Not every restaurant would be comfortable describing one of its leading menu offerings as "stone steak". But VIPS Steak & Salad Bar, a popular South Korean restaurant chain owned by that nation's CJ Group, does so with pride.

Of course, that name doesn't mean you get a piece of meat that's hard as a rock. "Stone steak" is a Korean specialty: medium-rare steak presented on a hot stone slate, which diners can take and pan-fry at the table themselves to the level of doneness they like.

Chinese customers are often allured by lifestyles shown in South Korea soap operas and movies. The owners at CJ Group, which has business ranging from film, K-pop and food, have taken advantage of their cultural appeal and extended the company's success to China with two branches. The original customer base was South Korean expats, but now more than half are Chinese, says head chef Tian Yulong.