Posts Tagged ‘Korean’

Atto

November 30, 2021

Atto, a new Korean restaurant in Swan Lane where once Costa. Hanki in Jeffries Passage closed Tuesday lunchtime, give atto a try.

Lunchtime busy, but not too busy, about half full, a steady flow of customers taking their lunch out.

Staff pleasant and helpful, described all their dishes, food was good, reasonable portion size if not generous, I had to stop the girl piling more in my pot. I had sweet and sour chicken on a bed of rice. The juices from the sweet and sour, seeped down into the rice.

Unlike disgusting Pick A Bap in Farnborough, the food looked fresh. The girl said they empty after three hours, clean out the tin, bring out fresh food. Whilst I was there, chef added fresh food, stirred the tins.

Only too happy to give me a drink of water, filtered water.

Not sure what to do when finished. Are we meant to clear the tables? There was a box for cutlery. I did what others did, tidied up, left on the tray.

Covid biosecurity good: Tables clean, staff wearing masks, hand sanitiser. It could be improved still further by making Deliveroo wait outside and handed their delivery, if enter, wear mask and remove crash helmet.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in food, Guildford | Leave a Comment »

Pick A Bap

November 30, 2021

Pick A Bap, a Korean restaurant in a grotty shopping centre.

Pick a Bap opened a couple of years ago. It was not good then. Had it improved? Yesterday I paid a visit, ordered some food, in many ways surprised it was still open.

It was empty when I walked in. The shopping centre in which it is located, deserted, many empty units.

I asked of what was sitting in the tins, sitting for how long I hate to think. It was mid-afternoon. From ther look of the contents I guess all day.

A sign says all need to know, Food Prepared Fresh Daily. Bread fresh each day yes, food no, I want cooked fresh.

Asked to tell me what the food was, they refused.

I pointed at one dish, spicy chicken. Yes, with rice please.

It was not good, a fair description would be to say disgusting.

I asked for water. They refused, pointed to a chiller cabinet with bottled water.

Awful music blaring out.

Plastic utensils. Wooden chopsticks loose in a box.

Covid biosecurity non-existent: No hand sanitiser as I walked in, or on tables. Staff not wearing masks. On leaving I used hand sanitiser outside the barber shop next door (it too was empty).

Compared with a couple of years ago when it opened, it was no surprise I was their only customer, it was not good then, if anything, has got worse. Food and service poor.

I cannot compare with food in Korea, but compared with Korean street food in Berlin, two Korean restaurants in Guildford, it compares very unfavourably.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Farnborough, food | Leave a Comment »

Hanki revisited

December 7, 2020

Hanki is a little a Korean restaurant in Jeffries Passage.

Whenever I pass by it is empty. Not so Saturday, not only busy, but very noisy Chinese.

Today lunchtime, empty.  I discuss with the ever helpful young Korean guy, the steamed white rice stir fry with vegetables and ease off the chilli.

My  suggestion taken up by the chef and oh what a difference. The rice changes from bland boring and not very tasty to to very tasty. The deep fried chicken now bland in comparison. Maybe a little chilli.

I also added tempura prawns. These were excellent.

But, generous portion size and too much. Sufficient for two people to share. I found myself struggling to finish.

 

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in food, Guildford, lunch | Leave a Comment »

Sticky Rice n friends

November 8, 2020

Walked around The Acropolis to Thissio, then along a road to find Sticky Rice n friends, a Filipino takeaway I had encountered the previous day. They had only opened a couple of weeks before lockdown. Saturday at least half a dozen Filipinos, today two and a not very helpful Greek guy who claimed to be in charge.

I explained what I wanted. I did not want full portion, I would be eating later. No, argued Greek guy. I drew attention to empty street that we were in lockdown.

I talked to the Filipinos. They prepared what I asked for.

Reasonable portion size, tasty, but not great, chicken deep fried, stir fried vegetables and steamed white rice (no brown rice).

Had I realised the vegetables to be stir fried I wold have asked for more.

Excessive if not obscene se of plastic packaging. They wished to use a black plastic tray. I said no. Use a round card bowl (though did have a plastic lid.)

Covid-19 biosecurity reasonable. Open to the street, hand sanitiser, staff wearing masks correctly.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Athens, food | Leave a Comment »

Lunch at Hanki Korean restaurant

October 5, 2020

A lovely warm sunny morning, a pleasant contrast to the last few days when cold and raining, and yet Guildford all but deserted.

And very little open, maybe Catch 22.

Fresco a tiny Greek place closed, appears to have closed down as closed on previous visits, but no surprise as gave Greek food a bad name.

La Casita not open Monday.

Guildford Institute restaurant not open today. I had sent a message to ask if open but lack the courtesy to reply.

Bamboo Shoots I miss, but decided not to reopen following lockdown.

Koja coffee shop, change of name, new owners I do not know, but was always empty and would require more than a change of name, not open today, closes at one on days when open.

I decided to try Hanki, a tiny Korean restaurant in Jeffries Passage.

None too happy to find a Deliveroo serf crash helmet no mask, waiting several minutes for order. How many minutes before I arrived, how many places to and from today, previous days, in the future? An ideal disease vector. I asked the young guy serving to file a formal complaint with Deliveroo. In future, make wait outside for order, if step inside to pick up, though better to hand to outside, must remove helmet, must be wearing a mask.

I chose deep fried chicken. It came with nothing. I asked for rice, it was extra. I was then drawn to a different dish deep fried chicken which included rice, this I chose.

When served was reasonable, decent portion, not in same league as Bamboo Shoots, but nevertheless reasonable.

Brought to me on tray with hand sanitiser also brought to the table.

Covid-19 biosecurity with the exception of the Deliveroo serf good. Tables clean, young guy at all times wearing a mask, I lacked ability to scan QR code and gave my contacts details in writing.

When opened a couple of years ago, Hawaiian food but run by Koreans. I asked why Hawaiian, serve food you know, Korean. I am pleased they took my advice.

But always empty, I have never seen customers when I pass by. Lunchtime today, apart from Deliveroo serf, I was the only customer.

It was then to Krema for an excellent cappuccino.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in food, Guildford | Leave a Comment »

%d bloggers like this: