Showing posts with label Korean BBQ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korean BBQ. Show all posts

Monday, 9 September 2013

Seorae


It's been sometime since I chat about Pantai Indah Kapuk? Yes or No? Ummm... hahaha anyways there was a big buzz about a new Korean restaurant opening up in PIK. They were in business around early August and has taken the Pluit, Muara Karang, PIK community by storm! My friends living in Jakarta Barat, Selatan and even Pusat asked me multiple times "Yul, have you tried Seorae ??!". Well I finally did last Friday and I must mention about the queue. Queuing up for food is something that I hate soooooooo sooooooo much, but for the sake of this. I did wait for around 1 hour and 45 minutes !!! I almost gave up after one hour but to think that I had already spent 60 minutes, pushed me to wait till I finally get to try this damn thing. 

The usher in front was actually nice enough, he tried chatting with the people who were waiting anxiously. He assured everyone that they do have enough meat to go around and thus waiting will not be in vain. He tried to explain the specialty that 'Seorae' has to offer is 'Galmaegisal'. Each fully grown pig can only produce 250 grams of this sirloin extension ; Galmaegisal so called 'Skirt Meat' is thus considered as a rare part.

Menu : Sundubu Jigae
Price : Rp 54,800 ++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> I always go for soup in a Korean restaurant. I think it's important that a good Korean place can make a solid soup. Well it's a 6.5 from me. I had much better ones but I think Seorae's was pretty decent. The tofu, veggies and clams were quite generous, except for the pork. There wasn't much pork noticeable inside the hot stone pot. Overall, it is the kind of dish that when you have it, you'll not be disappointed but nor you will be impressed.

King Spicy Galmaegisal   :   Rp 134,800 ++   ( Score : 9.0 / 10 )


>> I was not hungry when I arrive but was famished after 1 hour and 45 minutes of queuing. Two person ordered 3 dishes. The sundubu jigae soup (above), king spicy galmaegisal and the pork neck (below). If you happen to pay attention to the menu during your trip, you'll notice there is a 'king' and 'non - king' galmaegisal. It simply means the portioning. I would urge you to get the king one! It is goooood and you'll able to finish it no matter how. Then there is a spicy and non spicy, I obviously had the spicy one and to be honest, no heat or spicy kick to my palate. Thus just follow my choice 'King Spicy Galmaegisal' and you won't regret it. I don't know about animal pig's anatomy body part, not sure whether skirt meat is really rare or not. But one thing for sure, my taste buds don't lie. Galmaegisal is a 9 pointer !! And I don't give points that high very often.

By the way, I forgot to mention that Seorae is in fact a franchised brand from Seoul. The owner said in the near future the waiter would most likely to teach the eater to be independent, hence grilling their own meat (exactly like those in Korea). But at the moment, helpers were there to assist us in grilling to perfection.

Hangjeongsal   :   Rp 79,800 ++   ( Score : 8.0 / 10 )


>> Initially I was quite skeptic about 'pork neck', but both of us decided on this anyway. And after grilling it to crisp with slightly char burnt edges, it was surprisingly goooood !! I expect it to be chewy, a similar texture to tendons I supposed. But it wasn't at all. Tender and quite juicy in fact! I dip it with the home made mustard sauce Seorae provide and I was blown away by it. A definite recommendation from trythismenu ^_^.

Coming back here? Yes, yes, yes ! The owner said they're preparing to set up the second floor and getting additional helpers and waiters to accommodate the crowd. Thus by then, the lead time for waiting wouldn't be so painful. A tip that I notice, come in late at around 9.30 pm, but before their last order at 10 pm. Around then, there is no crowd or line waiting on the list. You get served to the table right away! I might do that in the very near future. Galmaegisal saranghaeyo !


Seorae
Rukan Garden House, B - 19. Pantai Indah Kapuk. Jakarta Utara.
Phone : +62 21 29033389

Monday, 29 April 2013

Pyong Yang Restaurant

 

This rare gem is pretty interesting! I've heard about a North Korean Restaurant in Jakarta but didn't actually know exactly where it was. As a matter of fact, when I googled it up it's just a 5 minutes drive from Gandaria City Mall. Upon reaching the restaurant, you'll be greeted by pearl white skin beauties! I was actually fixated looking at the waitresses. They're all native North Koreans, well in fact in fact; the waitresses, along with the cooks, came down here all the way from Pyongyang around four years ago, around the time this restaurant was first opened. They had been students in a hospitality academy in their country, one of them told us.

I wouldn't praise too much about the decor, just pretty much standard but the ladies were an attraction! Beware of language barrier, makes it difficult to communicate or asking questions. The menu had pictures for every title thus making it easier for the local Indonesians to understand.















