Cah Chi (Raynes Park)

This is a little neighborhood gem! We had a lovely evening and definitely planning to go again.

Some minor points of improvement. Soju was not that cold but they used a cover to keep it cool it. so it was better after a while. Portions were slightly small, we were full at the end but might have been a bit more.
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evrim - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Saturday, July 04, 2009

I came to Gah Chi to meet a friend for lunch today, having been encouraged by the positive reviews here. I can safely say the hype is not undeserved.

My friend, having been married to a Korean in the oh so distant past, lives locally to this restaurant, and remarked that he knows this establishment (and Korean food) well. Being in close proximity - walking distance really - to New Malden, the largest community of ex-patriate South Koreans in Europe, they cater primarily for their own people in here, so what you will find here will be authentic, high quality Korean cuisine.

The waitress was the very example of service with a smile, handing out lots of free snacks before the main meal (kimchi, soy beans, mmm...) and being impeccably prompt with the order.

Mine was a mixed seafood dish with udon noodles, which I enjoyed thoroughly. To think that all the other times I've met this same friend for lunch has been in a traditional English greasy spoon, I will certainly not be making the same mistake after finally having found this place!

To see the bill come to £10 a head including service charge was a sin we thought, so we put an extra £3 in as a tip for the lovely waitress. Will definately be back again.
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Jonathan Treliving
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

We decided to eat here this evening after being regular visitor's to the owner's bother's Korean restaurant in Staines (Kyo Gu Ryo) since it opened in January 2006. We'd never had Korean food before and quickly became addicted to kimchee, barbecued beef rib and hot stone pot rice. The owner - Mr Cho - told us that his sister had a restaurant in Raynes Park and we felt we had to give it a go. It has a very different atmosphere and Judy , Mr Cho's niece, who works at Cah Chi, told us that the food was more authentic due to the mainly Korean clientele and we certainly found that the kimchee packed quite a punch! The small dish of dried squid was absolutely delicious as was the sesame leaf & spring onion pancake. The black pudding stuffed with vermicelli was quite different to traditional Scottish black pudding - more subtle and delicate in flavour - and was a sizeable portion. The prawns & vegetables in a piquant sauce were fabulous. We finished with bulgogi - strips of beef sirloin stir fried on the table top BBQ with onions & mushrooms and wrapped in lettuce leaves with spicy spring onions & soya bean paste - my mouth's watering as I think about it! We drank Korean beer and Bek Se Ju, a very potent wine with a blend of 12 herbs. Service was charming and friendly.

Apparently they are going to be opening a Japanese restaurant a few doors down shortly so we'll definitely be making the trek over from Staines again in the not too distant future.
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Lucy & Nigel
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Saturday, November 10, 2007

Delicious food, great atmosphere, helpful staff and authentic taste. I surprised my husband on his birthday by bringing him here... he's lived in South Korea and deemed the fare on offer almost like the genuine article!

My only warning would be that 10% is added to your bill if you bring a bottle... However what they DIDN'T tell us beforehand was that they do actually sell reasonably-priced chilled Korean beer and Soju, which we would have much preferred. The £5 Pinot Grigio that we'd brought in and didn't touch (we went for beer instead) ended up being a very expensive bottle of wine indeed.

For an out-of-the-way place like this, the prices are on the steep side too.

But otherwise, would recommend... and go bottle-less next time!
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Natalia
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, June 20, 2007