Until Banchan, Karachi diners dismissed live Korean barbecue (BBQ) as a gimmick. People would line up at every new place claiming to have a Korean menu, only to lose interest almost immediately, as if the excitement had never been real. The only appeal, it seemed, was its newness and the curiosity people had for it, thanks to K-dramas, but it was never enough to earn loyalty.

Banchan, a restaurant that quietly opened right next to BBQ Tonight — another beloved eatery in the city — changed all of that.

When it started to offer Korean BBQ on its menu, it did so without fanfare. People discovered it by “stumbling upon” it. For a long time, people did not even post it on their Instagram. Then word spread fast — and suddenly Banchan was running on back-to-back reservations. You could not even go on a random Tuesday and find a table. It was packed like every day was a weekend.

At its core, it offered a live meat-grilling experience. If a hotpot lets you cook ingredients in a bubbling broth at your own table, Korean BBQ lets you cook marinated meat over a grill — also at your table.

For years, live East Asian BBQ in Karachi was a novelty that couldn’t hold its audience. The question used to be: why would I pay to cook my own food? Nobody’s asking that anymore

For years, live East........

© Dawn (Magazines)