Contemporary Korean restaurant Chungdam opens in Soho

Chungdam, which is named after the Cheongdam-dong district in Seoul, is billed as combining modern and traditional cooking techniques, with every table equipped with its own barbecue unit. 

It's the latest venture from CJ One Group, which was founded by restaurateur Jay Choi in 2015. The group also operates Japanese café Shibuya Soho; and Romilly Street restaurant Hongdae Pocha.

Chungdam holds 35 covers and features a minimalist décor that includes light cream walls, oatmeal ceramic tiles, green marble topped tables and dark wood leather chairs.

Small plate options on the menu include beef tartar with pear, dressed in sesame oil; vermicelli noodles with prime beef and vegetables; and a seasonal Korean-style mixed seafood pancake.

Barbecue options, meanwhile, focus on beef with a varied choice of cuts and types available. They include filet mignon, prime angus ribeye, and the A3-5 Wagyu.

All barbecue dishes are served with Korean-style sauces, as well as lettuce, spring onions, garlic and chilli.

The menu also includes a three-tier Pyeonbaek steam box made from Hinoki wood. The wood is supposedly meant to provide ‘five times more Phytoncide than any other woods’ that instils the food cooked within it with a ‘unique fragrant flavour’.

Alongside the food, Chungdam also serves a range of cocktails, rice wine and Soju-based drinks, as well as world wines, spirits and beers.

Chungdam isn’t the only opening planned by CJ One Group this year, with the business also preparing to launch fried chicken concept Hongdae Chicken in west London in the coming months.