By Korea

If you study at RMIT, or mooch at Melbourne Central shopping complex, you probably know about By Korea. Coming up to 10 years, this Korean caff’s longevity lies not in its easy-wipe plastic furniture. It’s the cracking lunch specials and the late-night fried-chicken with jugs of beer. Genuine flavour kicks out of the obligatory kimchi stew – a firecracker, seething with spicy morsels of silken tofu and lip-smacking pork – while chicken katsu is crisp golden goodness. Wash it down with a cool, rice-based soju, but be careful you don’t wobble out the door. Just like the flavours here, the Korean national drink has kick.