Two decades after first introducing Londoners to the Korean table barbeque, Koba has relaunched with a fresh new concept. The Fitzrovia restaurant, which opened in 2005 and helped popularise DIY Korean barbeque in the capital, is now serving what founder Linda Lee calls “a taste of Seoul” – a menu designed to reflect how she believes people are eating in Korea today.
Instead of diners cooking meat at the table, the new menu offers à la carte barbeque dishes alongside an array of starters, fermented and fried banchan (garnishes and side dishes), ssam (lettuce wraps) and sauces. “In Korea we like variety and abundance,” Lee tells Broadsheet. “I want people to feel that they are having an authentic, special meal, but one that is fun, affordable and convivial.”
The menu highlights include mul hwei mixed raw fish in a chilled gochujang vinaigrette and saewoo gui, large grilled prawns with fermented shrimp sauce. There are also hearty new dishes served in cast-iron pots, such as soy-glazed salmon with seaweed rice called Yeoneo Sotbab.
Inside, the redesign aims for elegance without formality, pairing a neutral colour palette with warm textures to create an elevated but relaxed feel.
For Lee, the update marks a significant shift for the restaurant, which she says is all about continuing to innovate. “Twenty years ago, table barbeque was new, and hadn’t been done in London in the fine-dining way we did it at Koba. Now it feels familiar – which is a good thing. But this anniversary felt like the perfect moment to do something new.”
Looking ahead, Lee hopes the refreshed Koba will continue to intrigue both seasoned fans of Korean food and newcomers. “I want Koba to be a place where people who know Korean food come to experience it at its best, and those who don’t know it so well will come to discover it.”
Koba
11 Rathbone Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1NA
Hours: Mon to Sat midday–11pm
Sun midday–10pm
