Kimchee restaurant launches 'to go' offshoot as part of expansion plans
Kimchee to go, as the restaurants will be known, will principally be takeaways, although diners will be able to dine in choosing from the same 'varied yet affordable menu'.
The first new site, a 34-cover restaurant on The Strand will open on 2 April followed by a 48-cover site on New Oxford Street on 22 April.
Both sites will be open all day, seven days a week serving Korean dishes with an average spend-per-head of £6 and are part of Kim's plans to grow the business to 12 sites by the end of 2015.
He said: “The opening of Kimchee restaurant and winning the award for best new scalable concept in 2011 has shown there’s a strong appetite for healthy Korean cuisine. Our aim with the development of Kimchee to go, is to promote Korean culture and authenticity, put Korean food firmly on the culinary map and make it affordable and accessible to all.”
Breakfast and lunch
Kimchee to go will open for breakfast at 7.30am, serving one of Korea's oldest dishes - Misugaru, a smooth porridge made from roasted beans, rice, barley and topped with fruit - as well as Korean Toast.
Their signature namesake dish Kimchee, consisting of traditional pickled cabbage, will be served at lunchtime with a variety of mix-your-own Bibimbaps (£6.45) such as Bulgogi beef or marinated chicken.
It will also serve Korean ‘sushi’ Kimbap rolls (£3.95) with spicy chicken, beef or sweet tofu fillings; bento-style Dosirak boxes filled with a choice of meat or tofu, kimchee, a crispy vegetable pancake, omelette and mixed grain rice as well as salads and noodle soups.
Drinks will underline Kimchee's 'healthy ethos' with choices such as plum tea (£1.65) served hot or cold and citron tea (£1.45) while takeaway packaging will be innovative and recyclable.
Kim's flagship restaurant at High Holborn opened in April 2011 with the brand going on to win Best New Scalable Concept at Restaurant magazine's R200 Awards later that same year.
