All Things Pork @ Sanbanto Cafe, SS 2

On one of my study leaves, I brought my dad for lunch at Sanbanto Cafe @ SS 2 as I was quite tired of eating mixed rice (imagining having that for lunch and dinner for two consecutive days).  For the brain to function properly, I must feed myself properly.  Some porky treats would be perfect!

I ordered the Pork Burger (RM 19.90), which is a juicy hand-made pork patty burger with bacon and cheese served with french fries and salad.  The pork patty was seasoned well and quite flavourful on its own.  But together with the streaky bacon, the pork patty was kind of masked by the strong fragrance of the bacon.  What I did instead was to eat the bacon and pork patty separately so that I can enjoy the true flavours.  Generally, the burger was not too oily, but I find it slightly dry.  Would have been better if they had put some sort of sauce or gravy to add a bit more moisture to the burger.

The french fries were crispy and not very oily, which is good.  However, they tasted slightly bland without much flavours of the potato and so, I ended up dipping into the sauces for better taste.  The salad, I can't remember how it tasted like, unfortunately.

My dad ordered the Pork Chop (RM 25.90), which is a pan-fried pork chop with fragrant brown sauce served with french fries and salad.  I must say, this is the best pork chop I have tried.  The pork chop was so juicy and tender, and as you cut a piece of the meat, you can see a nice layer of fat and meat, leaving you a nice bouncy feel.  On the outside, it was seared nicely with a beautiful caramelised crust.  On its own, it was lovely and flavourful but with the peppery brown sauce, which was made from pork broth, it was heavenly.

I agree the pork tasted a bit different here at Sanbanto, with a little more sweetness and without the foul smell.  They must have done quite a good job to feed the right things to their pigs to get such flavours - grain-fed with mineral-rich underground water, I was told.  Will come back again for their pork.

However, Sanbanto is pretty small, with very limited seating spaces.  So, do give them a ring if you intend to go in large groups to prevent disappointment.

Sanbanto Cafe

No.32, SS2/63

47300 Petaling Jaya

GPS:  3.118855,101.621913

Tel:  03-78761728

Closed on Mondays

Lunch @ Tang House of Fishball, SS15 Subang Jaya

These days have been getting pretty hot and with such a stuffy weather, we just need to find somewhere nearby and air-conditioned.  That was how we stumbled across Tang House of Fishball @ SS15 Subang Jaya.  Despite my parents commenting about its mediocre taste, I just wanted to try it myself since some bloggers gave quite a good review about it.

Their signature dish is the Tang Pin Mee Pok (RM 6.00), topped with minced pork meat, slices of fish cake and lard, drizzled with a flavourful sauce.  It is usually a spicy dish but I ordered the non-spicy version instead.  Tasted very much like Hakka noodle, what makes it different is the flat, yellow egg noodles which somehow reminded me of fettuccine.  The taste is pretty light and not very oily.  Unfortunately, the portion is quite small and the consistency varies in each visit.

KS ordered the Handmade Fish Noodles (RM 7.00).  Initially, I thought it was a soup noodle, but then again, the picture in the menu was not very clear.  Anyway, it was a bowl of vermicelli with fish paste noodles topped with minced meat and fish cake, drizzled with some fish broth.  It has a very light flavour - a taste that was hardly noticeable.  I guess it was not salty enough but KS found it quite bearable.  The springy fish paste noodles, unfortunately, didn't really taste like fish to me.

One worth-trying dish in Tang House is the Hock Chew Ball (RM 6.00) - 6 pieces of bouncy fishballs filled with tender pork meat.  While the fishballs are worth a mention, what makes it very memorable is the sweet and flavourful fish-based broth that was cooked with bitter-gourd.  The taste was simple and light, but bursting with flavours.  No bitter taste at all.  It was good.

We also ordered the Signature Pan-Fried Dumplings (RM 6.00 - 8 pieces) to snack on.  There is nothing exceptionally outstanding about these pan-fried dumplings.  The dumpling skin has a nice crispy texture while still juicy on the inside.  The setback - it was a bit burnt for some of the dumplings and slightly oily.  The vinegar was just so-so and didn't help to accentuate the flavours much.

