Osaka Richouen 大阪李朝園

I'm a fan of Korean cuisine's distinctive, strong and complex flavours. So I'd rather sweat myself silly eating a spicy dish than have a watered-down version that is gentle on my palate. But for those who love their food milder, or who can't choose between eating Japanese or Korean, the new Richouen restaurant in Causeway Bay will be a welcome option. It stays open until midnight, too, so it can double as a late-night hangout.
A popular dining chain from Osaka, the no-frills restaurant serves Korean dishes that, in typical Japanese style, are considerably toned down. The menu features a mix of Korean and Japanese favourites, with the flavours leaning more towards the sweet side. A complimentary jar of kimchi is served on each table. Sweet, tangy and crunchy, the pickled vegetable is as refreshing as it is appetising.
Our favourite dish of the night was the Korean pancake. Crunchy on the edges, and chewy on the inside, the savoury pancake was fragrant, and textured with generous amounts of caramelised onions. The bibimbap and cold noodles (HK$78) was a bargain for carb-lovers.
The piping-hot stone pot rice, which had a good mix of veggies and pork, was satisfying. We only wished there was more of the crunchy burnt rice that we scraped from the bowl. The cold noodles had a bouncy texture, but the broth was too mild.
There was real crab meat in the deep-fried crab croquette (HK$68), but the surface was burnt, and for that price, we expected it to be bigger. The grilled pork skewer (HK$38) and the seared beef cubes with garlic chips (HK$58) had tender pieces of meat, but both dishes needed more salt.