REVIEW
Sáng by Mabasa proves that the best things come in small packages. This petite 24-seat restaurant in Surry Hills may seem inconspicuous, but its food most certainly isn't. Led by self-taught chefs and husband and wife duo Seung-kee Son and Jin-sun Son, with their son Kenny Yong-soo Son and his wife Youmee Jeon running the front of house, Sáng is a celebration of Korean cuisine – specifically the Korean notion of "son-mat", which translates to "hand taste". Striking the perfect balance between comforting and cool, each dish honours tradition but is firmly rooted in the here and now. There's yassam – refreshingly delicate wraps made with pickled white radish, cucumber and nashi pear; nokdu jeon – a golden mung bean pancake; and yangnyeom KFC – audibly crisp Korean fried chicken. Not to mention standard-setting bibimbap and jjigae, alongside playful lunch specials that change daily. Spicy, sweet and fermented flavours combine with truckloads of texture and a refined touch in a bid to expand the definition of Korean dining in Australia.
ABOUT
Chefs Seung-kee Son & Jin-sun Son
Price guide $$$
Bookings Recommended
Wheelchair access No
Price guide $$$
Bookings Recommended
Wheelchair access No
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide's reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