Finally, comes the desserts.  No drinks were ordered as we are attracted to the range of hot or cold soup desserts that they offer.

The one I liked the most is the cold Double-boiled Winter Melon and Longan (RM 3.80) dessert.  Comes with a lot of dried longans, it was not overly sweet and works well as a thirst quencher.

Another nice dessert is the Barley Fu Chuk Gingko (RM 3.50) cooked in soy milk.  The sweetness is just right and the soy milk give it a nice smooth texture.  The only thing I didn't like was that there was no balance of the three ingredients - there were more barley than the fu chuk and gingko.

While the Black Glutinous Rice Porridge (RM 3.50) looked nice in the menu, the actual was, unfortunately, not very appetizing with the coconut milk unattractively combining with the porridge.  It was obvious that the porridge was quite diluted, but despite that, the flavour and fragrance of the black glutinous rice is still there.  Just the texture was missing.

Generally, there are some hits and misses, with consistency being quite a problem.  The first visit was really good and that made us come back for a second, but disappointing, visit.  I ate the mee pok twice and it didn't taste the same on my second visit.  Could it be because it was a weekday?  Maybe a third visit could confirm the consistency problem.

Tang House of Fishball
No.31, Ground Floor
Jalan SS15/4E
47300 Subang Jaya

GPS:  3.078001, 101.5873017

German Food @ Bavarian Wirtshaus, Ara Damansara

I was googling for some nice German restaurants around Klang Valley and was so surprised to actually find one highly recommended restaurant near to where I stay.  Apparently, a German commented (in a forum, obviously) that Bavarian Wirtshaus @ Ara Damansara serves the next best thing to a real German food back home.  Was it a reliable comment after all?  Well, we just had to visit it to confirm.

Initially, I wanted to order their Homemade Bratwurst, but unfortunately, it was already sold out.  Hence, I had to settle with the Nuerenberg Sausage (RM 27.00), served with 2 side dishes of your choice and garden salad.  For the side dishes, I opted for the sauerkraut (an obvious choice in a German restaurant) and french fries.

The grilled pork sausage was a bit salty but is very fragrant and densely packed with a lot of juicy pork meat.  I quite like it as it reminded me of those chipolatas I had while in Sydney.  Served with a dollop of sweet, spicy mustard, it gave a nice finishing touch to spice up the sausages.  Overall, it was quite delicious.  However, even after a couple of experiences with German food, sauerkraut is still not my thing.  The pickled sour cabbage has a very distinct and acquired sour taste that my taste-buds can't seem to register very well.  I kind of felt sorry for leaving that almost untouched.  Hopefully, I didn't offend the chef too much.

KS ordered the Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables & Potatoes (RM 32.00).  Flavour-wise, it quite reminded me of barbecued pork, with that nice charcoal fragrance.  Topped with white butter sauce infused with garlic, the juicy meat was very nice.  The vegetables and potatoes were buttery and nicely cooked, but I think it needed a bit more salt to bring the flavours out.

For drinks, as we are not in the mood for any German beer, unfortunately, we had the Ice Lemon Tea (RM 5).  Served in a pretty small glass, it has a nice, strong lemon flavour that blends well into the tea.

Since my mum was not feeling well, I suggested to buy dinner back for my dad.  Of all the choices in the menu, the Breaded Chicken Cutlet (RM 26.50) with fried potatoes and bacon chips was the closest thing which would suit my dad's Asian taste-buds.  Although they forgotten to pack the black pepper sauce to go with the chicken, it was still decent.  I, who managed to snack some while my dad was working his way with the chicken, loved the potatoes with bacon chips - fragrant and moist, without too much oiliness.

Overall, the food is decent but the service is pretty slow despite being less crowded.  Like any bars and lounges, the lighting in the restaurant is extremely dim and hence, created a nice cosy feel.  Only comment is that Bavarian Wirtshaus is located in the quieter spots of Ara Damansara and hence, precautions need to be taken when visiting this place.

