LDNReview

Assa

Name: Assa
Item: Assa
Rating: 8

Rianne Shlebak

August 18, 2023

At Assa, know that you’ll have to wait at least 20 minutes for a table, no matter the day of the week. Although the Soho spot is a relatively well-kept secret, it’s got a low-key fan group who will wait in line—for good reason. What the plain white walls and shiny wooden tables lack in visual stimulation, the excellent Korean food makes up for.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

The decor won’t matter once you’re past the fast-moving queue, because there’s so much more to see inside. Hot pots get the respect they deserve at the centre of most tables while friends take turns scooping beef bulgogi out of the spicy broth. Couples are given a table for four because they’ve knowingly over-ordered—and everywhere people are dipping pajeon in soy sauce, throwing fried chicken into their mouths without waiting for it to cool down, and splashing themselves or someone on their table with gochujang. Assa sounds like it should be a chaotic place to be. But in reality, orders come out quickly, and staff are attentive and friendly even when there’s a bunch of hungry people waiting for you to pay the bill.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

The right way to start a meal here is to order a crispy pajeon as soon as you sit down. It’s an excellent spring onion-filled pancake that’s ideal for snacking on while you look through the short story that is the menu. But if there’s something that this Soho spot does better than anywhere else, it’s the spicy beef noodles. You’ll notice it on most tables. The next best thing is the tteokbokki—get one of these for the table and you’ll be everyone's favourite person. Even with a big group, this menu is a feat to get through which makes it the kind of place you’ll more than willingly return to.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Pajeon

Crispy, with scallion poking through the golden brown skin, this savoury pancake is so big it reaches every edge of the huge round plate it comes on.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

KFC

We’re interested in the science behind how they’ve kept these bites of KFC so crispy, even though they’re drenched in an excellent yangnyeom sauce. But we’re more interested in eating the entire bowl ourselves.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Spicy Beef Noodles

Give us ALL the udon. Even if you can’t handle spice, you should try these. The noodles are thick and bouncy, the beef is the right amount of chewy, and it’s all lightly coated in a fiery, reddish, pass-me-the-water sauce.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Tteokbokki

Assa serves different versions of this rice cake with ramyeon, but our favourite is the cheese one. The soupy gochujang sauce is spicy and a little sweet, and the rice cakes are firm and chewy. A bite with plenty of noodles, a rice cake, and some melted cheese is pretty much perfect.