After two decades of serving Korean barbecue in London’s Fitzrovia, Koba has undergone a significant transformation, dispensing with its traditional tabletop grills in favor of a more modern, refined dining experience.
The restaurant, founded by Linda Lee, initially gained popularity for its interactive dining style, where patrons grilled their own meats on hot plates built into the tables. However, the new iteration of Koba, dubbed Koba 2.0, features a “wabi sabi” colour palette, described as pale and dreamy, replacing the darker wood and extraction vents of the original space. The change comes after a recent elegant revamp of the Rathbone Street location.
While the grill-your-own element has largely been removed, a limited number of tabletop grills remain in the downstairs private dining room for those who prefer the original experience. The menu now emphasizes smaller, elegant starters such as deep-fried cuttlefish, jeon shrimp pancakes, and yook hwei – raw beef with pear, seaweed and egg yolk – served with an array of banchan, including various kimchi and spicy cucumbers.
The restaurant’s signature dak galbi, a barbecue chicken dish marinated in gochujang paste, chilli and garlic, is now prepared by the kitchen staff, a move the reviewer suggests improves the dish. Beef bulgogi with mushrooms remains a staple.
Koba’s menu also includes more delicate, modern dishes like mul hwei, a bowl of raw fish and prawn with trout roe and a gochujang vinaigrette, and dubu sotbab, a tofu and vegetable rice pot. The reviewer noted the presentation of these dishes, describing the dubu sotbab as “gorgeously staged.”
Despite the changes, Koba continues to offer its popular desserts, including a Korean sweet bean paste doughnut served with buckwheat tea and a vanilla ice cream with persimmon and spiced syrup. The reviewer highlighted the doughnut as a particular delight.
The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, with à la carte options starting around £50 per person, a lunch set menu from approximately £12, and a five-course set menu for around £45. Drinks and service are additional.
