Goong (by Biggs)

I like Cairns and happen to be here for work today. It's an absolutely spectacular place in terms of reefs and rainforests but....full of tourists and therefore crappy tourist restaurants fill the strip where my hotel is. So, I wasn't sure about what to do for dinner. Luckily my colleague was keen to take me out to one of her favourite local haunts - a Korean place called Goong.

After she'd (accidentally?) walked me into a sensual Korean massage parlour she remembered the restaurant was upstairs and my hopes were buoyed as I was led up a dingy set of stairs. My theory is that awesome Asian restaurants are always located at the top of a set of dingy stairs. And I was not wrong. Goong is awesome.

Cheap decor, twinkly fairy lights everywhere, no one seemed to speak a word of English, buzzers on the table and all their energy put where it should be....into creating big bowls of delicious food. This place was exactly my sort of place.

We both ordered Bi Bim Bap - mixed rice with shredded beef, lots of veges, seaweed, egg, something I couldn't identify that tasted excellent, chilli bean paste and a side of sea weed, kim chi, mushrooms and soup. Just perfect. And, when you ask for a glass of wine here they fill a huge glass to the brim. Did I mention this was my sort of place? Thanks Sally!