The interesting (and delicious) bibimbap set!

Udon House Che-Won

Lahore, and Pakistan generally, loves Chinese food – but surely we get tired of it sometimes? The kind of Pakistani Chinese that we are served is undoubtedly delicious, but it’s not particularly authentic, and is usually just the same set of manchurian–shashlik–pepper chicken that we grew up on. Nothing wrong with it, but why not try something different – for example, Korean?

Korean is often considered to be a kind of cheap hybrid between Chinese and Japanese, but anyone who is familiar with Korean food knows that’s simply not true. In Lahore, the most authentically delicious Korean food is served up at the tiny Udon House Che-Won, under a large commercial building just off Mian Mehmud Ali Kasoori Road in Gulberg III.

Taking my seat, the reserved but kind waiter seems surprised at my familiarity with Korean food; being from multicultural Melbourne and having taught many Korean students over the years, it’s not a foreign cuisine for me. I go straight for the bibimbap, a tried and tested favourite of mine and many Koreans.

After mixing, it’s time to eat the delicious bibimbap!

Bibimbap is a uniquely Korean concoction of rice, vegetables, meat (in this case beef), spices and egg. The rice lines the bottom of a very hot stone bowl, and then the meat, mushrooms, pickles, carrots and other vegetables are all arranged on top to be mixed in by the diner. The egg is often broken straight on to the top of the dish raw, which can be disconcerting for some people, but the heat of the food and the stone bowl means it gets cooked as you mix it through the dish.

At Udon House, the egg comes semi-cooked, presumably to allay the concerns of any Pakistanis who are unfamiliar with the cuisine. The yolk is still runny enough to be mixed through however, and it coats the ingredients wonderfully. Be sure to mix some of the Gochujang sauce (made from chilli and soybeans) through too – it really gives the dish a delicious kick. Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it, it comes with the bibimbap!

The dish is accompanied by the obligatory kimchi – a spicy cabbage pickle which many Koreans just can’t live without – tangy pickled cucumber and a delicious tofu soup which I think is doenjang jjigae, a bit like Japanese miso soup.

I definitely recommend Udon House in Gulberg III as a change from the standard Chinese dishes we’ve become so used to. You never know, you might even discover a new cuisine to love! This place deserves to succeed for the quality and authenticity of its food. We love Lahore for everything it has to offer, and where else in Punjab could you find a quality Korean restaurant?

Udon house Che-Won in Gulberg III (Image: Chalo.pk)

Details

Food: 9/10

Ambience: 7/10

Service: 9/10

Cost: Mains Rs. 400 – Rs. 500

DHA Lahore, 65 CC, Z BLOCK PHASE 3, Lahore

(042) 3577 3100

www.chalo.pk/places/Udon-House-Che-Won

Monday – Saturday: 12pm – 1am

Sunday:  1pm – 11pm