tom parker bowels::The restaurant is a brisk walk from the station-tom parker bowels

tom parker bowels::The restaurant is a brisk walk from the station.
But ignore them all, because about 50 yards further on is su la, said by those in the know to be the best of the lot.
Inside, the warmly utilitarian room is filled with koreans of all ages: parents with their screaming brood, suited businessmen deep in conversation and students gossiping over bowls of noodles.
We could be anywhere in korea, but for one small detail: the red london buses that thunder past the window.
For the serious eater, this is a very good thing indeed.
Utter rot, i say.
A few years back, i spent some time in seoul and was not only blown away by the people but by the food, too.
And just as with chinese and japanese cuisine, texture is every bit as important as flavour.
In most parts of britain, korean food tends to be toned down so as not to offend the delicate palates of us westerners.
The crunch melds with the soft, sweet chew.
His eyes light up with delight.
Yukhoe comes next, a visceral mass of raw beef, sesame seeds and slices of crisp pear, topped with a raw egg.
A metal cover in the centre of the table is lifted, a brazier of hot coals is slotted in and a grill placed on top.
Galbi are split with heavyduty scissors and left to cook.
The sweet, tender meat is anointed with various fiery pastes and thinsliced spring onions, then wrapped in lettuce leaves.
The cool, crisp lettuce gives way to hot charred beef, while chilli and sesame soy sauce cut through any heft.
All conversation ceases as we trough our way through half a cow.
The best bit is the golden, nutty crust formed when rice meets the heat.
This is the comfort food of champions, ticking every box for the gustatorially inclined.
By now, bellies are starting to stretch, and appetites wane, but we still manage cold chilli noodles and a bowl of offalpacked soup.
So by all means visit korea, a truly fascinating place.
But in the meantime, get down to new malden.