No less an authority than Jolanda Peters, Brentwood Town Centre's marketing director, led us to Koryo Korean Barbecue.

Peters couldn't stop raving about how fresh and tasty the food was at the Korean fusion restaurant located in the mall's food court. She's a regular diner there and said it was one of her favourite places, bar none.

When we visited and sat down with franchisee Dong Yoon Lee - everybody calls him Yoon - we were impressed with the food and the friendly staff at Koryo.

Yoon and his staff of five have built a loyal following by offering goodsized portions at afford-able prices and in a quick manner.

The most popular dish is the barbecue beef and chicken combo, which gives you a healthy portion of beef and chicken, along with two huge scoops of rice and two side dishes.

The side dishes are unlike any sides you'll find in a food court, as traditional Korean items such as kimchi, glass noodles, steamed egg and bean sprouts are complemented by more Western choices such as pasta salad, garlic potatoes and broccoli.

A popular dish is the udon noodle soup, which you can order in a seafood, beef, chicken or egg variety. We went with the seafood model, and the prawns, squid and imitation crab were exquisite. You can also ask for a little kimchi on the side, which can then be added to give a little extra kick.

For people who want a real taste of Korean/ Western fusion, the barbecue flamers beef or chicken burger is as tasty a burger as you'll find in the Brentwood area. The thin-sliced beef is markedly different from a traditional burger, and the Koryo special sauce gives the Big Mac special sauce and White Spot Triple O sauce a run for their money.

The best thing about Koryo is that two people can eat comfortably and be quite full for less than $20 total.

Koryo Korean Barbecue is located in the food court at Brentwood Town Centre at 4567 Lougheed Hwy.