We may head out to a restaurant in order to avoid rustling up a meal at home, however cooking at a dining spot with a Korean BBQ experience is something else. I tried the social dining experience for the first time back when I lived in China, as well as in South Korea, and for me, it was a phenomenon that I wished more places in the UK offered. Luckily for Mancs, there a few spots to get your grill on.
Besides the fact that you get to watch marinated meat sizzle away on the grill and be cooked to your liking in a matter of minutes, Korean BBQ is also a sociable way to dine with friends and family. One spot offering this interactive dining experience is Azuma, located on an unassuming street nestled within the Manchester student area of Hulme – and the bonus to this hidden gem? It’s an all-you-can-eat situation.
Azuma has created a global presence with not only a location in Manchester but also in cities such as Shenzhen, Bradford and Paris. Offering a Korean BBQ buffet, you can take the lead with the tongs for yourself and cook the likes of mushrooms, marinated beef, spicy chicken wings, fresh prawns and more on the grill.
The all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ experience at Azuma Manchester
Offering an authentic Korean BBQ experience, Azuma in Manchester serves up an assortment of marinated meats and fresh vegetables to add to your table’s personal grill. As you drop succulent meat on the hot plate to cook, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to the vibrant streets of Seoul.
Simply tick the ingredients on a sheet of paper that you would like to cook then get ready to grill! Choose from the wide selection of premium cuts including the likes of tender beef bulgogi, succulent pork belly or spicy marinated chicken. Thinly sliced by the chefs at Azuma, it means the wait from grill to mouth is pretty quick. Plus, I recommend you try it the traditional Korean way, where you wrap your meat with a bit of rice into a lettuce leaf.
And it’s not just unlimited meat you can put on the grill either – for seafood lovers you can sling on sliced fish, king prawns and squid tentacles. For veggies, select from the likes of asparagus, aubergine, courgette, pepper, mushrooms, onion and lotus root.
What else is on the Azuma menu?
However, Korean BBQ is not the only delicacy on the menu at Azuma. You can accompany your barbecue feast with an array of traditional Korean side dishes, known as banchan, ranging from kimchi to pickled radishes and savoury pancakes.
Azuma also serves up a wide selection of Szechuan and other regional Chinese dishes on the menu ranging from spicy, aromatic, intriguing or all three. You can order Szechuan-style black pudding (not the classic Bury black pudding you may be familiar with) and meat casserole in a rich chilli oil; tender pig trotter cooked in oyster sauce, crispy aromatic duck, sweet and sour pork; and Chinese greens with salted and preserved egg.
Favourites of mine are diced chicken with peanuts and dried chill cooked GongBao style; sliced cucumber with Szechuan peppercorn oil; scrambled egg with tomato; mapo tofu with minced pork; steamed seabass with fungus; and stir fried green beans with minced pork and chilli. Some may sound bizarre, but don’t knock them until you’ve tried them.
Plus, you can also experience hotpot, another social dining experience, where you drop your favourite ingredients into a bubbling soup. At Azuma in Manchester, you can also pair your meal with a refreshing glass of traditional Korean soju and flavoured soju cocktails. Or sip on a refreshing, cold glass of Tsingtao beer.
How much is the all-you-can-eat experience?
For just £26 per person you can enjoy the all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ experience for two hours at Azuma, with a minimum of two people to participate. Simply order by ticking your chosen meat, vegetables and sauces on a sheet of paper and they’ll be brought to your table. If you want some more, just ask your server and tell them and they’ll add it to the table.
Opening times at Azuma Manchester
Azuma is open every day from 12pm until 10.30pm Monday to Friday, 12pm to 11pm on Saturdays and 12pm to 10pm on Sundays.
📍Azuma, 73 Cavendish Street, Manchester, M15 6BN.
