It's only a stone's throw from rue Saint-Anne, the capital's most enticing district for lovers of Asian flavors, that Sam Chic is discovered, a traditional Korean restaurant awarded the prize for the best Korean restaurant abroad 2024 by the Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The foundations have been laid.
With the look and feel of a typical Korean wooden restaurant , and the warm yet noisy atmosphere of a popular canteen, Sam Chic is an invitation to discover something new and different.
At least, that's how Lacour Eun-Ok, daughter of South Korean restaurateurs, came up with the idea for this address - just like her other restaurants Sam Sun and Sam Bun - with the aim of introducing diners to her native culture by focusing on quality products, carefully prepared by Korean chefs.
The obvious star dish is the Korean barbecue, a culinary tradition that has been rooted in Korean culture for centuries, where cooking meat on a grill placed in the center of the table is a symbol of sharing and conviviality. At Sam Chic, quality meats are the order of the day, marinated as long as necessary and grilled directly on the table with the help (or not, if you don't want to) of the restaurant team.
Beef, marinated pork loin (21€), marinated boneless chicken thighs (21€), absolutely stunning in their tenderness, all accompanied by traditional banchan, that farandole of small plates of marinated vegetables, pickles, kimchi and so on that comes with every good barbecue. Halal dishes are also available for those concerned.
But before that, you can indulge in a starter like the Korean crepe with kimchi (14€), spiced up just right, or the Sae-u kkanpung-gi (18€ for 6 pieces), fried shrimp topped with a slightly spicy sweet-and-sour sauce.
Generous on the plate, Sam Chic is also accessible to all budgets. At lunchtime, count €14 for the starter+bulgogi menu, €15 for the starter+yukaejang (a spicy beef stew with leeks) or the starter/bibimbap menu, and €16 for the starter/barbecue menu. A simple but comforting restaurant, ideal for facing winter.
