Nestled on Dominion Road, Kookoo is a delicious new dining destination serving authentic Korean cuisine with a few tasty twists. Opened by Amy Yun and John Jeon, a couple with over a decade of hospitality experience behind them (both here and in Australia), Kookoo is the product of its founders’ passion for sharing classic Korean flavours with Kiwi diners, and is a very welcome addition to the local food scene.
At Kookoo, a range of traditional Korean dishes are given contemporary twists. But the hero of the menu is Korean-style whole chicken, marinated for 24 hours to ensure tenderness and flavour and served with sticky rice.
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As Amy tells me, “this is actually a common delicacy in Korea, but at Kookoo, instead of stuffed sticky rice, we spread the rice on the grill plate to make it more crispy.” She continues, “While there are a number of Korean places here selling chicken legs, wings and nibbles, it isn’t as common to find a place that sells whole Korean chicken, so we wanted to offer something a little different.”
Diners at Kookoo can choose from a range of rotisserie chicken flavours served with crispy sticky rice or a number of delicious fried chicken (the Bulgogi fried chicken is a particular highlight). Complementing the poultry offerings are authentic Korean staples like savoury pancakes and flavourful noodles, as well as ample vegetarian choices like kimchi fried rice available.
Inside, Kookoo has been designed to radiate warmth and cosiness, inviting families and food-lovers to enjoy its relaxed dining experience and friendly atmosphere. “Dominion Road has a lot of Asian food but not many Korean places,” Amy says. “In Korea, we’re obsessed with the combo of beer and chicken combination so we hope that everyone who visits Kookoo are able to experience and love the kinds of food we love eating at home.”
