nothing stops Linda Lee. Already at the head of the On the Bab, Misu, MariMari and Setopa restaurants in Paris, the restaurateur originally from South Korea, unveils a fifth K-food address, this time around barbecue. Welcome to On, which has been quietly located since October 2024, in the very quiet rue Saint-Roch, between the Tuileries garden and the Opéra district. “Modern Korean BBQ”we can read on the front, which is a pretty sage color and which instantly lets us know where we are going. By pushing the door, you discover a very elegant room with a cozy and intimate atmosphere, decorated in a refined and refined way. Noble woods, plant touches, olive green leather benches… enough to contrast with the “canteen” atmosphere that some people could sometimes criticize Parisian Korean barbecues.
On: the authentic Korean barbecue in Paris
On the tables, we can see the famous grills – which will later allow us to cook our ingredients – overlooked by intriguing chrome pipes. We are told that these are in fact taps with an innovative ventilation system to suck up cooking odors. Phew, we are reassured. While we were afraid of leaving the restaurant smelling of fat, we were able to confirm at the end of our meal that this competitive tap did its job more than well. But let's get back to our subject. Once seated, before going to the grill, it's hard not to fall for the tempting starters: finely prepared beef tartare with pear and leeks, kimchi fried rice which doesn't lack spice, more than perfect steamed ravioli, the wonderful seafood and spring onion pancake that we love as much as the golden fried chicken coated with peanuts… We accompany everything with a ginger mocktail full of pep. We are already on a good start.
Starters and cocktails. Photo credit: Nina Coriton
Quality at the rendezvous
The small plates (in which no crumbs were left) are quickly replaced by large and beautiful plasters of meat (you have the choice between beef, chicken or pork…), shrimp and vegetables. It's not just for carnivores and that's a good thing. What makes the difference at On is first and foremost the quality of the products of indisputable freshness, but also the tasty marinades. The ingredients arrive at the table raw, but not “natural”. They are carefully seasoned beforehand so that they have flavor once cooked. Each grilled dish is also served with its salad, its sauces, its “banchans” (small Korean side dishes) and its “gyeran jjim”, a type of typically Korean egg custard. We grab our tongs to make our meals and send all these good things to brown on the crackling plate. Everything you need to make the moment deliciously convivial. Above all, save some room for desserts. The chestnut mochi is as divine as the yuzu one. Even naughtier, the chubby and well-tanned donut, topped with a pretty scoop of ice cream which has nothing superfluous in this very regressive plate.
- On, 39 Rue Saint-Roch, 75001 Paris
Korean barbecue at On. Photo credit: Nina Coriton
