A sparklingly new gem in the heart of Christchurch Central City, is Steampunk Laboratory…..
Weirdly, this moniker is attached to this Asian fusion restaurant, which sits on the corner of the Box Park, serving mouthwateringly tender; freshly prepared to order, Korean BBQ. At a fraction of the price, offering both Street Food and Swag!!! Now you can’t get better then that.
My son, Jack and I headed over one Saturday afternoon for a quick fix to fill us up and decided we wanted a fresh Bulgogi.
For those not in the know, Bulgogi means ‘fire meat’ and is a dish made of thinly sliced, marinated beef or pork. The flavours are sensational and when it hits the searingly hot wok, pan or BBQ, the sauce caramelizes and becomes sticky, sweet and divine.
With street side fascia, it’s an intimate little place, decked out with high tables and bar stools for the ultimate in people watching and outside seating for alfresco nibbling.
These boys know what they’re doing and do it bloody well. It’s a simple concept, executed with panache!
WHERE ON THE STREET : 270 St Asaph Street, Christchurch (Box Park)
Steampunk is part of the hip and trendy Box Park, surrounded by other incredible little eateries for you to pick and choose. So for the friend who doesn’t want to ‘go with the flow’ send them off in search of their own bowl a goodness, to one of these local digs : Vietnam to Go, Chi Chi Kitchen (serving fabulous plates of Italian delicacies), Thai Box, Gelato Roma and of course the wonder that is Rice and Paper (sushi). If you hit the park at the right time, you could always wander to the back for a tattoo or upstairs for a massage.
FOODAGE : Ok, the menu invites you to order a “CupBop” {small round bowl} which come in 2 sizes. With ‘Bop’ in hand, you’re looking at a sweet, sweet serve of freshly cooked, to order : Korean BBQ Meat, slavered in ‘secret sauces’, scrambled egg, fresh veges on a heap of steamed rice.
As well as Bulgogi, menu choices are Jeyuk : Spicy Stir Fried BBQ Pork, Buldak : Stir Fried Chilli Chicken, Tofu : Organic and Seasoned, or you can head for something a little more western Chicken, Lamb or Pork stir fried with herbs and spices.
Fresh homemade, pork and prawn dumplings are also available to purchase and Gluten Free is a welcome option.
Once your order is filled, the wait is minimal and when you collect, you have a choice of 4 chilli sauces (mild to sweating) to spice up your CupBop.
FILL THE TRAP : A regular ‘CupBop’ will set you back $10 or if you want to up the ante and go for a soft drink (match), $12. Same, same for the dumplings.
TIME MR WOLF: 11am – 3pm Monday through to Saturday – closed on Sunday.
RETURNABILITY : Yup, I’d definitely head back to Steampunk, good part of town, great food & vibe.
IN YOUR KITCHEN: This is a tasty little number to pull out if you want something quick, easy and full of flavour, add extra veggies to make it stretch. Click here for my take on this fabulous recipe : Korean BBQ Beef .
