Korean is the Way to Go (: [Anju Restaurant & Bar]

18 Little La Trobe St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

Hello everyone~

Seems like some of you still use my blog for some references. Thanks for that!
I see my ranking on urbanspoon has dropped a fair amount (from ~150 to 494 T_T)
Guess it's time to change that by getting back into the groove of things.
Today's images all came from my phone (Sony Xperia Z1) which it may look different to my past photos ~
Nevertheless, I am back and I am starting off with a Korean restaurant I've walked passed a few times: Anju.

"Anju" is a typical Korean word which means Korean Food consumed with Alcohol. So that's exactly what happened.

Anju takes typical Korean food and adds a little western fusion as you can see later on :)

This restaurant is fairly popular and I would recommend you booking before arriving or expect to be disappointed. I went with a friend and we were lucky enough to get a seat even though it was at the bar.







     

A unique feature of this restaurant is their menu. It is in an envelope which one would normally use to post letters. It is as though they are sending you an invitation to enjoy their food. Really is an interesting way to present it.

Let's move on from their interesting menu to their stunning interior.

Starting from the Left Image: The Bar.
Honestly speaking, for me, the spot at the bar is a spot I would rather not be. There are of course a few exceptions to this which I don't mind. One was it seemed they couldn't put us anywhere else (it was only me and a friend but whatever) and two, the food was prepared right in front of us. Who doesn't enjoy a show while you wait? Given the smell of the food just made us hungrier but that was a given wherever we sat.

The Middle Image: The Front Seating Area.
A simple design which didn't overpower the restaurants own charm.

The Right Image: The Back Seating Area.
This has the same simple design however a bit more privacy was attained with the positioning of the tables.

Overall, a very nice atmosphere.

Rice Crisps w/ Peanuts

To start us off: some Rice Crisps w/ Peanuts. I have no comment on these except they were very well made and certainly prepared us for the dishes to come.












The Starter: BBQ Corn

BBQ Corn w/ White Miso & Gochujang (Chili paste) $4 Each

I actually was expecting this dish to be just the kernels on a hot plate with the White Miso and Gochujang (Chili Paste). That isn't to say it wasn't a pleasant surprise. The corn had been brushed completely with the flavouring of the White Miso and Gochujang while finishing it off with some lime. This was a very flavoursome starter having the moistness of the kernels while also having just a bit of outside charred from the barbeque.

Fried Half Chicken with House
made Spicy Sauce Served with
Nectarine Coleslaw $26

The Main: Anju Fried Chicken
I believe most Korean restaurants will have a specialty for their Fried Chicken and this is Anju's.

The Fried Chicken was cooked very well, the outside having just enough crunch while the meat on the inside was juicy. The spicy sauce is kind of ... exaggerated? I didn't feel that much spice but it might be because I have a fairly high tolerance of spices.

The coleslaw was surprisingly delicious. I usually expect a somewhat dry and tasteless coleslaw but I was proven wrong here. This coleslaw had a slight citrus taste to it and it was very refreshing.

 Side Note: The chicken dish had peanuts in it so be careful!

Pint of House Beer $11

OH! Almost forgot the beer :)
It was a house beer called Little Creatures! It finished off the main amazingly. Should definitely have it if you go here. Very light taste and not very bitter.









Wrap Up!

Anju

I really have no complaints about the taste of the  food here. It was simply amazing. However the portions could have been a bit more considering they recommend that everything be shared.
The service was pretty nice and very welcoming.
The price was somewhat steep having our total bill come to $56 for two people.

Food: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Price: 8/10
Overall: 8.33/10

Very nice food, very nice dining area and a price to match. I will definitely come back here to try their sliders and steak!

More cravings to come,

~R