Continuing our search for dolsot (stone bowl) bibimbap with properly scorched and crispy rice, we visited The Charcoal House Korean BBQ in West Ryde. While primarily known for its Korean BBQ, the restaurant also offers well-reviewed lighter meals, including bibimbap.
Beef Bibimbap ($22.90)
The stone pot arrived sizzling for an extended time, which was promising. To our delight, the base of the rice had indeed developed a scorched layer all around. However, it would have benefited from a longer cooking time and more oil to achieve a crispier texture rather than the chewiness it had here.
The beef was dry and lacked moisture, while the bowl overall needed more gochujang and seaweed for seasoning and depth. In terms of texture, the dish was monotonous, with the bean sprouts providing the only noticeable crunch. The kimchi and zucchini were both too soft, and cucumber would have been a better choice for fresh contrast. Even the mushrooms, which typically contribute umami, felt underwhelming.
Vegetable Bibimbap ($20.90)
This version arrived sizzling just like the beef bibimbap, with a similarly chewy—but not crispy—scorched rice layer at the base. The portion of kimchi was noticeably larger here, creating a level of spiciness that, combined with the heat from the stone bowl, bordered on overwhelming. Next time, we would opt for a meat-based version or avoid mixing in the kimchi to control the spice level. As with the beef version, the dish lacked textural contrast, with most of the vegetables having a similarly soft texture. The absence of more umami depth from the seaweed or mushrooms made the bowl feel unbalanced.
The restaurant offers unlimited banchan, which were fairly standard:
- Cucumber, potato, and apple in mayonnaise
- Bean curd skin with onion and carrots
- Napa cabbage kimchi
- Pickled bok choy
- Pickled onion and chilli
- Gochujang
We appreciated that The Charcoal House Korean BBQ served dolsot bibimbap with a scorched rice layer, but the lack of crispiness was disappointing. The toppings were underwhelming, and the overall experience did not match the seafood version we enjoyed in Japan.
The Charcoal House Korean BBQ is located at 1/14 West Parade, West Ryde NSW 2114.