Daniel B.
Yelp
Short version: Kang's Kitchen BBQ Duluth (강식당) is yet another great Korean barbecue restaurant in Gwinnett County. For us, the quality of both the beef and banchan was outstanding and service was good. My only gripe is the portions could've been bigger for the combo we got. That said, they do offer all you can eat (AYCE), though you'll miss out on some of their best meats like the marinated galbi (my favorite) and prime rib. If you value good-quality beef, I recommend this place.
Long version:
Kang's Kitchen opened on April 22, 2023. Wall art in the back says the business was established in 1997. I asked an employee about this and he said this is a brand from South Korea. As far as I can tell, this is the only "Kang's Kitchen" in the US. There's also sister restaurant, Kang's Table (강스테이블), on Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Kang's Kitchen is located in Pleasant Hill Square, a shopping center that has changed a lot over the years. Gone are big-box stores like Staples, JCPenney, Old Navy, Toys"R"Us, and Barnes & Noble. In are Asian restaurants like Canton House, Kang's Kitchen, Chung Ki Wa Korean BBQ, and Gohan AYCE Buffet. As locals know, the Pleasant Hill Rd area is filled with all kinds of Korean restaurants, from barbecue to bossam (boiled pork).
What sets Kang's Kitchen apart? I can think of a few nuances:
1. Meat quality. We had the Beef Combination for 4 ($179.99) and the quality was top notch. In terms of meat quality, I put Kang's Kitchen in the upper tier of Korean barbecue restaurants in metro Atlanta.
2. Banchan quality. The banchan (side dishes) was consistently superb, all around. The selection was on par with some of the best Korean restaurants around town. That said, Kang's Kitchen has one of the better banchan selections. For example, we got mul kimchi (water kimchi), which I don't recall seeing anywhere else.
3. Charcoal downdraft grills. Our server told us that there's only one other place in the area that has charcoal downdraft grills. Other places either have gas downdraft grills or grills with height-adjustable exhaust hoods.
In recent years, newer Korean barbecue restaurants in metro Atlanta have done a better job at managing ventilation. Therefore, leaving a restaurant smelling like smoke isn't as much of an issue these days.
As far as charcoal vs gas, charcoal is better. Korean barbecue cooked on charcoal grills tastes better because the flavor is smokier. The smoke permeates the meat. Also, there's an extra bit of crispiness and char on the outside of the meat thanks to the hotter-burning charcoal.
4. Space. The dining room is big, airy, and still relatively new and nice (furniture, etc. still in good condition). I think this is one of the bigger Korean barbecue restaurants in metro Atlanta in terms of number of grills (I guesstimate 50+) and seats. This place should handle multiple large groups easily.
You can call and make reservations, but I don't think it's necessary unless you have a really large party. There were plenty of open tables for the duration of our visit, which was around 5-7pm this past Sunday. They brought out a highchair for the toddler and set up the banchan before calling us to our table.
Here's the banchan we got:
* Kimchi
* Pickled red onion
* Ssam mu - pickled radish wraps, beet variety (pink color)
* Garden salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, and tomato
* Gamja salad - Korean-style potato salad
* Pa muchim - scallion salad with sauce made from gochugaru (Korean chili pepper)
* Mul kimchi - with ingredients like daikon
* Jangajji - soy sauce pickles (jalapeno, white onion, daikon)
* Japchae - glass noodles
* Gyeran-jjim - steamed eggs
* Doenjang-jjigae - soybean paste stew
* Corn cheese x4 ($5.99 each, extra) - we ordered these
Here's what our combo came with, in order, all cooked at the table by our staff:
* Brisket
* Ribeye
- Grill swapped from pan to mesh
* Rib fingers (marinated and unmarinated)
* Prime rib
* Marinated galbi (short ribs)
* Marinated cube steak
To finish:
* Chapagetti instant noodles (jajangmyeon)
To drink:
* Makgeolli ($14.99 per bottle) - Korean rice wine, Kook Soon Dang Draft
Everything was fantastic. The kimchi was particularly delicious. We asked for seconds on the kimchi and other items and they restocked us with generous portions. The corn cheese had to be ordered separately, but was worth it. The gyeran-jjim, doenjang-jjigae, and corn cheese came out hot and fresh and were among the best I've had.
As far as the beef, it was all terrific. I highly recommend both the marinated galbi and prime rib. The marbling, flavor, and texture were perfect. The other meats were excellent too and, generally, beat most of the same types of meats at other Korean barbecue restaurants around town. I especially enjoyed the rib fingers and cube steak.
Condiments included galbi sauce with wasabi, ssamjang (spicy fermented soybean paste), and salt and pepper mix. We had to request sesame oil, which came in a squeeze bottle.