NaruOne

At the blaring k-pop end of Korean, there’s this underground Pitt Street hang. It’s brightly lit, and none-too-fancy, but worth checking out for two reasons: the late-night 3am kitchen, and the Korean fried chook. You’ll find piled high platters of double fried chicken gracing nearly every table, with most parties opting for Boneless Fried Chicken Half and Half ($33). The plain version is crunchy and pleasantly oil-free, whilst the rest is smothered in sweet and sour sauce. Pickled radish puts your mouth back together between sweetly sticky bites. The tap beer is Korea’s Max (Hite) ($7.50/500cc) or there are cans of OB Golden Lager ($5). Korea’s gentle rice beer is an affable companion to a sizzling pot of Seafood Spicy Soft Tofu Soup ($15), a textural adventure of silky tofu, egg, and tender enoki mushrooms, that could be improved with fresh (rather than frozen) seafood. Round out your midnight feast with Bulgogi With Rice ($14), thin shreds of marinated beef, barbequed to within an inch of its life, with free banchan (the spicy radish was my favourite and it’s available in frozen take-home packs too).  If you’re hanging for some vegetables, there’s Spicy Chewy Cold Noodles ($12), but really, this spot is all about the fried chook.

NaruOne
Basement, 375 Pitt Street, Sydney
Ph: (02) 9261 2680
Korean $