The Place
With dozens of food options, Coco Park is a crowded market for a restaurant. That means you have to stand out, or you die out – and quickly. Minikor does this with its modern interior and evolving Korean fusion menu. Traditional, this is not.
The Food
We start off with a surprisingly alcoholic, but refreshing Korean makgeolli and Sprite cocktail (RMB58) served in a frosty metal bottle, before the kimchi gimbap with mashed tuna (RMB62) arrives.
The gimbap is accompanied by American cheese and jalapenos, giving it a slightly sour, spicy kick, which is mellowed by the tuna. The rice cake bolognaise (RMB48), with thick noodles, is geared towards Chinese sensibilities, with the bolognaise sauce heavy on the tomato and onion flavors.
The fried chicken wing platter with salad and kimchi (RMB88) is meant to capitalize on the popularity of Korean fried chicken, but eschews the expected spiciness and is, unusually, battered with breadcrumbs.
We wish we had saved the sweet pumpkin ‘pizza’ with honey (RMB49) for last, as it works well as a dessert and is actually a Chinese-style pancake with a creamy topping.
Last, comes the buttery Australian strip steak (RMB98), cut and served on a stone grill at the table with, again, more breadcrumbs.
The Vibe
Over the two levels of the restaurant the decor is sleek and glamorous. Gray colors and wood panelling abound with black metal and glass art deco partitions separating tables – let’s call it ‘WeChat friendly,’ with people lounging in large chairs and the occasional couple.
Fusion food is a balancing act and when you base an entire menu on it, not all of the dishes will be winners. Minikor will do well if it finds the soul of the food it is cooking and innovates from there.
Price: RMB40-120
Who’s going: curious diners, moneyed housewives
Good for: decor excellence, chilled makgeolli cocktails
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