Showing posts with label Kimchi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kimchi. Show all posts

May 24, 2017

Gangnam 88 Korean Restaurant @ Solaris Mont Kiara



Gangnam Value Set Menu!



There’s something addictive about Korean cuisine for me. I simply can’t get enough of the cuisine. Lots of pungent flavours of fermented kimchi, piping hot stews and soups, juicy barbeque meats, various banchans and more, there’s always satisfaction when it comes to Korean food, at least for me…


Gangnam 88 is not new to our culinary scene but the Korean restaurant is good enough to always warrant return visits. Having tried their outlet in Sunway Giza previously, this round I visited their popular original outlet in Solaris Mont Kiara.


Though not as big as the other outlet, this outlet has better ambiance with a comfortable vibe. Expect lots of the usual Korean stars plastered on the walls of the restaurant including the King of Gangnam, PSY!



We love how there are various small rooms sectioned off to offer more privacy as well as various mix and match furniture to echo an eclectic décor throughout the restaurant located on level one.


The menu is filled with lots of tempting photos of Korean dishes to make ordering easier. Gangnam 88 also offers set meals perfect for big or small parties that are value-for-money. Since there were 4 adults and 2 kids, we opted for the Gold Set (RM238). It’s sufficient for 5 to 6 person and they were certainly very generous with the portions and dishes, so much so we couldn’t even finish this set.


Cheese Rolled Omelet, a typical dish that appears daily in many Korean meals, is guaranteed to be a favorite with every one of all ages. Egg and cheese with bits of vegetables makes good accompaniment for rice and other dishes. Do let staff know if you don’t want chili in it as it comes with chili sauce which may not be favorable for kids.


Classic and one of my favorite Korean dish is Kimchi Soup. This version is made just right with a solid robust tang and heat with lots of pickled kimchi, tofu and other good stuff.



The Samgyetang or Ginseng Chicken Soup is known for nutritional values with Korean ginseng, jujube, chicken and rice. It’s a bowl of comforting flavours and great at any meal. Flavours are quite delicate with subtle hints of ginseng. The chicken is so tender that it literally falls apart from the slightest touch. We took this home and it was even better the next day with rice.


The 3 Types BBQ is superb. The best of Gangnam 88 trio of pork bbq, we had Pork Galbi BBQ, Pork Belly Samgyeop BBQ and Pork Shoulder Moksal BBQ. All three are different in flavours and texures but equally delicious. I kept going back for more of this BBQ and the best part is that it’s all cooked for us so we didn’t have to do the cooking. Must order!!


A monstrous stew appear in the form of Cheese Squid Rabbokgi. Crispy squid sat in a pool of fiery sauce filled with soft and chewy tteokbokki, fish cake, vegetable and plenty of cheese. Pungent in flavours with sweet, savory and some heat, I enjoyed the thick and cheesy sauce with the crispy squid. It’s beginning to be a popular dish here these days, especially among the younger generation of Korean fans.




Perhaps we were too full to fully enjoy the Honey Butter Fried Chicken. Nevertheless, the dish has no faults. Large boneless chicken thigh well-seasoned and fried before glazed in a sticky sweet and buttery sauce had all the markings of a good dish and we would have gladly polish this off if only we weren’t so full from everything else.


Banchan was nothing to shout about but with so much food, we really have not complaints. Kimchi was good though and so was the creamy salad. These are refillable too.


For drinks, we opted for their homemade Misugaru and Sikhye. Misugaru is a very healthy and nutritious beverage made from combinations of at least 7 grains. It’s milky with a nutty soy taste and is quite filling. I love the Sikhye a lot. The sweet Korean rice drink is refreshing and easy to enjoy with the rest of the Korean dishes.


The Gold Set is really value-for-money and easily feeds at least 6 adults. There are plenty of other smaller or bigger sets and even sets with drinking options if you enjoy beer, soju or makgeolli. We know why Gangnam 88 is still a popular hotspot for Korean food in Solaris. The ambiance and vibe is certainly pleasant and the food is scrumptious as well as affordable. That evening, the restaurant was packed but service was efficient despite the crowd. Definitely a good spot for Korean food!



GANGNAM 88
No 1-1, Jalan Solaris 3,
Solaris Mont Kiara Off Jalan Kira,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +60 3-6206 5888


Business Hours:
Daily 11.30am to 1.00am


March 1, 2017

All You Can Eat Korean BBQ Buffet @ Hwa Ga


Load up on Korean BBQ and Nurungji Tongdak


If you don’t know by now, then I’ll gladly say it again. I love Korean food. Any dishes for that matter. Korean cuisine has such robust flavours, colors and are also pretty healthy as they incorporate a lot of vegetables to their diet. My family and I often have Korean, at least once a week. Whether it’s eating outside or homecook, we all love Korean food dearly.


