Seoul Chako

DIY new Korean BBQ joint

Photo Erika David

I’m going to be a regular at Seoul Chako. I just know it. Dark and spacious, this all you can eat, do it yourself Korean BBQ joint is one of the latest additions to the downtown district. With a fire grill built in the table and a spread of colorful raw items covering every inch of space, it’s a good change of pace from whatever’s available in the area.

The lineup gathers appetizers, cold dishes, random sushi, meat, seafood, vegetables and desserts. $23.99 weekend dinners unlock everything on the menu, weeknight dinners go for $21.99 and cover most of the menu, but you can get a limited yet respectable lunch on weekdays for $13.99 and weekends for $14.99. Each individual serving contains 2-4 pieces but things quickly add up. If you don’t pace yourself, there’s a $1 charge for every leftover piece.

Let’s say the appetizers and cold dishes make up the Banchan. Pick and choose from both categories to create your own set of small side dishes to eat with the meal. I like the (wakame) seaweed salad (dinner only) a lot. It’s firm jelly-like strings boast the right balance of sweet and sour. The tongue-tickling kimchi is a tad too salty but I don’t know how to eat a Korean meal without it. Good or bad, it has to be on the table. And, I’ll be getting cold tofu, bean sprout salad, pickled radish and white rice at my future visits. I really don’t care for the rest.

Photo Erika David

All meat is infused with the same sugar-soy-chili marinade and if you don’t overcook, they turn out tasty and delightfully juicy. There’s a decent selection to choose from and you can keep your favorites coming. There’s no shame in abusing the system, like me, you might even get to the point where everything starts to taste the same. Still, no complaints here. My must-haves include pork, lamb (weekends only) and beef short ribs. They’re good, the last one especially.

Read the rest of this restaurant review on This is why we're fat

About the author - Erika is a proud Montrealer whose obsession with food borders on insanity. That along with Montreal’s culinary diversity fuel her blog, This is Why We’re Fat. With a big appetite and a very open mind, nothing is off limits. It’s only a matter of time before she eats her way through the entire city!