Red Pepper - Strathfield - Sydney, Australia

Red Pepper

If you've read my last few posts then you may be thinking I'm Korean. As all I seem to posting about lately appears to be Korean related. I think this year, I have eaten more Korean food than I have ever had in my life. I guess you could say I'm trying out new things and being more adventurous. As previously mentioned, I wasn't a very big fan of Korean food but it's starting to grow on me and I'm learning to appreciate it more. I actually have a lot of other restaurants to post about but I think I'll continue with another Korean restaurant that I went to recently that stood out.

Fried chicken, fried chicken and more fried chicken. All I seem to be eating these days is fried chicken. I just can't get enough of this deliciously crunchy chicken that is so satisfying to the soul. That chicken is no other than the Korean fried chicken (KFC).

Red Pepper is a Korean restaurant that sits inside the Strathfield Sports Club. If you haven't seen or read about Red Pepper before then you may be thinking that it is a restaurant that specialises in red pepper dishes or very spicy dishes. Actually it's quite the contrary. What everyone namely comes here for is the Korean fried chicken and many have said it is one of the best. When one mentions that word 'best', then it is a must try.

The drive from the Shire to Strathfield is actually not very far, about a 30 minute drive. On that particular Saturday night that we decided to go, the traffic there was horrendous. We were crawling there and traffic was bumper to bumper. It ended up taking close to an hour.

What made it worse is that there was no street parking available when we reached and the parking lot connected the club was full with either club patrons or people using the sporting facilities. Finding parking took another 20 minutes or so, and by this time we got a spot, we were tired and hungry. Do note that the parking lot doesn't have many spaces, so street parking may be the better option. Prior to entry, you have to sign into the club.

Red Pepper is tucked at the back of the club with the bar. It isn't very big and more like a bistro opposed to a restaurant. There is a small open window where the staff take orders and then you grab a table number after placing your order. You can also order from your table if you prefer.

There is plenty of seating available but on that night it was full! A mix of diners but mostly Korean friends and families enjoying their food, vouching for authentic Korean cuisine. With no inside seating available we resorted to sitting outside in the cold thanks to my brother. There wasn't much lighting and I didn't really know what part of the chicken I was eating at times, so the photos turned out to be a failure. That was not an eventful first experience but a few weeks later I decided to return not once but twice as the food turned out much better.

If you want to beat the surrounding traffic and the crowds, I recommend going during lunch. There is plenty of street parking available and finding a table is so easy as there aren't many people at that time. Parking on the street is also free on Sunday as it's usually metered.

The main item on the menu is the fried chicken, with or without bones, half or whole and served a number of ways. There is a large variety to choose from and you're spoilt with choice. They do have other traditional Korean dishes but there isn't many compared to what you would find at a regular Korean restaurant. Also, they do offer a number of western dishes.

The hot pot's look so tempting in the menu but we are here for the fried chicken only. That shall be for next time.

Fried chicken is usually served with a side of pickled radish cubes but here it also comes with pickled cabbage as well.

Metal cutlery.

'Original Fried Chicken ($16 half or $30 whole)' is regular chicken coated in a 'premium' light batter. Look at the difference between the half and the whole. There appears to be so much more in the whole chicken plate.

It's done perfectly right here. The chicken pieces are crispy and crunchy without being greasy, and still is light but not dry. Even without sauce it is extremely tasty. I like how the chicken is still juicy Fried chicken at its best! My favourite of the lot.

'Hot & Spicy Chicken ($17 half or $32 whole)' is the original fried chicken coated in a hot and spicy sauce. The sauce is spicy and does burn your lips, even for those highly tolerant to chilli and spice like myself. Chewy rice cakes are added to the plate for presentation and there is even more fresh chilli to give it that extra kick!

The 'Soy Sauce Chicken ($17 half or $32 whole)' is the original fried chicken coated in a garlic and soy sauce combination. The sauce is faint and not as strong as I would have imagined.You would expect it to be salty with the soy sauce but the flavours worked well and I liked how it was subtle. It does however get soggy quickly due to the moisture and sauce, so it has to be eaten hastily.

'Spring Onion Chicken ($17 half or $32 whole)' seems to be a popular choice. The original fried chicken is coated in a wasabi dressing and then topped with a bunch of sliced spring onions. I found the wasabi flavouring to be relatively robust for my taste buds. This is coming from a person who has a very low liking to wasabi and anything wasabi flavour related. The rest of the table enjoyed it. This photo was taken in the dark so please excuse the horrible lighting.

The 'Black Sesame Chicken ($17 half or $32 whole)' is boneless fried chicken made from the drumstick part of the chicken, coated with black sesame seeds. Apparently popular with kids because of the extra crunch factor, it definitely didn't disappoint in terms of taste. We were surprised it was served with sweet chilli and mustard sauce as none of the other ones came with this. It didn't need that extra sauce as it was already flavoursome, leaving it barely touched.

The 'Dolsot-Bimimbap ($15.00)' is a dish that's hard to get wrong as your basically placing assorted items on steamed rice. The version here is made with beef and an assortment of vegetables, topped with a raw egg, in a sizzling stone pot. The chilli sauce can be added accordingly. The sizzling hot pot left a nice crispy rice which I thoroughly enjoyed chomping on.

Another bimimbap that is only available for the lunch, from the specials is 'Nakji Dolsot-Bimimbap ($13.00)'. It is similar to the one mentioned above but instead of beef, it uses octopus. The portion was much smaller in comparison and it might have been because it was a special.

How could I forget the complimentary sides? If I were to come here for anything else other than the fried chicken it would have to be the banchan. It changes on a regular basis but I've liked every single one and I would rate this as one of the best. These were the sides we got over two separate visits and how many sides you get depends on how much you order.

Please note you only get picked radish and cabbage with fried chicken. To get the other banchan, you would have to order something besides the fried chicken from the Korean cuisine menu.

This place isn't flashy nor fancy. It's casual, cheery and has that typical club feel with limited customer service. Food is cheap and if shared among a big group, it works out to be even cheaper. If you're in the area, do give it a try and see what you think. I don't believe it's the best fried chicken out there but it was indeed nearly spot on. Now that the sister restaurant, 'The Sparrow's Mill' is open in the Sydney CBD, serving pretty much the same items as Red Pepper, getting your fried chicken fix couldn't be any easier.

Where?
4A Lyons St
Strathfield NSW 2135
Australia

Phone no: 02 9701 0911

Opening Hours
Refer to website

Website
www.strathfieldsportsclub.com.au