I had lunch with my friend, Dean, and he selected Chingu. Some people might not like the idea of cooking their own food, but I absolutely love Korean BBQ … so I had no hesitation in trying this place out. 

The restaurant itself was spacious with a lot of seating space, and there are two different levels of floors. Chingu was more than half full when we arrived, and there were only two waitresses on the floor, so it was severely understaffed. 

We were seated on the lower levels and it took a few minutes for us to get our water, and utensils. Eventually, the server came back with our complimentary banchan (Korean appetizers) to our table. The appetizers were kimchi, glass noodles, bean sprouts, tofu, radishes, mashed potatoes, seaweed, and some other stuff that I cannot remember. 

The both of us opted for the regular menu which was $16.99 (Mon-Thurs) and $18.99 (Fri-Sun), and consists of the following items:

Main: galbi (beef short ribs), bulgogi (marinated beef), chicken, and pork belly

Soup: pork bone soup, miso, kimchi stew

Vegetables: lettuce wrap, zucchini, onion, and green peppers

Seafood: squid, fish fillet

Dessert: ice cream

I really like chicken. So I was very disappointed to find the chicken at Chingu to taste really rubbery and bland. Clearly; I didn't order any further dishes of the chicken as I could barely finish the first batch.

I really enjoyed their galbi (marinated beef short ribs), and thought that it was delicious. The galbi was tender and well  marinated in a really sweet sauce.

The pork belly is pre-simmered in sauce, so it was really soft in texture when grilled.

As for the seafood, the regular menu was limited to only fish fillet and squid. The fish fillet was rather decent, and fresh. It also did not break into tiny pieces when cooked. I thought that the squid was way too chewy but it was pretty decent. 

They also provided uncooked vegetables for those who like to grilled veggies. Unfortunately, I am not too fond of peppers and mushrooms so I didn’t bother eating them.

On a positive note, Chingu provided a wider selection of food that are normally not offered at other KBBQ places, such as miso soup and pork bone soup.

How about the service? Considering the fact that there were only two waitresses on hand for the entire lunch period; the service was relatively slow. The dishes took longer to arrive to our table from the kitchen.

Our waitress was friendly enough, as she did attempt to make some conversation when placing down the orders on the table. However, it was hard to get her attention as she was rarely within the vicinity of our table.

My overall visit was decent; the food was good enough for an AYCE. However, there was a 15% surcharge that was automatically added onto the bill. I understand the need for automated gratuities for larger groups of people (5+ plus more), but Chingu adds it regardless (even if you are dining alone as it’s added per bill). However, the 15% is clearly stated on the menu so it shouldn't be much of a surprise when you get the bill.

RATINGS:

Quality of Food: 3.5/5

Service: 3/5

Dining Experience: 3/5

Price: $$

Address: 280 W Beaver Creek Rd, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3Z1