We also love a good Korean BBQ. Though I have made Korean BBQ at home before but I prefer to eat out simply because there are plenty Korean BBQ places that are really good out there and we like to leave the messiness to others. One place to enjoy a good Korean BBQ is Hwa Ga Korean Restaurant. With five outlets spread all over the city, Hwa Ga serves a substantial variety of Korean dishes from BBQ to stews and even a very unique Nurunji chicken.


We visited their Sunway Mentari outlet one Saturday to check out their latest promotion of All-You-Can-Eat Korean A La Carte BBQ Buffet that just started. Available for lunch and dinner daily, this promotion is a steal for those who enjoy lots of barbeque meats and seafood. That’s not all, it’s a la carte buffet so it means you order of their menu so that everything is kept fresh.



Hwa Ga Korean restaurant is designed like most typical Korean restaurants. Simple minimal décor with spacious settings, the Sunway Mentari outlet is bright and lovely. Lots of natural lighting from the glass walls, a lovely counter bar, well-kept ventilation even though it is a BBQ restaurant and even the air-conditioning was solid and cool.



We sat down to one of the long tables and was happy with what we saw on the All-You-Can-Eat Korean A La Carte BBQ Buffet menu. Definitely lots of meat from pork, beef and chicken to some squid as well. Besides all the meat and seafood choices (12 choices to be exact), there is also a long list of other dishes from stews to rice, noodles, pajeon, tteokbokki  and even Korean fried chicken. Let’s not forget the refillable Banchans too.


First up, Banchans all ready and set to go… Kimchi, Spicy Eggplant, Beansprout, Spicy Fish Cake, Crispy Anchovy and Peanut, Sauteed Zucchini, Egg Roll, Spicy Onion and Lettuce Salad. These choices of Banchans may differ daily.




Hwa Ga uses special charcoal that has less smoke so fear not for those who are worried for their hair and clothes. The restaurant also has pretty good ventilation system with the underground suction system.


Meat up… all glorious 12 choices:
Samgyeopsal (Pork Belly) – thick cuts of tender and fatty pork belly
Busut Samgyeopsal (Pork Belly with Mushroom)
Daepae Samgyeopsal (Sliced Pork Belly) – thin slices of fatty pork belly
Gochujang Samgyeopsal (Spicy Pork Belly) – spicy and sweet fatty pork belly
Dwaeji Galbi (Grilled Pork Ribs) – savory and sweet pork ribs, my favorite of the lot
Dwaeji Jumulleok (Grilled Marinated Pork) – savory and sweet pork with onions and peppers
Hangjeongsal (Pork Shoulder) – lean pork fillet
Usamgyeop (Short Plate) – 3 layer beef
LA Galbi (Beef Rib) – savory and sweet beef rib with fatty bits, also very tasty
Jumulleok Gui (Beef in Soy Sauce) – savory lean beef slices
Dakgalbi (Stir Fried Chicken) – spicy and sweet boneless chicken
O-Jingeo Gui (Grilled Squid) – spicy and sweet squid


Let’s BBQ!

Grilled your own meats or if the restaurant is not too busy, they might be able to also help you with the bbq. The Grilled Pork Ribs are simply divine and we ordered 3 rounds of this yummy and tender pork ribs with bits of fat. The savory and sweetness is well-balanced in this one so we really enjoyed this very much as well as the thick Pork Belly.


There is also a O am Bulgogi (Spicy Squid & Pork Belly Bulgogi), cooked in the kitchen and served upon order.


Korean Fried Chicken! Most Korean BBQ restaurants don’t serve these but I was glad they do here. Although I didn’t expect too much from these, all choices of Yangnyeom Chicken, Fried Chicken, Banban Chicken and Dakgangjung turned out very decent. Crispy, tender, moist and individually seasoned with various sauces and seasoning.


Koreans love their stews. Also part of the menu are classic stews of Kimchi Jiigae, Doenjang Jiigae, Woosamgyeop Deonjang Jiigae and Sundubu Jiigae. These are great with rice or even good on its own.


There’s also Kimchijeon and Pajeon. Whether you’re opting for spicy kimchi pancake or spring onion pancake, these are no doubts classic favorites when dining in Korean restaurants.


