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Londonderry

Europe

United Kingdom

Nestled in the vibrant heart of Brick Lane, London, Kinkao offers a captivating fusion of Korean cuisine and contemporary dining ambiance. This restaurant stands out with its impressive wooden furniture and warm, inviting decor that immediately transports guests to a cozy, authentic Korean setting. Known for its flavorful dishes and friendly service, Kinkao is a must-visit for food enthusiasts seeking a memorable culinary experience in the UK capital.

Kinkao is celebrated for its authentic Korean dishes that burst with flavor, especially its signature bulgogi and kimchi. The restaurant's interior, with its carved vegetable garnishes and traditional decor, creates an immersive dining environment. The friendly owner George, known for his warm hospitality, often shares stories behind the dishes, adding a personal touch to your meal.

At Kinkao, the menu is a celebration of Korean culinary artistry. Standout dishes include the tender bulgogi, marinated to perfection, and the spicy, crunchy kimchi that complements every meal. The restaurant also offers a variety of rice options, from jasmine to sticky rice, each prepared with care to enhance the flavors of the main courses. The presentation is as delightful as the taste, with dishes garnished with intricately carved vegetables, showcasing the chef's attention to detail.

Kinkao's roots trace back to a passionate team dedicated to bringing authentic Korean flavors to London. The chef's commitment to quality is evident in the meticulous preparation of each dish, from marinating meats to carving vegetables into intricate shapes. The restaurant's interior design, inspired by traditional Korean aesthetics, was carefully curated to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that encourages diners to relax and enjoy their culinary journey.

Kinkao is renowned for its authentic Korean dishes, especially its bulgogi and kimchi, prepared with traditional recipes and fresh ingredients.

To enjoy a cozy, authentic Korean dining experience with beautifully presented dishes and friendly service in the heart of London.

Kinkao is perfectly situated near the bustling Brick Lane Market, renowned for its diverse street food, vintage shops, and vibrant street art. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely walk through the area, exploring local boutiques or grabbing a quick snack from the eclectic food stalls. The nearby Shoreditch area offers a blend of trendy bars, art galleries, and creative spaces, making it an ideal spot for a full day of cultural and culinary exploration.

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Great food and a really good evening spent with friends I was in the local Barbars when they told me where to find them and I was very pleased

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I loved staying in Shoreditch while visiting London because of all of the international cuisine options. I knew there had to be a Korean place nearby, and Kinkao was right around the corner from where I was staying. The inside of the restaurant is much bigger than expected from the outside, with lots of seating areas. I made a reservation for lunch at 1pm but it wasn't really needed; there were only two other people there at the time.

I wanted to try the oi kimchi (spicy cucumber salad) but they were out, so I got regular kimchi and bulgogi as an entree. The kimchi was perfect; nice and spicy and crunchy. The bulgogi was more peppery and not as sweet as I'm used to, but I overheard my server telling another customer that they prepare it a little differently than traditional bulgogi. It was still very good and there was an ample portion of beef mixed in with glass noodles and veggies. It was so much food that I wasn't able to finish it all.

The prices are very reasonable and my entire bill was about £18 (I also got a Diet Coke and large still water). The service was friendly, but a bit slow, especially considering by the time I left there were only three parties, including myself. After my dishes were cleared I waited about 10 minutes but still had to ask for my bill. It wasn't a huge deal because I wasn't in a rush, but I thought it was odd that the bill wasn't brought out shortly after my dishes were taken away.

Either way, this is a good, affordable option if you're looking for Korean food in the area.

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It always feels a bit like cheating to have Thai rather than Indian food on Brick Lane but Kinkao never disappoints. The decor is a bit cliché and over the top, but the food is delicious and very good value.  I have tried a number of curries and stir fries, all yummy.  The rice sides are a bit on the small side, but the main dishes generous - and beautifully decorated with carved vegetables.  They really love their carvings here ...

My last visit was on a rare Summer evening, and they opened up the front windows - not quite beach front, but hey, we almost felt like being on holiday.

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Do you like bad service, being confused by furniture, and less than mediocre food? Then Kinkao is the place for you! 

Many of the reviews for this restaurant seem to be for when it was a top rated Thai restaurant- alas- it seems that since then it's changed ownership and is now a very poorly run Korean restaurant. The staff there are unfriendly, poorly trained and seemed flustered when more than two tables were filled. It took us 30 minutes to get our water, and when we asked to see if they were bringing them, the owner got snippy and went off to stand in the front of the restaurant instead of helping to bring them out or check on the status. 

On top of all this, the food isn't even good. I normally dislike giving a place one star reviews since there is usually one thing redeeming about most places, but this place was really a disappointment. 
I got the bulgogi bibimbap which was flavorless and bland. My brother got the ribs which were completely drowned in marinade and my mom's kimchi soup was spicy, but without flavor. 

From having a confused menu, awkward furnishings and terrible treatment from the staff as well as the owner, I recommend looking for food elsewhere.

