All That Barbecue (Irvine)

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ps99472

ps99472

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Soft open week, ate here for lunch today.. $15 AYCE lunch, dinner is $20.  They have non-Korean servers, that was a first for a Korean restaurant (or any other Asian asian restaurant). 
http://www.yelp.com/biz/all-that-barbecue-irvine

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Not much banchan but who cares with all the different cuts of meat.  So basically you can AYCE anything on the menu except for a few items.  We tried the cha dol, bulgogi, seasoned boneless rib meat (our fav), beef belly, beef tongue, pork loin, shrimp, baby octopus, rice cake, and beef rib steak (normally $2.99 but comes free if you order the sampler platter).  Decent service for a new restaurant, again our server was a white dude.. at a Korean BBQ place.. truly unique (and better service).  Wish they have squid on the menu but octopus will do.  The shrimps are decent size as well.. If you just come here and order shrimps, you'll probably come out ahead on cost. 

Some items come pre-seared, they explain as quick searing over charcoal to seal in the juices then you finish cooking on your own grill.  Good concept.  The beef rib steak was melt in your mouth juicy, i would order this for $3.  This place gets a big two thumbs up for me.. and that's pretty rare these days for a new Irvine restaurant. 
 
I'm not as impressed with this place as you were.  Gen kind of set the bar for me as far as AYCE KBBQ is concerned.  I thought some of the meat was pretty bland and dry.  I think it's the grille they use.  It's kind of like the George Foreman style grille where all the grease and the fat would just drip down.  I use to take the fat from the GF grille and pour it back on the meat because it made it so dry.  I ordered the sampler platter and they gave me the Kobe beef sushi, which was horrible.  The meat might as well have been boiled, and the rice was way too sweet and mushy.  We ordered the Tail Flap Steak (Best Cow in School) and being a dinner only item, I thought it would be special, but it really wasn't.  It had no taste at all, and the grille situation didn't help it too much.  Which brings us to the dipping sauce.  They had some seasoned salt, a soy bean chili paste, and some kind of soy sauce mixture.  Wasn't impressed with any of them.  Anjin still has the best dipping sauce.  Even Shi Do Rak's sesame oil with salt is better than this.  The only thing I enjoyed was the beef ribs (Don't Rib Me Off) and the honey rice cake (Pooh's Snack).  I also didn't like how the servers were always messing with my meat.  They're literally at my table every 15 seconds turning my meat.  I like my meat grilled, not stir fried.  Service was pretty good, maybe a little too much attention, but A for effort.  Overall, I don't think I'll be going back to the place because of the food.
 
I'm going here for dinner tonight...I will post my observations...

Note: Going with my wife (white) and another couple (white + korean).  I'll get their observations...
 
kubert13 said:
I'm going here for dinner tonight...I will post my observations...

Note: Going with my wife (white) and another couple (white + korean).  I'll get their observations...
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See you there tonight :)
 
We tried this out tonight... interesting but along the lines of Arirang and Korea House except you can only get AllYouCanEat.

Very crowded and our grill didn't cook very well but at least the servers were nice. I like that you can get fried rice and the egg and tofu soups too.

The Kalbi was a bit disappointing only because it was fatty but it had a good taste. We only tried the Kalbi, Bulgogi and Chicken Bulgogi (you can order 3 meats at a time). We were so full on just that, we didn't even finish the Kalbi and chicken.

For the money, we are better off at Korea House because the kids don't really eat very much (kids are half off) but we also want to try Gen sometime.

Why do these Korean BBQ places have such good water? I can drink it forever.

30 Day Diet... pshaw!
 
homer_simpson said:
You didn't get the marinated rib or the flap tail??  >:(
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I think it was the flap tail? It was rolled up and we had to unroll it to put it on the grill... really weird as we are used to the traditional Kalbi ribs or even the boneless ones they have at Korea House.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
homer_simpson said:
You didn't get the marinated rib or the flap tail??  >:(
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I think it was the flap tail? It was rolled up and we had to unroll it to put it on the grill... really weird as we are used to the traditional Kalbi ribs or even the boneless ones they have at Korea House.
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That's the marinated rib :)

Yummy!!
 
I could use a flap.... But pulling OT today... You should have a throw down flap eating contest with IHO....
 
ps9 said:
I could use a flap.... But pulling OT today... You should have a throw down flap eating contest with IHO....
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I would out eat IHO...

Guess it's only going to be me sitting there all alone... Marge and Bart are out on a play date later tonight  :(
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Surprisingly, I don't eat a lot at AYCE KBBQs... I think it's because I have to sit there and cook it.
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I thought it was just me. I agree completely. My first time to a KBBQ restaurant was also my only & last time for that exact reason. Going out to eat is my only break from cooking and dishes. I expect to be waited on. When I go out, I don't want to lift a finger or else it's not really a night off, then, is it. If I have to do it anyway, I might as well stay home. Where I went, the customer also has to go fetch their own stuff. I don't know if that's typical. They get half a point for not asking you to do the dishes. Deduct 2 (one per eyeball) for not only having the legs on the shrimp but the head & "antlers", as well.  :'( It was the biggest reason I went and couldn't even have one.
 
homer_simpson said:
ps9 said:
I could use a flap.... But pulling OT today... You should have a throw down flap eating contest with IHO....
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I would out eat IHO...
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homer_simpson said:
Going again tonight.. Talk Irvine meet anyone?  :D
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I tell ya what. If you can arrange an eating competition with IHO included in it, I would attend as a betting spectator kinda like Churchill Downs. Having never met either of you, I'd be willing to wager $50 that Iho's got you beat on this one for sure. It doesn't have to be typical things like hot dogs or pies. It could be whatever you both enjoy.  Since our diets aren't going so hot, maybe this is a chance to make a little dough (no pun intended.)
 
USCTrojanCPA said:
homer_simpson said:
irvinehomeowner said:
Surprisingly, I don't eat a lot at AYCE KBBQs... I think it's because I have to sit there and cook it.
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But that's the fun part...
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+1  :-*
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Not much difference between that and going to a hotpot/fondue place.  You get to control the cooking and eat the food hot fresh off the grill.  The downside to those AYCE BBQs is when they don't have adequate exhaust hood ventilation, you can feel like you're in a meat sauna, and all your clothes smell like BBQ for days.  I do like Gen, but the wait can be horrendous.  The past few times I've been to those places I've developed a taste for beef tongue.  :P  Love the mineraly flavor and crunchy texture, a nice contrast to all the other muscle meats.  :P
 
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