Bavarian Wirtshaus

No 13H, Block H

Jalan PJU 1A/3

Ara Damansara

47301 Petaling Jaya

GPS:  3.118571,101.578362

Nyonya Brunch @ Onde Onde, Desa Park City

On a nice Sunday morning, before we headed to the Kepong Metropolitan Park for a morning stroll, we stopped by at Onde Onde @ The Waterfront, Desa Park City for a simple local brunch.

Since I was not in the mood to eat something too heavy, I ordered a bowl of Half-boiled Eggs (RM 3.90) to go with Toasted Bread with Curry (RM 5.90).

The chicken curry was not very spicy and is seasoned well enough.  While KS found it a bit salty, I think it was perfectly alright especially when dipped into with the toast.  The texture was creamy and thick with a few pieces of chicken meat.  The only setback was that the toast was too thinly sliced, too crispy and slightly burnt which left a bitter aftertaste.

KS initially wanted to order the mee siam, but because shrimp paste was used as the base of the sauce, he had to make a pass and settle for the Curry Laksa (RM 7.90) instead.  Served with springy thin yellow noodles, the curry soup is a fish-based broth which is very light and sweet.

Unlike the usual standard curry noodles, it was not very creamy or heavy and hence, we find it suitable for a morning stomach.  While some might find that the spiciness a little bit on the milder side, both of us find it reasonably okay.  It was a good bowl of curry noodles with a lot of shredded chicken and fried bean-curd.

Seeing what I had ordered for my brunch, KS was afraid that I might not be full enough and insisted to add on the French Toast (RM 3.90) for me to snack on.  The french toast looked and tasted pretty normal but the good thing is that the toast was not too sweet or oily.

Overall, Onde Onde is quite a good place for a decent meal since it is reasonably priced and has a homey feel to it.  The ambiance is quite cosy and service was really friendly and accommodating.

Onde Onde

Lot GF-03A, Ground Floor
The Waterfront @ ParkCity
5 Persiaran Residen
Desa ParkCity 
52200 Kuala Lumpur

Lunch @ Delicious, St Mary Place

As KS and I just completed our exams, we decided to celebrate by having a nice lunch at Delicious @ St Mary Place.  This place was quite new with less than 6 months since it was open, and given it was within walking distance from our office, I felt it is a sin to not visit at least one time.

So happen, Delicious was having a Japan Pasta Promotion, whereby the menu includes some popular pasta  dishes but infused with Japanese flavours.  Any dish that is ordered from this Japan Pasta Promotion menu entitles you to a cup of green tea at only RM 3.00. Although the green tea is not exceptionally different, what comes with the tea was very unique.  Most places would serve with a biscotti or cookie, but here, it came with little balls of bitter, dark chocolate instead.  A lovely treat to kick start the meal.

 KS ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry on Spaghetti (RM 22.90).  The sweet Japanese curry which served as the base to the pasta was tasty and sweet, but not too overwhelmingly complicated.  It tasted as though there were mashed pumpkin in the sauce, giving a nice creamy texture, yet without the fatty content of cream.  As for the deep-fried chicken cutlet, it was beautifully browned and looked absolutely delicious.  However, despite the nice look and a crispy texture, the chicken cutlet, unfortunately was the breast part, was a bit dry and lacking some seasonings.  Had it not for the sauce, the chicken katsu would have been very difficult to finish.

As for me, after my exam, I still have a bit of trouble getting back my appetite and hence, only ordered something light.  So, Quiche Lorraine (RM 18.90) was my choice instead.  It was a beautiful and large slice of quiche filled with fragrant beef bacon and sun-dried tomatoes served with garden salad.  It was delicious and I loved it because of the nice, herby but sweet sun-dried tomatoes that accentuate the flavours even more.  The quiche was nicely flavoured, juicy and simple.  The only dissatisfaction I have was that the crust was too dry and didn't have the buttery fragrance.

