Gui

The Verdict

Gui is not, as co-owners Kevin Choi and Vannesa Jesica make it clear, just another Korean BBQ. They have opened Gui, in part, to show the other side of what Korean BBQ can be. Here, the grills are charcoal—not electric—and the service and drink offering is a considered part of the experience. If you have been to Olle in Milford, the duo’s other restaurant, you’ll have an idea of what to expect. Both Kevin and Vannesa are incredibly good at what they do, and they have a knack for creating spaces that you actually want to spend time in, and cooking food you’ll return for. If it all feels seamless, that’s because this is a concept that has been in the works for a while; Gui is the realisation of an idea Kevin has had for a decade. 

There is a sense of modern homeliness when you arrive at Gui. The design is anchored in dark woods, with the edges of the room lined by tables with enormous hanging extractor fans that temper the smoke and heat from the charcoal. You’ll want to start your meal with zingy, spicy market fish crudo, which arrives piled high with slices of cucumber and glistening strips of seaweed, or perhaps a crispy plate of popcorn shrimp with chilli mayo. Then, the charcoal grill will arrive, burning red hot, alongside a plate of meat of your choice; the menu will change regularly depending on availability, but may include thin slices of shortrib, chunks of marbled scotch fillet, or pork belly. Each arrives pre-seared to speed up the cooking process, so you can simply pop them on and wait for the grill to do its thing. 

To accompany the meat, there’s a range of classic Korean dishes. Seaweed soft tofu stew uses a scampi broth and a homemade chilli oil for an elevated depth of flavour. Bibim-noodle with a spicy gochujang dressing is the perfect partner to the fiery heat of the grill, while the kimchi slaw takes the flavours we all know and love and packages it up into a fresh, non-fermented salad for the ultimate side dish. Wrap your piece of meat in a lettuce leaf, top it off with sesame oil and salt or ssamjang, and let the heady combination of smoke, meat, and spice do its thing. 

To wash it all down, there’s a concise selection of local beers both on tap and in the fridge, alongside cocktails that lean on a fruit-heavy flavour profile, like the plum spritz, and the yuzu omija with yuzu marmalade and omija syrup. 

Where Olle takes classic Korean flavours and works them into European-style dishes, Gui feels wholeheartedly and unabashedly Korean. There’s a funk from ferments and pastes, a serious line of spice throughout the menu, and a sense of genuine flavour balance. The meat is top quality, and cooking it over charcoal does it true justice. This is high-octane, high-flavour cooking, and it takes a classic Korean style of eating and catapults into a genuinely cool space. You’re guaranteed to leave Gui already thinking about your next visit.

Image credit: Gui | Supplied