13 May: Po Cha
I've talked before about the authenticity of London Korean places, some of which are like being in Seoul and others which bear only a passing resemblance to the food that I know and love. Po Cha is definitely at the authentic end. At each dinner I fill in a page of my Kimchi Project notebook and my entry for this place says 'Yum! Yum! Yum! Why would anyone eat in those bland places when there's food like this 5 minutes down the road?' And really I can't think of anything to add to that assessment. I had kimchi fried rice, a lovely plate of tasty rice loaded up with ham and kimchi. Why don't I eat have that dish more often, providing as it does a brilliant comfort food. The kimchi as a side dish was outstanding, with great texture and a perfect balance of chili and ginger flavours. I also had a modum namul - mixed vegetables - and boricha, the traditional Korean barley tea, served cold this time in a flask dumped on the table, much like at Assa a few doors down. The Kimchi was just £2, and I give it 4 out of 5. The meal was £14 in total, which is just brilliant value in my book. The place had a few more foreigners than Assa, and slightly friendlier service. Po Cha is definitely going on the return next year list.