Neil Littman visits newly-opened Ahra-Ne Korean Barbecue in Green Lanes

A while ago I mentioned that there were several cuisines not on offer in Enfield, including Korean. Somehow by magic – what else? – my wish has come true!

Ahra-Ne has opened at the same Green Lanes site in Palmers Green as the recently-closed Takanoya Sushi, whose owners retired earlier this year. All is not lost if you still want Japanese dishes, however, as Ahra-Ne offers a crossover between South Korean and Japanese food and covers both cuisines, including sushi and tempura.

The interior of the restaurant has been retained, with the addition of barbecue grills built into the tables (if you fancy cooking your own), a collection of green frogs which might be referencing a Korean folk tale for children, plus call buttons on the walls by the tables – although it was still easy to attract the attention of the attentive and friendly staff without them.

What distinguishes Korean food from other Asian cuisines are three main elements; gochujang (red chilli paste), which provides both heat and a savoury, slightly sweet flavour; gochugaru (red chilli flakes) which adds spiciness; plus garlic, ginger and sesame oil in various combinations, raising even a humble cucumber salad to a new level. It creates a very versatile mix of flavours!

Previous encounters with Korean food have taught me that they make the best fried chicken anywhere. Their ‘yangnyeom’ chicken, coated in a sweet and spicy sauce with sesame seeds and cooked twice, may not yet be their national dish – but deserves to be.

I made three visits to Ahra-Ne, including their opening night. The best way to eat is to share dishes, as portions are generous – a half-portion of fried chicken will serve two. Starters aren’t really a thing either, as dishes turn up randomly and are basically identical to mains in terms of size.

Across the three meals I enjoyed at Ahra-Ne, I ordered fried chicken; seafood pancake, which was light and crispy with prawns and green onions; savoury pork rice; modum namui, which is assorted greens and bamboo shoots seasoned with sesame oil and garlic; tteokbokki, which is chewy rice cakes cooked in a red, spicy broth; and barbecued king prawns and vegetable dumplings, which is a popular street food. I also ordered kimchi on my first visit and needed a litre of water to cool myself down!

If you want to use the barbecue grills at the tables (chicken, steak, king prawns etc) the minimum order is two dishes, otherwise they will cook them in the kitchen.

For drinks, Ahra-Ne serves Korean Terra beer, which reminded me of German lager. One drink which was interesting was a melon-flavoured soft drink which was bright fluorescent green, and I found too sweet.

Overall Ahra-Ne offers great value for money, and unsurprisingly they were busy every time I visited – booking is advisable at weekends. They are also child friendly and offer plenty for vegetarians. The general cost per person is about £25-£30 with a takeaway menu offered as well.

Ahra-Ne Restaurant can be found at 396 Green Lanes, Palmers Green N13 5PD. To book:
Call 0203 345 5264

Do you have any suggestions for restaurants in Enfield to review or feedback on the places Neil has already reviewed? He would love to hear from Dispatch readers:
Email [email protected]

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