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The furniture in this place is extremely impressive, marking the ambiance to be quite formidable. However, I wish I can say the same about the food. We started with a duck appetizer, that's essentially an inspiration from peking duck - it was okay. My boyfriend just wanted to relive his memory in beijing. We then ordered a Thai red curry and PAD KEE MAO, both with chicken. The Thai red curry was watery and not very flavourful. The pad kee mao was delicious, but not enough noodles (heavy on the thai basil flavour). The chicken was perhaps the biggest flaw of the whole experience. They were chicken breast squares with no flavour whatsoever. If i had to come back here, i'd go for the pad kee mao with beef, and ask them for extra noodle. But I likely will be scoping out other thai places before I come back here.

Prices are reasonable. about 7-9 GBP a dish. I've had better, but I've had much worse.

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An excellent Thai restaurant. I love Thai food, so I'm always trying new places and Kinkao is among some of the best!!
I got the golden bags appetizer (I forget what they are called in the restaurant though) and they were really delicious.
The Panang curry is creamy and you really can't stop eating it once you start :P The only thing is that I ordered the seafood panang, and I didn't know what type of seafood would be in it and would have liked to know. There is an really good selection of different types of rice (sticky, regular jasmine, coconut, garlic, etc)
The decorations are really cute actually. The chairs are super heavy (in a fun way) and it is nice to see a restaurant go all out and give the place an interesting environment. The staff are quite nice and service is not too fast or too slow. I had a great time!

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Really good service as they were able to seat us even though we had no reservation (we were lucky) the owner George (English name) is very friendly and takes the time to explain the dishes if you ask him for recommendations. 
I had the Tofu Bibimbap, it was not my favorite because I dont like spicy food and the sauce you use to mix the rice and vegetables is spicy. However, my friends had the noodles and they were very good.

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I don't usually post reviews and this is the first restaurant review i have written, but I thought this restaurant deserved it. 
Firstly, I walked in and was taken away by the authentic, solid wood furniture. The decor of the whole place was lovely. I was greeted very politely and seated promptly, although it was just before 6 so it wasn't busy yet, but it started to fill up quickly!
I ordered my favourite Thai dish; roast duck penang with some jasmine rice. This was by far the best panang I have tried to date, it was creamy and incredibly flavoursome. The food arrived very quickly and was very well presented. And I can't fault the staff, they were very friendly. 
Overall I would thoroughly recommend this restaurant, it was a great experience.

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We were looking for a good place to go to eat around Liverpool Street/Shoreditch and where else do you go to find a great eating establishment -Yelp.  
This place boasts itself as authentic Thai and for my money it delivers.  We started off with a mixed starter platter which was value for money - it came with fish cakes, spring rolls, dumplings, chicken satay and an interesting rice crispy esque starter.  
For our mains me and my partner shared a few dishes including pad Thai which was very good, a duck curry and some garlic rice.  The curry was quite nice but the duck seemed a bit too fattening. 
The service was very good with the staff polite and quick to bring the food over and their assistance when required.  The food is very filling and some of the dishes coming with a kick. I will want to go back and try the other parts of the menu.
Overall for what we paid and the quality of the meal I would highly recommend visiting.  The decor inside is very cool to with lots of Buddha statues.

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How did we stumble upon a Thai restaurant on Brick Lane? No idea. To be honest, we barely knew what we were doing. Before we arrived at Brick Lane, we didn't know that it was a hub for authentic Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants. However, when my boss saw the work "authentic" in the sign for a Thai restaurant, he pulled out his Yelp app, saw that it has 4.5 stars and exclaimed "let's go," channeling Princess Peach from Mario Kart. 

Thankfully, my boss' technique of picking a restaurant worked. The food was all really tasty and the place was beautiful. All of the furniture, décor, and tables were gorgeous and there was a lot of wood-carved furniture that created a lovely, warm atmosphere. Is it bad that I was also a huge fan of the waitress' uniforms/outfits? They reminded me of Indian saris.

We ordered the mixed appetizer plate, which was good, but since we had no idea what item was what, I think we all preferred if we had ordered a couple of main appetizers rather than the mixed plate - this is personal preference though. We also ordered the aromatic duck appetizer and it was really good - the duck was flavorful and tender - I would definitely recommend it. For my main course, I ordered the lamb shank in a red curry, which was so delicious and flavorful. It had the right amount of spice and the lamb shank was so, so tender. I was a huge fan. Make sure you order a side of rice on the side since the dish doesn't come with it and it helps scoop up all of the curry! My boss ordered the full sea bass and also loved it - he said it was extremely moist and flavorful. Warning: it's bone in! The tiger cry also look delicious.

For dessert, I ordered the coconut ice cream served in half a coconut shell and it was so refreshing and light - the perfect end to the meal. It tasted homemade and was the perfect ending to this AUTHENTIC meal.

Kinkao Korean Restaurant in Shoreditch, London - Authentic Halal Korean Cuisine & Vibrant Atmosphere

a vibrant Korean and Thai restaurant in Shoreditch

a must-visit spot for lovers of Asian cuisine

experience a diverse menu featuring Korean and Thai specialties

indulge in a variety of dishes from starters to desserts

a culinary journey through Korean and Thai flavors

delight in authentic Korean and Thai dishes prepared with fresh ingredients

Discover Kinkao in London’s vibrant Brick Lane— Indulge in authentic Thai flavors in a lively atmosphere. Savor the taste of Thailand today!

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