Overall, Delicious @ St Mary is quite cosy and spacious, and hence, is a pretty nice place to unwind. The service is fantastically fast, so there is actually no worries about not getting back to work in time.

Delicious

G-7 & G-8 Tower A

St Mary Place

No. 1, Jalan Tengah,

Off Jalan Sultan Ismail

50250 Kuala Lumpur

GPS:  3.151813, 101.707641

Farewell Lunch @ West 57th Street Cafe, Pavillion

When I first started working, I came here often for company lunches as I find the food delicious.  Fast forward a few years later, I realized it was so long ago since I stepped back at this beautiful cafe again.  So when it was the last day of my intern's stint, I brought the team for a lunch at West 57th Street Cafe @ Pavilion.

More commonly known as the Zang Toi Cafe, its dishes are rooted deep into the Hainanese food tradition, bringing a more Asian touch into the Western dishes.  They have various set menus, and one of it which I usually order is the West 57th Set Menu B (RM 20.90) as the choices includes their signature Hainanese Chicken Chop and the huge West 57 Club Sandwich.

For drinks, it was the Zang Toi's Signature Tea Punch, a fruity tea infused with mint, orange and lime peels.  In a way, it tasted like ice lemon tea mixed with orange juice.  It was not too sour or sweet - just nice.  Only setback, they should have strained those annoying bits of peels away as I don't fancy things getting into my way when sipping through the straw.  Another surprising thing was that the tea punch was actually refillable, which was not available previously.  This is quite a plus as I find the serving so small that you can finish within seconds.

For the mains, I usually order the club sandwich, but since I am on a diet mode, I couldn't bear to stuff myself with the huge sandwich anymore.  Instead, I ordered the Hainanese Chicken Chop, which KS has repeatedly claimed was his favourite.  Indeed, it was delicious but definitely not as memorable as expected.

The deep-fried chicken chop was nice and juicy in the inside, with its skin still on.  Although a bit oily, the chicken was fragrant and seasoned nicely.  To go with it is a sweet and sour tomato-based sauce with button mushrooms and mild black pepper flavour.  However, I felt it was lacking some saltiness to balance the flavours appropriately, which would otherwise be perfect.  The coleslaw was a bit too creamy, drowning with too much mayonnaise.  Of all, I love the crispy curly fries the most.

The last to arrive is the long-awaited Banana Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice-cream, drizzled with warm chocolate sauce.  A few years ago, this dessert was definitely a signature dessert to die for and almost everyone who have been to Zang Toi Cafe will highly recommend this heavenly dessert.  Even I felt that no other places could do a banana chocolate cake as well as them.

However, eating it again today, I felt very disappointed - super disappointing.  The cake was very dry and lacking a buttery fragrance.  Also, the banana slices looked as though they are a character on their own and didn't blend in naturally.  How should I put it - it was a dead piece of dessert which failed to tell a captivating story.  Everything is on the plate but they are just not co-operating as a team to deliver.  A pretty sad ending, I must say.

Overall, West 57th Street Cafe is quite a nice place to dine in as it is quiet and quite laid-back since it is tuck deep inside Parkson.  Food-wise, it is reasonably decent but don't have too high an expectation.  It's just not the same as before anymore.

West 57th Street Cafe (Zang Toi Cafe)
Parkson Pavilion
Lot 4-42, Level 4
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Scones & Brownies @ CRUMBS Malaysia, Pavilion

Coming all the way from the shores of Hong Kong to Malaysia, CRUMBS Malaysia @ Pavilion offers freshly baked-in-store scones and their signature smooth frozen yogurt.  Since we wanted to fill our stomachs before heading to our company's annual dinner (well, we Malaysians never start the party on time), we forgo the yogurt and ordered the scones and brownies.

Their freshly baked handmade scones (RM 2.90 each) comes in three flavours - raisins, chocolate chip and cheese scones.  The scones don't come in their usual round shape - a flat rectangular scone.

