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Farewell Old Justice, hello K Place

Inside K Place
Inside K Place

As 앤서방 reported a few days ago, the Old Justice Korean pub in Bermondsey closed last month. But the owner, Chef Kim Jin-wook, has taken the bold step of opening up in the City. His new Korean BBQ restaurant, in a downstairs venue that until recently was the Indian restaurant Jamdani, has the name K Place. The address is 1 St Mary-at-Hill London EC3R 8EE (tel 020 7621 0002) – nearest tube Monument.

K Place’s external signage before (21 May) and after (22 May)
K Place’s external signage before (21 May) and after (22 May)

The grand opening is Monday lunchtime, 1 June, but LKL popped in on Friday to see how the preparations were going. Chef Kim has kept more or less the same menu, so you can still expect your favourite dishes (the BBQ always went down well with the crowd from my office) – but the prices will be slightly higher, reflecting the increased costs of a venue in the City.

Chef Kim got possession of the site a week ago, and there has been a phenomenal amount of work done to install the BBQ tables (electric rather than gas or charcoal) and get things ready. But there’s still plenty to do before the official opening in June. In the floor below the restaurant, currently used as storage, there are plans to have a dining room for larger parties, plus a couple of noraebang rooms. Tantalisingly waiting to be used was an ice-shaver, so expect some patbingsu to be on the menu.

This pleasing alcove greets you as you enter the restaurant
This pleasing alcove greets you as you enter the restaurant

The Old Justice used to serve up some of my favourite Korean food in London, so I’m looking forward to trying out the new venue as soon as I can.

Chef Kim Jin-wook behind the bar
Chef Kim Jin-wook behind the bar

K Place, 1 St Mary-at-Hill London EC3R 8EE (tel 020 7621 0002) – nearest tube Monument.
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11:30 – 15:00 and 17:00 – Midnight, Sunday 11:30 – 15:00 and 17:00 – 23:00
Grand Opening 1 June, midday.

14 thoughts on “Farewell Old Justice, hello K Place

  1. I am surprise that others enjoyed dining at this restaurant. I couldn’t find the restaurant on tripadviser, but came across your website thought I will leave honest comments. I never been so angry – in my many dining experience in Korean restaurant. I went to this place with my friends because we were around this area and starving. The restaurant looked promising so we decided to try.
    – one of the waiter who seated us had a bad attitude can come across as rude
    – we were not served drinks until we asked twice
    – portion of food is not at all enough for one person in the new set menu ( except meat portion is generous) when the waiter emphasis it is impossible to share the set menu which is fair, however consider the portion we were given, I would rather order individual course
    – different waiter offer different service : we been told that could asked for more from starter, but told everything extra is charged
    – at other restaurant waiter usually make it clear what type of drinks are included in a set menu but we weren’t told instead have asked to order from the drink menu. we didn’t noticed we been charged until the bill came
    – food didn’t came in right order not sure how the staff are trained, customer service is poor ( I worked in catering and retail and I am not being harsh )
    – set A bbq menu was 10 course however we only had 9 course
    – no one acknowledged we finished our meal until we asked for the “fruit dessert” which was part of the set ( we waited and waited)
    – waiter who seated us constantly bashed on my friend’s chair and saw him did the same to other customer whose jacket fell on the floor because of him
    – our bill came to £116 which for 4 people was not just a casual weekend dinner, would have expect more
    In conclusion, we felt badly served at K Place. It wasn’t worth a penny. No matter how delicious your food is, customer service is as important as food quality. We are definitely not returning and would also not recommend to any of our friends.

    1. Sorry you had a bad experience there. I was never disappointed at the Old Justice, and so far (though I’ve only been once) I’ve found the food is as good at K Place.

  2. Only just found this place, which is near my office, and popped in today for takeaway at lunch time. We found the food to be very good, and very reasonable at half the advertised rate (not sure if that’s a promotion or if they always charge that for takeaway?)
    Would happily go back.

  3. We went with a group of work colleagues last Friday. I can only say it was it was one of the best Korean BBQ / buffets I have ever had. Excellent food and great variety of soup, meat , seafood, veggies, dipping sauces and other condiments… Set Menu B , I think. Cant wait to go back. Its 3 mins walk from Monument tube towards Tower Hill….a breeze to get there

  4. OK, I’ve now been there twice for their all-you-can-eat BBQ. First time I went the range of marinated meats was absolutely spectacular, and the earlier dishes were OK (the slightly cheesy sauce on the omelette didn’t really work for me). I wasn’t counting the number of courses but I certainly wasn’t complaining. The food was still arriving when it was time for us to go, but that was because we didn’t leave enough time for it all.

    The second time, the meat was just as good, but I noticed it less because the earlier dishes were so good. The chicken rice porridge had all the flavours you expect from home-made chicken stock – it wasn’t Korean-style spicy but it sure tasted good and natural. But the real stand-out dish was doenjang soup with fresh crab. Incredibly delicious, punchy flavours. I would have been very happy just with that dish and some rice, because it was superb. I cannot think of any Korean restaurant in London which can surprise in this way.

    They don’t do that soup every day, because I went back the next day and asked just for that dish – but they weren’t getting the crab in till the afternoon. But the sundubu jjigae is as good as any I’ve had elsewhere in London, and was a good substitute. The bibimbap was similarly good – I loved having the kim in it. By default the bibimbap comes with a brown-coloured, gutsy tasting doenjang soup rather than the more usual milky-coloured and slightly blander miso soup.

    My experience over the few times I’ve been to K-Place is that this is some of the best Korean food I’ve had in the UK. I know I’m tempting fate by saying this. My experience with most Korean restaurants in London is that I find one that I like and then sooner or later they screw up and I never go there again. But when the Old Justice was open that was one of the few Korean food places that never disappointed me, so here’s hoping they maintain their 100% record in the City.

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