Taeyang Pocha Korean BBQ SOJU Restaurant

"Evenings at Taeyang Pocha start with the homework-next-to-the-tteobokki family crowd and end with dates and mates trickling in to clink bottles of Cass and get handsy with fried chicken. The Korean restaurant in New Cross doesn’t go in for bells and whistles when it comes to decor, save for a few strings of flashing lights that bounce off moreish KFC. And despite high-tempo K-pop pumping over the speakers, it’s more sedate than party in atmosphere. But the comforting, generous plates will lure you back. Skip starters like overly fried pajeon and dumplings, and load up on excellent soups with tender beef rib, balanced bibimbap, and saucy tteokbokki." - rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, jake missing, daisy meager

"Evenings at Taeyang Pocha start with the homework-next-to-the-tteobokki family crowd and end with dates and mates trickling in to clink bottles of Cass and get handsy with fried chicken. The Korean restaurant in New Cross doesn’t go in for bells and whistles when it comes to decor, save for a few strings of flashing lights that bounce off glistening, moreish KFC. And despite high-tempo K-pop pumping over the speakers, it’s more sedate than party in atmosphere. But the comforting, generous plates will lure you back. Skip starters like overly fried pajeon and dumplings, and load up on excellent soups with tender beef rib, balanced bibimbap, and saucy tteokbokki. " - Daisy Meager

"The best things on the menu at New Cross gem Paranhodu involve a lot of sizzle. The pan-fried dumplings, kimchi or seafood pancake, and the sticky, sweet Korean fried chicken are all worth trying. Then there’s the dolsot bibimbap, which arrives crackling away in its hot stone pot. Douse with gochuchang sauce, muddle, and wait. Patience will be rewarded with a satisfying singe by the end of the meal — not just on the rice, but on the fine curls of carrot, courgette, and bean sprouts too. This relaxed restaurant is great for those with varied dietary requirements — most items on the menu have vegan or vegetarian options. It’s small, so book ahead to avoid disappointment. Lunchtime will be quieter and cheaper. Paranhodu is closed Sundays and for lunch on Monday." - Hester van Hensbergen

"A tiny restaurant between Goldsmith’s and Lewisham station, Paranhodu excels with a concise menu of superlative, inexpensive Korean food. Kimchi made in-house; crispy Korean fried chicken with sweet chilli or soy sauce; bulgogi heady with garlic, ginger, and soy; seafood and spring onion pancake – it’s all here. Perhaps best of all, the dolsot bibimbap is served in a hot stone mortar, combining tangles of tender pork, rice, courgette, carrot, and an egg yolk crowned with sesame, mixed at the table and demanding to be anointed with gochujang." - Jonathan Hatchman