I tried only the raisins and chocolate chip scones.  Unfortunately, the scones were lacking some moist and a bit flaky, resembles more of a biscuit instead.  On its own, I felt it was not good but if it goes with the frozen yogurt, it may be able to fit well.  Between the two, the raisins scone was a better option as it has a nice sweet taste amidst the salty scone, with a slightly more moisture from the raisins.

On the other hand, their Double Chocolate Brownies (RM 3.50 each) are to die for.  These brownie slices are very rich in chocolate and totally addictive for chocolate lovers.  It is moist and inside, you can still feel the melted chocolate, even after leaving it overnight in my room.  It is also surprisingly not very sweet.

CRUMBS Malaysia

P1.11.04, Level 1

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

(near the Pavilion Food Republic)

Tea with a View @ David Brown's Sky Terrace, Penang Hill

It's been years since I last stepped foot on Bukit Bendera (more commonly known as Penang Hill), that I could barely recall how Penang Hill looked like.  Although I come to Penang on an annual basis for Qing Ming Festival, but we hardly could find time to take a ride up given the tight schedule.  This year, however, we decided to extend the annual visit a little longer so that we could re-visit Penang's golden gem again.

I must say, for the very first time, I realized how nicely managed Penang Hill is.  Totally impressed with the smooth ride on the nice air-conditioned train coaches.  I actually thought this was something I could not find in Malaysia - well, Penang has proven me wrong.

Anyway, back to the topic.  Right after alighting at the upper station of Penang Hill's funicular railway, I was feeling a bit hungry.  Since it was also time to feed my hungry, little niece, I suggested to find a spot to have some snacks.

So, just a few minutes' walk away from the upper station, there is a stairway that leads you up to Strawberry Hill.  Founded by the very same person who made Smokehouse a popular landmark in Cameron Highlands, David Brown's Sky Terrace @ Strawberry Hill is a great spot to enjoy the panoramic views of the Penang island while having a drink and delicious, light snacks.

Since scones are the talk of the house for Smokehouse, I couldn't resist but to order the Devonshire Cream Tea (RM 24).  This tea set comes with two freshly-baked scones with fresh homemade strawberry jam, Devon clotted cream and fresh butter, served with a pot of green tea.

I love the warm scones as they are very fluffy and buttery, very different from the ones I have tried before.  With each bite, you can feel the fragrance bursting in your mouth.  On top of that, the scones are quite moist and so, it is good to eat on its own.  Definitely live up to its reputation.  I barely touched the butter as I felt the scones didn't need more of it.  In fact, I kept spreading strawberry jam, which I quite like it as it was not too sweet but yet have a nice strawberry fragrance (you know it's the real thing).

A book to go with the scones would be absolutely perfect.

As snacks, I decided to order the Chicken Finger Nuggets (RM 20) as they sounded as though it would be kid-friendly.  I was initially expecting some processed frozen nuggets but surprisingly, they turned out to be made from real chicken meat pieces.  To put in another way, it was deep-fried boneless chicken strips.

The deep-fried nuggets are coated with a nicely seasoned breadcrumbs, which looked visually appetizing and tasted fantastic. The nuggets were crispy on the outside, but inside, the meat is so juicy.  As they were piping hot inside, it was mind-blowing given the cold windy breeze up at the hill.  For dipping,  it came with homemade tartar sauce and chilli sauce.  The chilled tartar sauce was alright and not too creamy but I felt that there was not enough pickles for that extra kick.  Nevertheless, it still goes well with the nuggets, more than the chilli sauce.

My brother also went to the cake display and ordered a cute Chocolate Mini Mousse (RM 15).  Despite the name, no, I don't feel it was mini at all.  This cold dessert was very smooth and creamy with a rich chocolate flavour.  This layered mousse is topped with dark chocolate ganache, followed by dark chocolate mousse and right at the bottom is a sweet white chocolate mousse.  Would could resist such chocolate dessert!

For drinks, my brother ordered the cappuccino (RM 12) which I didn't try but the coffee art was quite good.  According to him, the coffee was nothing outstanding.

