Grilling is something we have done plenty of over the years, but grilling at our very own table? It is never tiresome. That’s what we got on offer from Faro Korean Restaurant in Auckland…
The sort of evening where you get to control the tongs, the timing, and just how charred you prefer your pork belly. Arriving to see a packed restaurant with the smell of sesame oil and smoke wafting through the air confirmed that we was about to be fed well. Here’s a walk-through of the evening with Faro, what we ate, how they did their DIY grilling, and if the banchan was as good as it should of been.
It’s something you should know about if you’ve never had Korean BBQ before, or are curious about what’s on offer in Auckland.
Our Meal at Faro Korean BBQ
Faro Korean Restaurant
By the time we arrived, it was dark but the restaurant’s front was glowing in the drizzle, doors lit up and welcoming on the wet footpath. I’m always a sucker for somewhere that looks inviting from the outside and Faro certainly had that going for it.
The inside was exposed brick and timber tables with their own built-in charcoal grills. Low-hanging extraction hoods covered each table; and it proved a good decision when the smoke began to rise. Settling down we had a moment to watch the other tables (people leaning over them), turning meat, chatting, laughing.
It felt hands-on but casual in the very best way.
We flicked through the menu, which came down to our table. It showed pictures and prices of different kinds of meat from the grill, some sharing plate, and a selection of pre-set combinations. There was also a special on Thursday night (honeycomb) that I couldn’t resist.
There was also an all day menu that went beyond BBQ, as well as a list of drinks and Korean spirits at the rear. For me, it would be a selection of meats and some sides to round things out.
The time came for the platters. The marbled beef and thick slabs of pork belly were all raw and ready to go. We fired up the grill and laid out the first round of pork belly on the hot grate.
Before long the edges were starting to crisp up and the fat was starting to render, sizzling so loudly that we was getting hungry all over again. One of the best things about grilling your own meat is that you can get it just the way you want it, and I tend to lean more towards well-done and a little charred.
Then they brought out the banchan, little white dishes filled with kimchi, pickled vegetables, several other thing that I didn’t recognize but still ate. Also included was a plate of fresh lettuce leaves to wrap everything up, half the fun of Korean BBQ if you ask me. Grab a leaf, load it up with grilled meat, top it off with a bit of sauce and banchan, fold it up and eat it all in one bite.
It is messy, satisfying, and totally worth it.
On the side we ordered a few steamed dumplings, served with dipping sauces, which were polished off quicker then I thought they would be. To wash it all down, I had a can of Milkis, that odd sweet carbonated milk drink that always seems to work well with grilled meat. Not for everyone, but I’ve come to like it.
In between rounds of grilling, a bubbling stone pot of red stew arrived at our table. It wasn’t something that we had ordered as a main dish, but it’s included in the set and provided a spicy, soupy balance to all of the charred protein. By this time, there was a real feast across the entire table, meat, sides, stew, lettuce, sauces, and we continued to cook and eat until we could no longer do so.
At some stage I looked up and realised the walls was covered in framed prints and photos; not overly fancy but they added a little something. There was no attempt to make Faro sleek or minimal; it was more like somewhere you’d go in your local area that just happens to excel at one thing. Full, reeking of smoke and generally quite satisfied with our meal, we departed.
As promised, Faro had served up some solid meat, provided a functioning grill, and offered plenty of banchan to prevent boredom. If you want to try cooking your own food without being in a kitchen, this place is perfect. Have you ever been to Korean BBQ?
Or do you know of somewhere in your town that I should try? Let me know in the comments.
