This is Obongzip, an Australian outpost of a casual dining chain with over 300 stores in Korea specialising in fire-grilled octopus and bossam.
Fire-Grilled Spicy Octopus Set Menu for One Person ($25.00)
The banchan were served in individual portions rather than shared plates, each maintaining a distinct but related supporting role across the meal.
- A clam and seaweed soup delivered a light marine base, where wakame provided textural softness while clam dashi reinforced a clear seafood backbone that aligned with the grilled octopus profile.
- Gaji-namul (eggplant salad) carried a gently savoury profile, with sesame oil and garlic providing umami depth and a soft, yielding texture that contrasted the sharper components.
- Stir-fried celery offered structural crunch but remained fundamentally celery-forward, contributing texture more than transformation.
- Kimchi cabbage presented fermented spice with mild effervescence and softened crunch, and
- Kimchi cucumber delivered the most defined contrast, with crisp texture and immediate heat.
The octopus arrived as tender tentacles in a moderately spiced sauce, with portion size adequate but not generous. Integration with the sauce reduced visual separation between components, with cabbage and octopus adopting similar coloration that made proportion identification less distinct. Perilla leaves introduced an herbal lift that cut through the heavier smoky spice, preventing saturation. Texture contrast was strongest between tender octopus, soft rice, and intermittent cabbage crunch. The sauce delivered controlled heat, present enough to build warmth without overwhelming the underlying smoky grilled character of the octopus.
Fire-Grilled Spicy Pork Set Menu for One Person ($25.00)
The same banchan structure carried across, maintaining consistency in supporting elements.
The pork replaced octopus as the central protein, offering a softer, more uniform tenderness while retaining the same smoky grilled character from the shared sauce base. Compared with the octopus version, structural contrast was reduced, though the pork allowed the sauce to integrate more evenly into the protein.
Overall, a casual Korean dining venue defined by a consistent smoky-spicy flavour.
Obongzip is located at 22 Joseph St, Lidcombe NSW 2141.