Towards the end of the meal, I realized the food served in the Sky Terrace are actually prepared in David Brown's Restaurant & Tea House (which is an old bungalow located at the top of Strawberry Hill), before bringing down to serve.  The only difference is the casual setting at Sky Terrace.  If you prefer a more quiet and quaint environment, it would be better to head straight up to the restaurant as it has a beautiful garden setting.

Overall, the experience was fantastic.  Even before leaving Penang Hill, I told myself that I have to come back to Sky Terrace another time.  I must stress how beautiful the view is, and it is sort of Penang's version of Victoria Peak.  Especially given the cold, windy weather that day.

I already miss it.

David Brown's Sky Terrace

Strawberry Hill @ Penang Hill

11300 Ayer Itam

Penang

GPS:  5.424035,100.269787

Apple Pie Yogurt @ Yogen Fruz, KLCC

Right after my exam, I was loitering around KLCC trying to figure out what to eat for lunch.  Then, I saw Yogen Fruz, a Canadian-born international frozen yogurt chain.  Having seen these on sale in one of the discount coupon sites before, I decided to give it a try and at the same time, hopefully, a sweet treat will cheer me up and stabilise my emotions.  Most importantly, it was not crowded in that part of KLCC - a quiet, peaceful space to unwind and de-stress is all I needed most.

The first thing on the menu that caught my eye was the Apple Pie Yogurt - a vanilla froyo filled with apple and cinnamon spice, sandwiched between graham cookie crumbs.  As I had not been eating well due to the accumulating stress prior to the exam, that choice looks the most soothing on the stomach and I went ahead to order it.

Being one of the U Sensations series, it costs about RM 0.53 per 10g on top of a fixed price of RM 3 (medium) or RM 5 (large).  I took the medium since that was the smallest size as KS was not around to share with me.  But still, I wasn't able to estimate how much it will eventually costs as weights are not something I can gauge very well and besides, it was the staff who filled the cup.  So, I have totally no control over it, which I don't fancy very much.

Then, you are faced with the biggest challenge - deciding what to add for toppings.  For me, as it was meant as lunch, I decided to go a bit more heavy (and yet keeping to the healthier options) by adding pumpkin seeds, almond nips and a chocolate love letter.

I guess I went a little overboard with the toppings as when it was time to weigh it, the scale read about 350g, which come to a final price of RM 21.65.  Oops, that is very expensive.

The frozen yogurt indeed tasted a bit like apple pie with its apple bits and lovely fragrance of the cinnamon, just that the apple pie flavours were not strong enough.  I felt the yogurt was quite sweet but luckily, the toppings I added as well as the cookie crumbs manage to balance it a bit.  Otherwise, I can't imagine the amount of water I needed to wash down the sweetness.  Overall, the frozen yogurt has a smooth and creamy texture but didn't have the strong yogurt taste, just mildly sour.

Yogen Fruz

Suria KLCC

KC5, Concourse Floor Petronas Towers

Kuala Lumpur City Centre

50088 Kuala Lumpur

Korean BBQ @ Bulgogi Brothers, Pavilion KL

Finally, we managed to find time after work to stop by at Pavilion for some Korean BBQ at Bulgogi Brothers before we head to Isetan to do some last-minute CNY shopping.  I am a fan of Korean food and after numerous times staring into Bulgogi Brothers while waiting for my turn at Din Tai Fung, I finally get a chance to experience it myself.

Originating from the Gang-Nam district in Seoul, South Korea, Bulgogi Brothers, as the name suggests, specializes in Korean cuisine and bulgogi - marinated barbecued meat.

The first to greet us is the Oksusu Cha, which is corn tea, a traditional Korean tea made from boiled roasted corn kernels.  Loaded with Vitamin E, this tea is good for those with high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney problems, as well as aids digestion.  This lightly, browned tea is quite mild and slightly sweet, with a soft roasted, corn flavour.  Sometimes, it tasted like roasted brown rice tea and sometimes, it tasted like sweetcorn soup - a bit confusing at first.  Took me a while to get use to the acquired taste of okusu cha, but overall, it is reasonably okay.

