New Malden is an area of south London that, due to a quirk of fate, has one of the highest concentrations of good eating in the entire UK. It’s a neighbour of Kingston upon Thames, and close to Worcester Park, Norbiton, Tolworth and many other semi-anonymous suburbs that never trouble the Places To Eat Before You Die foodie bucket lists. What gives the area its sparkle, however, is its large Korean population, as well as all the temporary visitors, and hungry South Korean and Chinese-Korean tourists. As a result, there are upwards of 20 more-than-decent Korean restaurants in New Malden, providing the opportunity to eat pajeon, bibimbap, bulgogi, noodles and hotpots; there are also a load of supermarkets where you can stock up on gochugaru and soju, plus cafes selling sweet treats such as patbingsu, a shaved ice dessert topped with sweet stewed adzuki beans that, to my mind, is one of the most delicious things on earth. It’s the firmness of the beans, you see, and the sugary hit of the burgundy-coloured sauce surrounding them.
