking months in advance. Matty, who was a Daebak regular, insisted we went for some Soju (a kind of very fruity sweet wine). We ordered a Peach version (£11.9) to share, as well as three Asahi’s (£4.3).

The staff here were beyond polite: they did not even try and bother us once we deep dived into tipsy chatter after ordering our drinks. They waited until we were obviously ready to order and then were there in a flash. Taking Matty’s lead, we went for a medium plate of the Original Fried Chicken (£13.9), a Beef and Egg Bimbimbap (£11.5), Vegetable dumplings (£7.5), Kimchi (£3.9) and some Chicken Teriyaki (£11.9). Whilst the Kimchi and Vegetable Dumplings were good, I couldn’t help but think that they were a little on the pricey side compared to the rest of the menu. The Bimbimbap was good and had some great flavours, though I’ve definitely had better versions elsewhere, and once I realised quite how large the Fried Chicken portion was, I realised that the additional Chicken Teriyaki might have been a slightly silly order.

The absolute star of the show simply had to be the Original Fried Chicken, which more than made up for any of the other dishes shortcomings. It was a very generous helping, perfectly fried with crispy batter that didn’t lose crunch when covered in sauce. The chicken inside was cooked well: remaining juicy and tender, and the slaw it was served with was tasty too. The restaurant soon filled up once we started eating, and was absolutely packed by around 9:30. Absolutely all of these latecomers had ordered a monster portion of this fried chicken, in multiple different flavours and versions. I guess that kind of sums up where I think Daebak excels: whilst it isn’t the best at everything, it really does get it’s staple dishes down very well: and what better staple to suit a late Friday night dinner after a few too many beers down the pub than perfectly fried chicken covered in a sweet sticky sauce?

Overall, Daebak is a great spot to have on your radar for a range of decent Korean food that delivers on flavour and quality. Are there better Korean restaurants out there? Sure – but you’d be hard beat finding one as convenient and well-priced as here. Portions are big, service is faultless, and the bill doesn’t break the bank. Plus, you can walk in half baked on a Friday night and still get a table. Perfect.

OVERALL RATING: ****

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