As with any Korean cuisine, we are served with 6 different banchan or side dishes.  The presentation of the banchan are quite unique and are very different from the more traditional way of serving.

1.  Spicy spinach, pumpkin mash and sweetened lotus root slices
The cold, spicy spinach, mixed with sesame seeds, were very soft and tasted a bit sweet.  I love the smooth and sweet pumpkin mash the most, maybe because of the texture and the sweetness.  The lotus root slices were a bit too soft for my liking, but KS adored this sweet appetizer (which I happily left it for him to finish).

2.  Cabbage kimchi, cold kangkung with sweet soy sauce and radish kimchi

Among the three, the cold kangkung were our favourite.  This unique appetizer used sweet soy sauce as the base for the vegetable.  The sweetness and the saltiness balanced very well, while the kangkung, which has been cooked until soft, was cut nicely into short strips.  The cabbage kimchi is a bit milder, and judging from the colour, is not very spicy or sour, but defintiely better tasting than those served elsewhere.  I barely touched the radish kimchi, so couldn't comment much.

Bulgogi Brothers also provide some complimentary snacks - sweet potatoes, corn and edamame (soybeans) - to munch while we wait for our mains to be served.  Boy, the sweet potatoes and corn were very fresh and sweet.

Not to forget the refillable basket of vegetables to go along with the BBQ.  The large sticks of cucumber and carrot reminded me of Bugs Bunny - a bit too large for my liking.

For the grill, we ordered the Gwangyangsik Bulgogi (RM 45.90) which is 200 grams of thinly sliced seasoned Australian beef with leeks, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and onions.  All presented nicely on a plate.  In my opinion, this serving is enough for 2 person to share and to go along with other noodles/rice dishes.

Unlike most BBQ, the Gwangyangsik Bulgogi is more like a stir-fried BBQ meat.  The waiter skillfully cooked each ingredient on the hotplate, flipping and stir-frying the meat before finally, using the white-bread to soak up the excess oil.

The meat was tender and was filled with the fragrance of the leeks.  The taste is quite light as there were barely much strong marinate in it, so you can taste the natural sweetness and flavours of the beef.  Very nice. If you want more flavours, just add the seasonings (pepper & salt, sweet soy sauce or spicy bean paste) to the meat before popping into the mouth.

A well-known Korean dish that cannot be missed is the Chicken Bibimbap (RM 26.90), a rice dish mixed with spicy chicken and a variety of vegetables, topped with a raw egg and served on a hot stone bowl.  It also comes with a very nice bowl of soybean sprout soup, which has a lovely sweet taste of the soybean sprouts and flavourful.  It was so good that I was quite reluctant to share with KS :P

Again, the waiter stirred and mixed the rice properly so that the heat from the hot stone bowl is transferred to every inch of the rice.  Then, carefully, he plate it for us.

The bibimbap was generally quite spicy, which I quite enjoyed.  However, it was slightly too wet, maybe from the egg, leaving the rice quite sticky.  Flavour-wise, I think it is okay although I find it a bit mild.

Overall, the meal was satisfying.  The ingredients used were fresh, so it did taste nice.  It was so filling, that we couldn't even ask for seconds to the banchan.

Towards the end of the meal, we had a complimentary cold, sweet peach drink.  This is something different as we used to be given a sweet rice drink in other Korean restaurants.  As you put closer towards the face, you can smell the light fragrance of peaches.  I quite like it as it was not too sweet, and acts as a palate cleanser.

The service at Bulgogi Brothers was tremendously good.  From the start to the end, all we had to do was just sit back like kings and be served, from the pot straight to our plates.  Plus, they were very accommodating.  That could explain why I had a lot of time to take pictures too.

Right after we paid the bill, we were presented with a lovely thank you note from our friendly waiter.  Although it was just a simple note, it was so warm and sweet.  We left with not only a satisfied stomach, but a happy mood too.  Makes us wanna come back for another round.

Bulgogi Brothers

Lot 6.01.03, Level 6

Pavilion KL Shopping Mall

No. 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang

55100 Kuala Lumpur