BANGKOK RESTAURANT

Bulgogi Brothers

This Gangnam-hailing Korean restaurant with chains around Southeast Asia has finally arrived in Thailand.

Average: 3 (1 vote)

At a Glance
Review

This Gangnam-hailing Korean restaurant with chains around Southeast Asia has finally arrived in Thailand. The Bangkok branch is the brand's first attempt at going premium, dubbed Bulgogi Brothers Gold, and it features elevated dishes and ingredients.

In addition to the specialty barbecue dishes like unyang style bulgogi (150g minced beef heart-shaped patties, B295 for Thai ribeye or B590 for US beef) and gwanyang style bulgogi (150g of sliced beef, B240 for Thai ribeye and B480 for US beef), there are also hotpots (B550-2,300).

You can also expect jazzed up Korean staples like the Stew Brothers (mix of kimchi and soybean stews, B540), King’s Bibimbap (rice with variations of vegetables and beef, B350), the bonguri kimchi (B280), made from two-day-fermented mushroom, pear and apple, wrapped in cabbage, and seafood pajeon (Korean pancake, B350), which is served in slices like pizza instead of the usual rectangular pieces.

Though you can find most of Bangkok’s best Korean restaurants outside malls, this spot from a Gangnam-hailing restaurant chain is one exception. Located on the eighth floor of Emquartier’s Helix zone, Bulgogi Brothers steps away from the traditional Korean vibe to offer a contemporary dining room highlighted by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Benjasiri Park.

It’s also the brand’s first attempt to go premium, falling under the new name Bulgogi Brothers Gold. Despite the upscale rebrand, we only found small differences between this menu and those of Bulgogi Brothers restaurants abroad. Dishes like abalone chicken porridge (B550), ginseng chicken with abalone soup (B600) and spicy lobster seafood hot pot (B2,300) account for the more upscale direction, but elsewhere it’s business as usual with quite delicious bulgogi (marinated grilled meat) barbecue.

The signature Bulgogi Brothers Special offers two different meat options: Thai ribeye (B465) and US beef (B850). The first proves that they do a good job at sourcing quality local meat. While the patties themselves are not that flavorsome, the beef is plenty tender and a good match for their tangy ssamjang (a Korean-style spicy paste of soybean and fermented red chili).

The “Stew Brothers” soup (B540) is also wonderful, combining both a well-rounded, sour kimchi pork stew and a cleansing soy stew to wash away any greasiness from the grilled dishes. The tofu cubes are a nice additional texture, too—more like springy fish balls than the usual soft soy tofu. Also, don’t miss the traditional-style Bonguri kimchi. Made from two-day-fermented mushroom, pear and apple wrapped in cabbage, it offers a sweeter alternative to more modern kimchi recipes.

But the kitchen does have some flaws. The King’s Bibimbab (B350), for example, has lovely flavor and a good assortment of ingredients, but the rock bowl isn’t hot enough to create the all-important crispy rice underneath. The seafood pajeon (Korean pancake, B350) also wasn’t served hot enough on our last visit, while the pieces of seafood were also pretty tiny.

Does Bulgogi Brothers serve the best versions of its dishes in Bangkok? No. But they’re superior to most, making it a good choice when you’re in the area. No corkage charge.

This review took place in April 2016 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.

Venue Details

Address:	Bulgogi Brothers, 8/F, Emquartier, Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok, Thailand
Area:	Phrom Phong
Cuisine:	Korean
Price Range:	B - BBB
Opening hours:	daily 9am-9pm
Parking available
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