MARCO POLLO

Sometimes there's something off about a restaurant that you can't put your finger on. For Hankook Sarang in Thamel, it isn't the ambience or the service or the price�those are all just fine, and the cuisine is bona fide Korean.

There's kimchi, the spicy pickled cabbage; built-in tabletop stoves for cook-it-yourself (CIY) dishes; bibimbap, a rice bowl mixture of fresh vegetables, cooked meat and egg; imported soju, Korean firewater; and even metal chopsticks (a feature unique to Korea).

But for one thing, I wasn't satiated at the end of the meal, though the order was quite hefty and included free refills of banchan, or Korean side dishes like pickled cabbage, dicon, black beans, cucumbers and spinach; galbi, barbecued pork short-ribs with lettuce leafs for wrapping; bulgogi, thin slices of raw beef for your grilling pleasure; kimbap, Korean-style sushi rolls; and complimentary bowls of broth and short-grained rice and cups of tea.

Maybe, it was just my enormous appetite or my consistent failure with CIY adventures that turn out bland or unbearable (there's a reason why I dine out). If you're prone to burning or undercooking your meat, opt for a precooked meal. Plus, if you're vegetarian, Hankook Sarang is not the best choice, although you can order the tofu or cheese kimbap, the Korean-style pizza or a large bowl of ramen.

Essentially, if you have never had Korean food or if you have already been to Hankook Sarang and are accustomed to its spread, then frequent the eatery, but be sure to save up for a trip to Seoul.

But if you were so fortunate to have sampled prime-choice barbecue and crunchy, tangy kimchi like those served in a Korean enclave or let's say Korea, then expect a slight downgrade set in a laidback garden. For the price, (the cheapest Korean establishment yet) you won't regret it.

Face the Roadhouse Cafe in Thamel, turn 180, enter the corridor and stay left.