First Look: Gaon Korean BBQ, putting warmth into Canberra’s city centre

Posted on 20 May, 2024

Gaon means centre in Korean, so when you get around to sitting down in a booth of this new Korean Barbecue restaurant, the hope is that you feel as if you are at the centre of Korean cuisine—but in Canberra!

Geographically, the name also fits as Gaon has a prime location in the historic Sydney building on Northbourne Avenue in Civic.

With dark interiors, exposed brick, a flash of neon and industrial exhaust extractors reaching down to each dark table, it’s definitely got a good vibe. But that’s not why we are here.

We are here (on a somewhat cold and windy day) to char some delectable cuts of meat over an open flame while also soaking up the fragrant steam and the bubbling contents of an enormous hot pot at the table. And suddenly, the weather outside seems irrelevant compared with the warmth and fine aromas emanating from within.

Operated by Korean chefs Young Park and Jay Jang, with nearly 30 years of culinary experience between the two of them, Gaon serves a range of a la carte dishes beyond the platters of ingredients you can order to BYO BBQ.

For instance, the spicy chilli chicken comes out to crisp perfection, fragrant and moist with a perfect balance of heat.

A seafood pancake is delicate in flavour, thin and crisp on the outside and perfect for the pescatarian at the table, and in fact there are plenty of flavoursome seafood, tofu and vegetable-based dishes to cover every dietary desire.

But let’s be honest. Meat is the star here and committed carnivores should make sure they have a very light breakfast if they want to take full advantage of what’s on offer.

First to the table come a stack of dipping sauces and small sides – kimchi, pickled veggies, salads, potato, and macaroni. A bowl of crunchy lettuce awaits some meat to make little parcels, but we will get to that in a minute.

In true Korean BBQ style, Gaon presents platters of meat which you select at your leisure to cook to your liking. The gas hot plate in the centre of the table goes on. The food is delivered until the table is groaning with options and we are left to our own devices.

Young says one of the biggest mistakes with Korean BBQ is turning the meat too often. So with his wisdom in mind, the HerCanberra team starts frying. We are also advised to keep the gas temperature knob at a medium heat.

On the family set platter we are served we have chuck eye roll, oyster blade, thick skirt, soy marinated thin skirt, soy marinated collar butt pork and fresh pork belly with the rind on.

To say the carnivores are losing their minds is not too far an exaggeration.

They throw the sizzling meat on with wild abandon and after a few sizzling moments, they tuck in.

A general rule of thumb is to cook the thin slices of meat between four and five minutes each, leaving the thicker slices on for 10 minute or more, depending on how rare you like it. It becomes pretty clear what to expect after the first few slices and conversation flows over the table as everyone decides which meat they like better and what goes best with what.

Dion does the lettuce thing with the soy marinated think skirt and heartily approves.

Beatrice proves an expert hand with the tongs and a pair of meat scissors allows you to chop it all up with the minimum of fuss.

Meanwhile on the other side of the table, a steaming hot pot comes to the boil, requiring little attention other than to mix the bulgogi beef into all the vegetables, fill everyone’s bowl, and try and find more room.

Because there is such an enormous variety of sides and sauces and meats to choose from, it is a pretty boisterous meal. Lots of laughter, sharing and communal cooking ensues.

We wash it all down with Korean sodas, beer, and Georgie enjoys a shot of Soju.

We make an excellent go of everything, but can’t quite get through it all, and eventually stagger back out into the cold. One thing has to be said about Korean food and that it is always feels fresher, cleaner, and less stodgy than other cuisines. Except the corn cheese, which is a sizzling hot plate of sweet corn drowning in melted cheese. This is definitely stodgy. But also gets demolished in a few minutes—and that is frankly the best sort of stodge to enjoy.

Gaon is now open for lunch and dinner six days a week except Monday. We predict it will be a popular meeting place over the colder months in particular, when sharing a hearty hotpot and colourful meal over the glow of an open flame will chase those winter blues away.