One of the biggest attractions of Pyong yang Restaurant is the fact that the servers are all stunning North Korean ladies in their traditional custom dress, Hanbok with impeccable service and extremely attentive towards the preparation and serving of the food. I must admit that those ladies are multi talented, wearing their traditional costumes and flocking around the place serving customers. Every Friday and on the weekends at 8 pm sharp there is also a group song performance by the North Korean ladies that makes Pyong Yang surely a astoundingly enjoyable dining experience. 

Menu : Pyongyang Cold Noodle 
Price : Rp 55,000 ++
Score : 5.5 / 10

>> This cold noodle is definitely different from the normal cold soba noodle you had in your favourite Japanese restaurant. Even though I didn't quite like this, my friend loves it! The texture, the flavor and even the viscosity is unique! A distinctive delicacy of the city of Pyongyang is naengmyon (cold buckwheat noodle). Here it was served in rich, icy broth with a smattering of julienned vegetables and boiled egg. It tasted a bit vinegary but the coldness was perfectly refreshing, with its noodles supplying a smooth sensation to the mouth. 

To be honest, I'm more of a ramen girl than a cold buckwheat noodle. It didn't settle too well with my taste buds but definitely do try this when you're here. It's one of the 'must try' dishes.
Menu : Meat Dumpling Soup
Price : Rp 68,000 ++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> Dumplings! I loove dumplings! Well I had better ones than this but it's a 6.5 pointer from me. It's pretty good actually, the skin was quite thin, the fillings were full and the seasonings were balanced. 

The broth was good, i love the calm warm feeling that I tasted. It wasn't overpowered with spices or anything. Plain good brewed pork soup! Delicious and worth your try!



Menu : Roast Pork
Price : Rp 150,000 ++
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> Yummmmmm !! I likee this and thus you gotta love this too !! Sliced grilled pork with soy sauce poured on top. The meat had a good thickness, thus with the hot sauce, the meat didn't overcooked or get soggy. It maintained the texture and the flavour was definitely gooood.

I wasn't sure what kind of sauce they use, black sauce for sure is used and of course the traditional garlic, onions, pepper. But nothing similar with those dishes I tasted in South Korean restaurants in Indonesia. When you come here, you gotta have this!!

Pyong yang Restaurant
Jl. Gandaria 1 No 58, Kebayoran Baru Jakarta Selatan 
Phone : 021 - 72800889

Monday, 16 July 2012

Manimga

Manimga is situated in one of the most densely populated area where Korean influence are felt; Kelapa Gading, Jakarta Utara. Countless Korean restaurants can be found in Jakarta but I've never ever eaten 'duck' in a Korean eatery. Instead, I always have the common type of meat; beef and pork (sometimes chicken) cooked in all sorts of way - BBQ, grilled, stir fried, boiled in soup, etc, with all sorts of sauces and traditional condiments - gochujang, bean paste, etc. Not only I was actually surprise that I found a Korean duck dish, but even more that it was the house specialty !!! Goooood stuff :')

Before I go into the details with the menu that I ordered, I have to inform you all that this is by far the MOST value for money Korean food I have ever eaten in Jakarta. Yes, I must say the place wasn't the most prestigious Ruko in Kelapa Gading area (but easy to locate). Yes, the place was rather small and rather run down and gloomy looking. Yes, the restaurant wasn't the best decor compared to other Korean eatery, but let me repeat it once again "Manimga is the most value for money Korean food I have ever eaten in Jakarta".

Buffet centre side dishes is a common thing in all Korean restaurants, but the distance of generosity that Manimga goes is by far the furthest I've known. Below are the pictures of items that two of us got for free. (Bear in mind that the 2 of us only ordered two meat dishes and one bowl of steam rice). Left : Sundubu (others usually charged for around Rp 50,000. Middle : Papingsu & Ice Coffee (ps : free flow rice green tea too). Right : Unlimited centre side dish (the only let down was the super sour kimchi).
Menu : Hunje Ori
Price : Rp 125,000 ++
Score : 9.0 / 10

>> This duck doesn't taste like duck at all. It taste like cured pork sausage and ham. I loooove this stuff. To begin, the portion is BIG. For two person, we ordered the smallest size plate and I was smiling for ear to ear when I saw the portion. Korean dish is famous for tiny weeny meat portion (I guess that is how they earn more money). The duck meat has the right amount of fat, nothing like the one I ate in Chinese restaurant (thick fat layer). This dish has the right amount of fat layer and when wrapped with fresh green leaves, cut chilies, kimchi and dipped into mustard and Korean soy sauce...my taste buds dances! Definitely two thumbs and two toes up! MUST TRY !!!
Menu : Gochujang Jumulruk
Price : Rp 90,000 ++
Score : 6.0 / 10

>> This dish comes after Hunje Ori and with the complimentary Sundubu and endless side dishes my tummy was 3/4 filled. I was again amazed by the portion of meat. My gosh! By far the largest BBQ pork dish served in Korean restaurant I have ever eaten in Jakarta for the price of Rp 90,000. I couldn't help but to think how much profit the other Korean restaurants made when they charged Rp 200,000 and sometimes even smaller portion that this.

