Ajiwai Japanese & Korean BBQ Restaurant in Durham Review

Ajiwai Japanese & Korean BBQ in Durham has garnered a diverse range of opinions from its patrons, offering a glimpse into the mixed experiences encountered at the restaurants. There are those who absolutely loved the food, people and place and those who do not. Read on to learn about our visit and in particular the Korean BBQ there.

Having spent a long day roaming the campus town as part of the Durham University Open Day, we decided to reward ourselves with a nice meal. After all, we were filled with nothing but meal deal sandwiches and wraps complete with coffees, matcha lattes and soft drinks for lunch and tea.

Walking up and down the Durham also helped develop an appetite for good food and ideally in big portions. Looking at all the restaurants at the The Riverwalk, an open air shopping plaza with plenty of places to eat, we went from Estabulo (bar and grill) to Thai River to inshanghai (grand buffet restaurant) but weren’t all that impressed. We ended up at the other end of town, the other side of River Wear, a short walk from Durham Market Place on Claypath.

Claypath is one of the oldest and most historic streets in Durham, England, stretching from the marketplace at its western end towards the eastern parts of the city. This street has witnessed considerable evolution over the centuries, transitioning from a medieval thoroughfare to a vibrant urban area that combines historical charm with contemporary life.

Today, Claypath is lined with a diverse mix of shops, restaurants, and cafes, offering residents and visitors a lively atmosphere. It serves as a crucial link between the traditional city center and the more modern developments further east, encapsulating Durham’s rich heritage and its ongoing growth.

The area around Claypath also features notable architectural landmarks and buildings that tell the story of Durham’s past, making it a fascinating street to explore for those interested in the city’s history and culture.

Ajiwai Japanese & Korean BBQ Restaurant

Nestled on Claypath, Ajiwai Japanese and Korean BBQ restaurant boasts a small yet authentic setting, providing a wide array of Japanese and Korean dishes that cater to various tastes and dietary preferences, including vegetarian and vegan options​​. Reading the reviews, we understood that at some point, they acquired the unit next door and expanded the seating areas. The two units are 87 and 88 Claypath, Durham, DH1 1RG.

The menu highlights include Sashimi Sets (Moriawase, Gosyurui, Tricolour), Handmade Nigiri and Rolls, and a variety of Sushi Sets such as Salmon Platter, Tuna Platter, and Itacho Omakase​​. Not one for raw fish, not to worry as there are plenty of other Japanese cooked dishes to choose from such as Ramen, Soba, Donburi (rice) dishes, Bento Box and Teppanyaki.

We gathered from the reviews, many have praised the place for its delicious food, mentioning favourites like the Volcano Sushi roll and Korean Army stew. The former is a mix of grilled eel, tobiko, eel sauce, volcano sauce, shredded red pepper and bonito flakes in a roll and the latter is a a warming hot pot with a variety of mushrooms, chopped veg, tofu, white onion, chopped sausages and spam in a red stew topped with instant noodle and cheese. It was what the people at the next table ordered and we could see the amazement and excitement in their faces, see image below.

Korean BBQ – The Beef Lover Set

Here is what we actually ordered at our first visit there. While there are other Korean dishes, we settle on the cook-it-yourself Korean BBQ set, in particular the “Beef Lover Set”. It is big enough for up to three adults, exactly the size of our party. Other sets included a Seafood Lover Set also for up to 3 persons and an even bigger Full House BBQ set.

Starters

It did not take long for the food to arrive. It started with the Edamame, Kimchi, Lettuce Wrap, Signature Salad and Garlic Beef Fried Rice. Safe to say that these are all cooked food or edible fresh salad or fermented food and therefore good to go.

While we jumped at the Edamame, Kimchi and Fried Rice, we paced ourselves, knowing that these starters go well with the yet to arrive BBQ meat.

Sides

Next came the Enoki Mushroom with Butter and Sweet Corn with Garlic and Butter in their own cooking pan and a portion of assorted mushrooms for cooking. The pans were placed first in the hot grill to cook while we wait for the main event. The server lined the hot grill with baking paper which we later found was to stop meat from burning and sticking on the cooking grate. It took a while for the food in the rectangular cooking pans or tin trays to heat up, some 10 to 12 minutes. We enjoyed these warm sides, especially the Enoki mushroom with garlic and butter.

We also enjoyed the assorted mushrooms. These paired well with the meat or just on its own. Two different mushrooms were offered, one sliced and seasoned Eryngii Mushroom while the other were whole Shitake mushrooms.

The Main Event – Meat for the Grill

Now for the food that needed cooking, the main event – the meat. Our Beef Lover Set came with four different marinated meat.

• Beef Skirt
• Beef Rib
• Shabu Beef
• Chicken Thigh

Having compared the list with the other meaty BBQ, the bigger Full House Set, what is missing here are the Pork – particularly the Pork Sausage and Pork Belly and King Prawn. Aside from that are the extra starters; Takoyaki and Chicken Gyoza. If you are a party of 3 or 4, consider the Full House Set.

Back to our Beef Lover Set, these are slices of beef in different marinates. They are the Beef Skirt, Beef Rib and Shaba Beef. The only odd one out is the plate of Chicken Thighs. Although, we did appreciated the difference is flavour and texture, as much as we like beef.

In true asian fashion, we asked for an extra tong, one to handle raw meat while the other to pick up only cooked meat. The chopsticks were plastic so they are no good near the hot plate. Here is a top-down overhead view of our Korean BBQ grill. There were also the trio of dipping sauce to go with our food, some cooking oil, salt and pepper mills for seasoning.

Was It Any Good

The food tasted great, made all the better by super talented and expert ‘chefs’ at our table 🙂 It didn’t take long at all to cook our own food, as the meat were thinly sliced. The marinates and dipping sauces gave the BBQ meat extra dimensions in taste.

Despite some early criticisms, there are may positive comments that emphasised the restaurant’s authentic food, friendly service, and overall excellent value for money. We tend to agree with all the positive comments.

Many first-time visitors express surprise at the quality of the dishes and the unique experience of cooking some of the meals at the table, like the Korean hotpot and BBQ dishes​​. It is all part of the experience and we are familiar with the concept and accepted this as the norm.

If you haven’t tried a Korean BBQ, we totally recommend it, and what better place to enjoy it than at Ajiwai. That’s if you are in Duham. The atmosphere is great, the price is right and our servers were friendly and approachable.

Mid way through our cooking, a server offered to replace the grill liner (baking paper) very thoughtful and considerate. We later found out that one of the servers came from our home state, a little known island called Penang in Malaysia.

We did not mention this earlier but there is a smaller two person set, perfect for friends and couples on date night. The Classic BBQ set as it is known comes with Edamame, Chicken Gyoza and Signature salad starters. With for the BBQ hot plate, you get Beef Skirt, Tiger Prawn and Chicken Thigh. Apart from that, you also get our favourite, the assorted mushrooms and lettuce wraps plus three dipping sauces to accompany your meal.

Location Map

Address: 88 Claypath, Durham, DH1 1RG

Tel: 01914474760

Website: ajiwai.co.uk