Hamgipak

 

Hamgipak
169 High Street
New Malden
KT3 4BH

Date of Last Visit: Sunday, 9 November 2008

The Victims: Oonth, Limster

The Damage: £16 for the three of us

The Background: Some people look at me like I'm crazy when I suggest a trip out to New Malden for Korean food. I've been wanting to go since my absolutely amazing trip to South Korea in 2004, where I never once had a bad meal and everything was really more than excellent. Oonth and Limster had both mentioned separately that they'd be up for the field trip, so we made plans to meet at New Malden Station at 12 for a little food crawl.

The Entrance: Hamgipak comes highly recommended by Su Lin so we made that our first stop. And it would prove to be the best stop of the day. Hamgipak is very small--we laughed when Limster asked where the toilets were and was given directions to the alley. When we arrived shortly after 12, it was already more than 1/2 full and the tables would turn twice if not three times before we departed.

The Food: We're pacing ourselves, so we go with just one Korean pancake and a bowl of spicy soft tofu soup. Both are really really fantastic. Oh, and the banchan--little dishes of kimchee and assorted vegetables--are FREE and plentiful. (I hate it when people charge me for banchan; they're normally complimentary in Korea.)

The Verdict: I wish there were a central branch. I would go here. A lot.