Holy crap it's almost April! A quarter of 2016 has passed, which means the Southern hemisphere is getting colder and the days are getting shorter. I'm not sure about you, but when the chilly winds are blasting outside, I crave for nothing but a bowl of hot and spicy stew...particularly a kimchi stew.

In recent years Melbourne CBD has not been spared by the K-craze with many Korean eateries cropping up. Of course, having a large community of international students in the area is also the main driver for the influx of Korean restaurants. Nestled in A Beckett street close to my alma mater, RMIT University is a quaint little Korean soju bar and eatery, Bebu.

Short for "best buddy," the place is a favourite among university students and can get rather busy during the day. But on this particular week night, my sister and I were seated in a quiet corner. Completely devoid of any kitsch decorations you may see in your downtown K-BBQ restaurant, you may think you're in a cafe if not for the scent of kimchi and Korean fried chicken wafting from the kitchen.


On this occasion, we skipped the Korean fried chicken and ordered the pork back ribs kimchi stew. Served hot and steamy, the ribs easily fell off the bone and melts in your mouth. The soup packs a spicy punch and I sure worked up a sweat.


Another dish that deserves a special mention here is the seafood pancake. There are so many different versions of the Korean seafood pancake: Some like it thick with lots of filling; some like it thin and crispy. I belong to the latter category and Bebu delivered the goods for me. I could smell the fragrant spring onions cooked to crispy perfection from a mile away and it was all around delicious.

I'm keen to go back to Bebu again soon and try out some other of its signature dishes. The place is managed by a team of friendly staff members: No grumpy ajumma telling you off condescendingly: "cash only!" Bebu is open 7 days a week: 11:30am - 2pm (Weekdays only), 5:30pm - 10pm.