However sadly, the taste didn't live up to my expectation and definitely outshined by 'Hunje Ori'. I didn't like the taste, it's too acidic and I couldn't smell the slight burnt taste that BBQ grilling usually gave. The cook might marinated the pork for too long or the helper might grilled it for too short. If only the taste can live up, then my lunch on that particular day was truly heaven. Nevertheless, a good size to share for those people who are not picky about their food. If you are then choose the duck dish instead!

Overall I must say that this restaurant left a big impression on me. Not only the service was very generous, the food portion were certainly satisfying but also not many of Indonesian actually notice this place and therefore NO queue. Bliss isn't it ??

Total Cost for the meal of two : Rp 240,000 (inclusive tax)

Manimga - Korean Barbeque Restaurant
7 Boulevard Barat Kelapa Gading
Phone : 021 - 4526 136

Monday, 10 January 2011

Arang 22

My close friend (SM) had her twin baby boys today. She had a C - section and within 10 minutes her babies were out of her tummy. Brayden and Bradley were the two names! After visiting her in the hospital, I had Korean dinner with DH. I chose Arang 22 as the place. I heard a lot of buzz about this restaurant but only get to try it now. The parking space was a bitch but the food experience was apologetic for all the parking excuse.
 
Menu : Sut Bul Kalbi
Price : Rp 180,000++
Score : 6.5 / 10

» Great tasting meat! I like the saltiness of the marinate sauce they use. Very succulent and juicy. With green lettuce leaf, cucumber, chili and red Korean paste, the whole party on the tongue is just irresistible!
Menu : Kimchi Chigae
Price : Rp 65,000++
Score : 7.0 / 10

» I would have to say this is 2nd best to Gyukaku's kimchi soup. Definitely better tasting than the one Han Gang is serving. It has great seasoning and the balance of sour, salty and the spicy really had me go for 2nd serving.
Menu : Bossam Jongsik
Price : Rp 80,000++
Score : NIL

» I'm sorry to say that I didn't taste this and therefore not able to cast a score. I had the Kimchi served at the side but not the pork. Reason was that it is 100% FATS -_-. Slices of thick and slightly grilled fats was surely not ordered by me. I reckon if I had this, my cholesterol level would have just shoot out of the roof!
Menu : Jap Chae
Price : Rp 95,000++
Score : 7.5 / 10

» Arang's Jap Chae is amazingly delicious! Of all the dish I ordered from the menu, this is really the best tasting one. The potato noodle is more stickier than other Korean restaurant has. I love the noodle, the sauce, the texture and of course; the taste!!!

Tuesday, 28 December 2010

Yummy Sydney Part 3

This is the third part of my food journey in Sydney. One of the star attractions in Sydney are the beaches and this trip I visited 2 beaches; Manly Beach & Bondi Beach. We choose a prefect sunny day to make a trip there. While the boys were swimming, I was busy eating and of course shopping!!!

MANLY OCEAN FOOD
I heard they are famous for their fish and chips and that was exactly what I ordered! I had the grilled one and DH had the fried. The seafood was really really fresh and I love the fact that we're on the beach eating fish that is some how very rustic and comforting.

COPENHAGEN ICE CREAM
After I had my fried and grilled fish, I went simply next door and wash down with ice cream!!! I had 4 scoops; rum and raisin, Ferraro, mango and strawberry sorbet. I love the rum and raisin, very very yummy indeed. If I can turn back time, I'll make sure I get a part time job in a Gelato store back when I was studying in Melbourne.


MAX BRENNER
Before I came to Sydney, I had my 'what to eat' list and this sweet cafe is definitely on that list BIG TIME! I love sugary chocolate so much that I can't imagine what my life will be without it. On dramatisation, I might shrivel up and die without chocolate hahaha !!


HURRICANE'S GRILL
I had "Hurricane Grill" for dinner when I was at the Bondi Beach. But let me tell you that the queue was just amazingly crazy, long, busy and hectic. Put it simply; Full House. Luckily, they had a 'Hurricane Express" right next to the restaurant. It is exactly the same food served in the restaurant except that it is a take away instead of eating it. Thus, we all picnic up at the sandy beach and ate our super yummy take away Hurricane Ribs.


SYDNEY'S FISH MARKET


KOREAN BBQ RESTAURANT
This Korean restaurant is the middle of the city, if I'm not mistaken it is on "Goldburn Street" about 2 blocks away from Paddy's Market. The food here is pretty okay, I wouldn't say it was amazingly yummy but was overall suitable for everyone's taste buds.