Bite Chew Drink

Sitting opposite N2 in Regent Place resides Bite Chew Drink, a casual Korean-American eatery that is developing a touch of infamy for loading their dishes with a stack of melted cheese. 

Wanting to grab a quick yet delicious bite to eat before going out, Bite Chew Drink seemed to tick all our boxes. Plus, they allow BYO so we prepared accordingly. 

Our group of five made our way into the restaurant and were shown a table. The space had limited lighting, giving it the feel of a bar. This bar theme also extended to the audio atmosphere. Loud and upbeat Hip Hop and RnB tunes reinforced the casual vibe. However,  it did make conversation a little challenging as it was a few decibels too high. 

Angry Tonkatsu

Our first plate arrived; the Angry Tonkatsu. The first thing we noticed was how cheesy it looked, and our mouths watered in response. The second thing we noticed was the portion size - it was pretty generous. The Angry Tonkatsu also tasted really good! The pork loin had some juiciness and its crumb coating lent some crunch to each mouthful. The sauce was definitely angry and transferred the Korean vibe well - nice and spicy! We really liked washing down this element with the beer we brought. 

Finally the cheese was a great addition to the dish! Not only did it taste great, but it helped to round out the heat profile of the angry sauce. Simply put, Bite Chew Drink's Angry Tonkatsu is Korea's answer to the classic pub-style Chicken Parmi - saucy, crunchy, cheesy and delicious!  

Original Pork Ribs

Coated in Bite Chew Drink's special rib sauce and grilled, the ribs had a nice smoky flavour, reminding us of Korean BBQ. However, this cooking method meant the ribs were a bit on the dry side. The sauce helped prevent this from being too much of an issue though. 

BBQ Plater

I didn't get to try most of the items on the BBQ Platter - my mates were too hangry due to the rather long wait for it to be served. Without exaggerating it took about an hour to arrive, which was pretty disappointing considering we expected a quick meal. The rest of the table were close to finishing our meals by the time it arrived. 

The one thing I did get a chance to try was the pork belly. Its fat was nicely rendered and tasted pretty good, again reminding me of Korean BBQ from its smoky profile and type of cut (we usually go for pork belly at KBBQ). 

Overall we left with mixed feelings about Bite Chew Drink. On the positive side, the food was relatively tasty, especially the Angry Tonkatsu with its cheesy goodness. The downsides were the wait for the BBQ platter and club-volume music. We would likely visit again and just stick to their good-value cheesy dishes. 


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Written by Lachlan Munnings (@mister_eats)
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