Japchae, a healthy myriad concoction of vegetables, chewy noodles and sometimes some protein. It’s a good dish to get more vegetables and give your jaw some exercise with the chewy noodles.


Same goes for Korean rice cakes or Tteokbokki. This one is cooked spicy with lots of sauce drenching rice cakes, vegetables and fish cakes. I love mine really spicy…


For fillers or if you must have your rice, choose from the regular bowl of Bibimbap or the hot stone bowl of Dolsot Bibimbap. Either one, both are healthy and delicious.


There’s also fried rice Korean style and Hwa Ga offers Kimchi Bokkeumbab and Yachae  Bokkeumbab. One’s spicy with piquant kimchi while the other is vegetarian.



While most may not think to order noodles, I am still glad Hwa Ga offers Shin Ramyeon and Kimchi Ramyeon in this buffet deal. My little one had the Shin Ramyeon and enjoyed it very much.


The All-You-Can-Eat Korean A La Carte BBQ Buffet is really a value-for-money deal if you enjoy lots of meat and other Korean dishes.


All-You-Can-Eat Korean A La Carte BBQ Buffet

Lunch 11am to 3pm        Adult - RM 39++ | Child RM 20++ (6 to 11 years old)
Dinner 5pm to 11pm       Adult - RM 45++ | Child: RM 25++ (6 to 11 years old)
*Children below 5 years old eat for free

Term & Conditions
·         Dining time: 2 hours max
·         Food wastage will be charged accordingly
·         All prices are subject to 10% service charge
·         1 special gift for each table.
*Special gift is subject to stock availability and terms and conditions apply.





As mentioned earlier, besides the BBQ, Hwa Ga also serves various renditions of Nurungji Tongdak. Nurungji is actually scorched rice. It is actually the thin crust of the bottom layer of steamed rice. Nurungji Tongdak refers to whole chicken stuffed with rice cooked with other ingredients and roasted in charcoal oven for one and half hours till everything is well cooked together. The chicken is then butterflied in order to press the rice filling to be cooked on a hot plate to scorch the rice. Then the chicken is then paired with various condiments and sauces to be served.


Hwa Ga serves 10 variations of Nurungji Tongdak. The rice filling has glutinous rice, black rice, ginseng, jujube dates, gingko nuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, barley and garlic.


We savored three variations with the first one being the original Nurungji Tongdak (RM55). The Grilled Chicken with Scorched Rice has a wonderful aroma as the rice filling is being scorched on the hot place. The chicken is tender and makes a lovely contrast with the scorched rice. The dish is best eaten hot for flavours and textures.


There is also the spicy Nurungji Cheese Buldak (RM65). This one features Grilled Chicken and Scorched Rice with Cheese and Spicy sauce. Enjoy ooey gooey cheesy sensations as one pulls the chicken smothered in lots of melted cheese and spicy sauce.



The Nurungji Modeum (RM75) which features Assorted Grilled Chicken with Scorched Rice has the additions of lots of spring onions, onions, bonito flakes, cheese and sweet corn. Make sure to eat this hot while the cheese is still soft and melty for best flavours.




Drinks are Not Included in the All-You-Can-Eat Korean A La Carte BBQ Buffet but fear not, there’s plenty of choices available for additional order. Choose from Soju, Makgeoli, Beer, Plum Wine, Tea, Sodas and Juices.



Hwa Ga Sunway Mentari
Dataran Mentari Sunway,
28, Jalan PJS 8/18,
Bandar Sunway,
46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Contact: +603- 5630 0648
Business Hours: 11am- 11pm


Hwa Ga Ara Damansara
R-08 1st floor, Oasis Square,
No 2, Jalan PJU,
A/7A Ara Damansara, PJU 1A,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Contact: +603- 7734 6538
Business Hours: 11am- 11pm

Hwa Ga Sri Petaling
55-57G, Jalan Radin Bagus,
Sri Petaling,
57000, Kuala Lumpur,
Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
Contact: +603- 9055 3555
Business Hours: 11am- 11pm


Hwa Ga Mont Kiara Solaris
7, Block K Soho KL.
Solaris Mont Kiara,
504800, Kuala Lumpur.
Contact: +6010- 243 6547
Business Hours: 11am- 11pm

Hwa Ga Damansara Perdana (Pork Free) (No Ala Carte Buffet)
Lot F05 Empire Gallery Heritage Lane
No2, Jalan PJU 8/8,
Damansara Perdana,
47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Contact: +603- 7732 6151
Business Hours: 11am- 11pm