SIZZLING GOOD MEATS AT SEOULNAMI KOREAN BBQ

Stepping into SeoulNami is like entering a laidback, rustic beach-front eatery. Warm mellow-lighting coupled with a youthful surf’s up vibes, and wall-mounted ‘cut outs’ of food ingredients makes this pork-free Korean BBQ restaurant a convivial dining outpost among Malaysians at The Gardens Mall.

 

Owner and director Huen Su San of Beyond Korea Dining Group said: “SeoulNami opened about three years ago and has just reopened for dine-in recently. Our resident Korean chef concocts all the marinades and sauces we use at SeoulNami. The formulations are tweaked slightly to suit local palates.”

Signature Beef Platter (front) with the option of adding Korean Bone-in Short Rib (top left)

Strictly adhering to new norm SOPs, dining parties of 3-4 persons will find SeoulNami’s Signature Beef Platter (RM119) consisting of Bulgogi, Beef Rib Fingers, and Beef Belly a notable choice especially on their first visit.

This great value set comes with the option of adding in Korean Bone-in Short Rib (a la carte RM139). Should you prefer to go a la carte, the Beef Rib Fingers costs RM59, Bulgogi RM39, and streaky Beef Belly RM29.

Streaky Beef Belly

Bulgogi

Beef Rib Fingers

The nice thing about dining at SeoulNami is the helpful and efficient service team will step up and barbecue the meat without you lifting a finger – just remember to inform them of the preferred doneness for your choice of meat. When the slew of delicious morsels hit your table piping hot, you’d devour every enticing piece and find yourself replete in no time.

We also have ample opportunities to relish the textures of different cuts; and tried to decide which of the various marinated meats we prefer. In addition, sampling the meaty servings with the accompanying platter of fresh greens, raw garlic, green chillies and carrot sticks add to the experience.

Ban chan – little side dishes of radish pickles, cabbage kimchi, side salad, and steamed egg are served to accompany the meal.

Non-beef eaters may like to opt for the sweet and rich Honey Butter Chicken (RM59), a honey-butter rendition popularised by the Korean snack trend. Wrap a piece of the chicken in fresh lettuce, spike it up with the house gochujang sauce and eat it as ssam (Korean lettuce wraps).

SeoulNami’s Hot Pepper Chicken (RM59) is a hot hit among chilli fiends looking for an adrenalin rush. Concocted using the hottest chilli from the Korean province of Cheongyang and the house gochujang paste, the tongue-burning marinade makes its presence felt in the barbecued chicken pieces.

After that scorcher, the Ganjang Chicken (rm59) appears underwhelming but if you’re after a traditional Korean marinade with caramelised umami boost, this would be it. Melted cheese lava (RM19) is also available on request.

Ideal for sharing, the Signature Platter of Chicken Sampler (RM89) featuring all three flavourful marinated chicken also comes with a similar platter of greens.

Other notable items to consider include Premium Yang Galbi (RM59), marinated lamb rib and Spicy Octopus (RM39); for textural and flavour variation to your meal.

Koreans are big on rice and the Fist Rice (RM29) comes highly recommended. Available in original or spicy version, disposable gloves are provided for you to mix the warm soft rice with seaweed flakes and fragrant chicken mince, and shape into mini rice balls.

Simple but utterly delectable, we find them incredibly appealing. Both the original and spicy versions have their appeal. Talk about rice-ing to the occasion in wrapping up a Korean BBQ experience at SeoulNami.

For information and reservations, call SeoulNami Korean BBQ, tel: 03-2202 3336. Address: F-215, First Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: 11am – 10 pm daily

YG REPUBLIQUE'S A SEOUL FOOD & K-PUB HAVEN

The hallyu craze remains strong in Malaysia, evidenced by more Korean F&B franchises making their presence felt in the local food scene. Last November YG Foods –- a South Korean food and restaurant company headed by K-food and lifestyle celebrity Noh Hee Young as its CEO -- entered the fray with YG Republique.

The fully integrated K-style food and entertainment space chose TREC Kuala Lumpur as its base; enticing urbanites with great food, cool drinks and convivial nights out within its hipsterish, industrial vibe enclave. Warm overhead lighting lend shine to a raw backdrop of exposed brick and mortar whilst autograph scribblings and K-pop paraphernalia adorn gray feature walls.

K-PUB photo courtesy of YG Republique

Here, patrons get to experience the dynamism of Korean pop culture and entertainment as YG Republique accords the quintessential Seoul bar experience; a holistic all-in-one Korean food & dining experience with lively, entertaining vibes to boot.

The main space is devoted to Samgeori Butcher’s, a Korean BBQ/grill restaurant with an adjacent K-Pub, a Korean craft beer bar. We were told Samgeori Butcher’s has three outlets in South Korea, and a Bangkok outlet in addition to the KL outpost.

Channelling old-school Korean butchery, Samgeori Butcher’s exudes a laidback, retro-inspired interior: from its woody furnishings to vintage tableware and food presentation.

Premium pork and beef cuts are aged on premise such as the three different types of premium pork cuts cured in Cypress Pine, to imbue its delicate scent and allow the meat flavour to develop. Special sauces are developed and served to further accentuate the pork.

Pairing, sharing & gathering is the key maxim of K-Pub, YG’s answer to a Korean craft beer house. At sundown, music and entertainment draw post-work revellers through its doors in addition to the magnetic pull of mixologists’ magic and nifty bar food.

For a start, nibble on Assorted Dried Snacks imported from Korea which made great companions for beer and your fave drinks from the K-Pub, be it soju, makgeolli or maek (beer).

The runaway choice for most is inevitably chimaek, the renowned pairing of fried chicken and beer. We were instantly besotted with the delectable Garlic Sauce Fried Chicken (RM52, medium serving).

Peppered with bits of pickled bird’s eye chilli and red chilli, the chicken coated in sticky garlic sauce were scrumptious. A side dish of radish kimchi helped to cut any discernible greasiness (but there wasn’t any thankfully).

First-time patrons will do well to go with the Butcher’s Sampler (420g, RM170) comprising Spanish Iberico Pork Neck, Pork Belly & Jowl. Ample for for 2 persons to share, the meat cuts came nicely wrapped in newsprint butcher paper similar to the old days in Korea. 

The YG team acquitted the BBQ process deftly and efficiently minus any smoky residue bothering us. As we munched on assorted ban chan and two Korean salads, we had a nice time comparing notes on the cuts each of us preferred but frankly, the pork was sublime with the various sides of house dips, pickles, raw garlic and fresh lettuce.

 

Communal sharing is the way to go here with house specialities like the YG Special Budae Jjigae (RM60). Best shared between 2-3 persons, the robustly flavoured Korean army stew with pork, ham, sausage, kimchi, ramen and rice cakes left us feeling hot under the collar but utterly satisfied.

 

Chilli and spice fiends will find piquant succor from the fiery hot Spicy Squid and Pork Belly Bulgogi (RM35). Although the heat quotient caused our eyes to water and set tongues ablaze, we agreed its explosive taste was addictive enough to lure us back for repeat helpings.

YG Republique deserves a visit the next time you’re in the mood for some good K-pub nibbles and drinks, coupled with porky BBQ dining experience right in the heart of KL.

For reservations, call YG Republique, tel: 03-2110 4104. Address: HG-01 & HG-02 Hive, TREC, 438, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. http://www.ygrepublique.com.my​