Part of what I love about eating out in Glen Waverley is that it is bustling and busy and colourful; there is heat.
“It’s just, the vibe of the thing.”
When I visit at night it reminds me of my time in Hong Kong, busy, getting progressively busier as the night goes on. Never asleep, well not until early the next morning of course.
I remember eating out in Florence; me, an American with her “I only eat Gluten free” note that had to be delivered straight to the chef, my new glamorous friend from New York who worked for the UN. We turned up for dinner at a little local, at 8pm. We were told it would be open by then. Oh the derision from the wait staff, the scorn from the Chef. They would not let us in and we waited huddled on the pavement in the cold back streets of Florence (there are far worst punishments for cultural naivety I can assure you of that). In Florence, as in all of Italy, you eat late and you stay out later.
So Kingsway Glen Waverley is certainly not like that. You can turn up early, and in fact if you would like to park your car I recommend that you do. But it certainly grows busier as the night moves on.
Kimchi Hut is my new favourite. My meal there was one of those meals that stay with you, willing you to return for more.
I grew quite fond of Korean food eating at My Rice Story in Ivanhoe. Dinner there was quite different from Kimchi Hut, but the food was fresh and tasty and interesting. The Bibimbap was delicious and the staff were friendly and helpful. It was much more of a casual eatery though with an emphasis on take away food.
At Kimchi Hut they have a spacious dining room and they seem to specialise in Shabu Shabu and Sizzling Plate. Shabu Shabu was very popular but I opted for a Claypot dish instead. With my three year old in tow I was not quite brave enough to cook my own food over a hot plate. Lots of other people were doing it, but alas, I was too cowardly.
My Teriyaki Chicken Rice Stone Pot was served with a dazzling array of awesome side dishes including pickled turnip, Spicy Coleslaw, Kimchi, two sauces (mayonnaise of some sort and chilli I think), broccoli florets with red sauce and miso broth. So pretty, so yum!
It had a raw egg blobbing around on top of it. A passing waiter stopped me mid chopstick to my plate to explain “you stir.” Yes, of course you do. You stir that little googie egg and it cooks in the sizzle and you discover crunchy little pieces of roasted rice while you are at it. Excellent idea.
I also ordered a Mung Bean Pancake with Kimchi and it was so crunchy and full of flavour. I must have another one and soon.
Hubby ate Sizzling Chicken and Cheese which was drenched in cheese and which you would probably want to order as a share dish.
Overall it was a great experience. My children were welcomed as they always are in the Kingsway dining precinct. Service was efficient, helpful and effective with a sprinkling of friendly-ish.
So get amongst it. Take the family and enjoy the experience. You can even walk to the bubble tea shop “Happy Cup” or the Nitro Lab (if you have recently come into an inheritance) around the corner for dessert.
So eating great Korean food in Glen Waverley with the family is not quite as exciting as dining as a tourist in Firenze or Kowloon, but not all of life is a destination. Sometimes it is a the little splodges of enjoyment we have along the way that paint the story of our lives just as vividly as our grand adventures.
Happy Eating.
Dani xx
