Somaek

About Somaek

The dining room is plain by design, with pale walls, wicker pendant lights and a stone-topped bar where much of the action happens. The kitchen cooks traditional, home-style Korean food served family style, so dishes land as they are ready, always with a generous spread of banchan. Recurring orders include seafood pancake, bossam, jajangmyeon, bibim guksu, pork bulgogi, galbi short ribs and a Korean-leaning steak tartare. The drinks programme is half the point: soju, makgeolli and yakju sit alongside cocktails, with the Magpie a frequent recommendation. Most reviewers call the prices fair for the quality; a minority who know Korean cooking well found the galbi dry and the stew off, and wanted bottled beer rather than cans. Service runs from 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, until 10 or 10:30 on Friday and Saturday, and the room is closed on Sunday. Google reviewers score it 4.4 from 308 reviews.