SOUL FOOD

Masters of finessed yet fun Korean dining, Soul Dining's ILLA KIM and DAERO LEE share some of their best-loved recipes.

- LEE TRAN LAM

When Sydney's Soul Dining opened in Surry Hills five years ago, it did not snap to people's expectations of a Korean restaurant. "Where is the rice, where are the chopsticks?" guests asked.

The banchan (complimentary side dishes) were absent, too but husband-and-wife team Illa Kim and Daero Lee never claimed their venture to be traditional. Yes, there was rice, but sculpted into angular cubes of bread and cleverly made from makgeolli (Korean rice wine). Likewise, their beef short rib was nothing like what sizzled at Korean barbecue joints. "Daero cooks it in three different ways," says Kim. "It takes about two-and-a-half days to make one portion." It draws on flavours from wide-ranging influences (American barbecue, French techniques, Korean marinades) and speaks to Soul Dining's blending of culinary styles and Lee's border-hopping CV: he's cooked for the Korean military service, undertaken a culinary scholarship in Italy, and worked in kitchens across New Zealand and Australia.

Since launching the restaurant in Surry Hills, the couple has gone on to open two sister venues, Soul Deli and Bar Soul, before relocating their flagship restaurant to a larger home on Carrington Street in Sydney's CBD, where it continues to delight as it defies expectations."In the end, it's all about showing different aspects of Korean cuisine and pushing boundaries a bit," says Kim. souldining.com.au

YURINGI

Lemon soy chicken

SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 30 MINS 

Going out for this was a childhood treat for chef Daero Lee, who has experimented with this Korean-Chinese staple at Soul Dining.