Kimchi Hut

185 Coleman Pde
Glen Waverley, VIC 3150

Winter is coming. And a hot pot at Kimchi Hut is the perfect remedy.

Rocking up at 5:30 on a Friday night, the bright interior with practical furniture of blond wood, and plasma screens airing Deal or no Deal is all but empty. Fast forward half an hour and Chris and I had to shout at each other to be heard over squawking kids and uni students.

Friendly staff came bearing a pot full of their House Corn Tea whilst we perused the menu. Chris said it tasted like drinking a completely plain Dorito, and I have to concede that there is no better way to put it. The hot golden drink, fragrant with corn husks, is rather fabulous. I’ve no idea why anyone would order a different beverage.

Settling for a pot of Mild Beef Soup ($42), we were presented with a small gas stove, on top of which was a pot of soup filled to the brim, and piled high with veggies, thinly sliced beef, disks of chewy rice cake, and slippery sweet potato noodles. A far cry from the traditionally rich and hearty Chinese hot pots, this Korean version is light and chock-full of goodness. The meat and veggies cried out freshness, and the soup itself was clean and nourishing. It’s probably the healthiest and most balanced meal you could wish for.

Served on the side were five little dishes of Banchan. There were the standard dishes of marinated sprouts and kimchi, but also slightly more unusual offerings, such as squares of translucent chestnut jelly slathered in a spicy sauce, fluffy strips of egg omelette, and some garlic sprouts. They were great for adding flavour and variety to the meal.

So by now, some of you might be wondering why there haven’t been any photos of this supposedly delicious and restorative hot pot. Well see the thing is,

I left the memory card for my camera at home.

Ultimate sadness. Here are some iPhone photos of the remnants of our meal instead.