Damda, Leichardt

After my holiday to Seoul, South Korea 3 years ago, there are particular foods that cannot be found back here in Sydney. Things like odeng (fish cake soup) and hotteok (Korean pancake with filling), and it’s understandable as these are found on the streets. But believe me, when I found out there was hotteok available here; I wanted to be at Damda, pronto.

To me, Leichardt will always be known as Little Italy, so it’s still a surprise that a little Korean restaurant is located here. And one Tuesday evening, Miss CC and I were found dining in Damda.

Complimentary popcorn is placed on the table, and their rather interesting. Coated in a sweet soya sauce.

Dragon ball $6.50

We start with the dragon ball, a take on a croquette with corn fillings.

The corn reminds me of a thick creamed corn, and brings you all the sweet corn in taste. The filling is not too thick, but does not run. The exterior is crunchy as a croquette is, but the Korean chilli jam helps give this a boost in flavour with the slight kick offered.

Spicy chicken $18 (full serve)

There is never a passing by when we see fried chicken on the menu, because protein! As it is hard to choose between the two offered, as the El De Paso girl states, “Why not have both?!” The spicy chicken , is sticky sweet and spicy, topped with crushed nuts the chicken remains juicy inside.

Soya, garlic fried chicken $18

The soya sauce fried chicken helps counter balance the strong flavours from the spicy and brings you back to enjoy the mere crunch in the chicken. Half-half servings are definitely a win-win situation.

Tacos $3.50 each OR $12 for 4

The taco shell is a little on the tougher side, perhaps cause it’s a little more dough-y. But the fillings were a great mix of Korean flavours. We get all the choices, because, experiments. (image left to right) Chilli pork, bulgogi beef, bulgogi chicken and chilli chicken. As you all know, my love for pork – thus no surprise this is the winner. The pork cooked to perfection, not dry at all and hints of subtle charcoal. Would love it to be a little more spicier, but that’s a personal preference.

Cold kimchi noodles $11

Cold noodles was a selection in hopes to not over fill our stomachs, we loved the noodle texture. It was silky smooth with a dollop of kimchi sitting on top. I’ve never soup with my spicy cold noodles, as the ones I usually order are the dry ones, but I love the light spicy yet tangy touch to this. Perfect for summer!

Hotteok $10

And now, the reason why we were here! Hotteok! All the better when served with ice cream, as in Korea standing in the snow covered streets, ice cream would be far from your mind. I was a child sitting in her seat, bouncing with excitement.

Filled with brown sugar, nuts, yuzu honey and cinnamon this was all things good. It’s a tackle to eat when on the streets with hot syrup running, but that’s also the joys of it. The nuts give you a nice bite, the cinnamon brings a little pop of spice between the sweet goodness. The ice cream just tops it off with the refreshing sweetness. The exterior has a slight layer of crisp yet the whole gives you that eslaaticity of tteokbokkie. I am in heaven…

kimchi pancake $10

A revisit it made with mum and aunty JS as I wanted to try more on their menu. We go for the kimchi pancake, and while it isn’t anything too different from many other Korean joints, it was a little more challenging to serve as it was not cut up.

Platters $38

But the real reason for my return was that, I wanted to try their platters. We go for the bossam pork belly. The pork skin is a little chewy, but that’s how it always is for this dish anywhere. You get noodles, the same as the noodles used in the cold noodles, but this has been tossed in go chu jang sauce, great spice for us chilli lovers. It also comes with side dishes: corn balls with fried lotus chips, vegies and some mash potato. I’d love to go back and try the bulgogi beef!

And for my love for hotteok, my second visit was not short on another order for my belly.

If you’re ever in Leichardt and feel like Korean, you know where to go!

Have you ever had something overseas and hope to find it here back home? And have you found it yet?

Damda

166 Norton Street,

Leichardt