Do

Looking for an unexpected delight? Tired of independent places constantly going western, in their attempt to be alternative? These were some of the factors delaying the latest Indie Jinju entry.  Luckily, the drought ended at Do.

Initially, this place looks like any of the other extortionate, alternative places down the road at Gyeongsang Uni front gate, with a trendy menu board, punctuated with decimals to make the pricing look cool, modern and (possibly) low. This unfortunate fashion however, does nothing to undermine the genuine quality and value that lies down the stairs of Do.

Located in a modest basement, Do makes the best of its location with pleasant arty decor, nicely designed furniture and - importantly - clean, segregated toilets! The ceiling is high, and there's none of the stuffy or smelly unpleasantness that can come with basements. The staff also help. Sharp and attentive, both the owner and waiter do their best to make diners feel welcome. This certainly works for Indie Jinju.

And the food? What a refreshing change - two types of curry! I mean, they had other stuff, but the sight of 'Hot, Spicy Curry Rice' at W4000 was enough for this hungry writer. It didn't disappoint either. An interesting style of curry, which was spicy, but nothing to blow one's socks off. The power was all in the taste and presentation, which was just so different from standard-fare Korean or Japanese curry. This was served with fresh (I mean really fresh and crunchy) salad, white radish kimchi, with a cup of tea or coffee for dessert. The other dishes on the menu will have to wait for another day, or night - the place opens till 3am, which brings us nicely to the next, intriguing point...

Do is a budget, student-orientated restaurant,but it's also a pub. This dimension has just been explored, but you can count on Indie Jinju to do it again, before the week - and the month of April - are out.

Marks out of ten? A solid nine, for a good value and alternative eating experience. With the benefit of a night time visit, Do remains worth 8 out of 10. This is after experiencing the mood after dark, which, with the benefit of the very reasonably-priced and varied selection of booze on the menu, was okay. It did however, lack the bright, cheery atmosphere of lunch time, due to a sparsity of drinkers.  Let's hope things pick up from here on!