Gangnam 88, Solaris Mont' Kiara

Try out a K-pop cafe cater for K-pop fan in Solaris Mont' Kiara. Located at the first floor above Coffee Bean, whenever we drive into Solaris MK we can always see a LED TV continuously playing latest K-pop music video from far. Inside the cafe, K-pop idols posters all over the wall; there's also CDs and merchandise items displays at a corner. Order a Jjolmeyeon @ RM25 & Dweji Suyuk @ RM49 for dinner. 6 simple banchan are served~ kimchi, jjangjorim (soya braised pork slices with hard-boiled egg), stir-fried bean-curd, pan-fried egg tofu, steam pumpkin with marinated sauce and jeon (Korean pancake). Jjolmyeon is a cold wheat noodles served with various chopped vegetables such as lettuce, carrot, cucumber, cabbage, bean sprout, a hard boiled egg and red sauce mixture of gochujang, vinegar, sugar, and minced garlic. While the Suyuk (boiled pork) serves with rice and lettuce, marinated green onions slices, ssamjang, garlic slice, chopped chillies, and salted shrimp paste for the ssam (wraps). Overall food not bad, pretty decent for a Korean cafe food and the environment suits youngsters to hangout or gather for drinks with Korean meals.

BBQ Pork Ribs~ S.Wine Cafe, Bens Independent Grocer, Publika

Little celebration of 3rd Anniversary with Pork Ribs at S.wine cafe that we discover last year. It is located at the Pork section of Ben's Independent Grocer, Publika. Well, anniversary is just an excuse, wanted to try out the BBQ pork ribs is the real purpose. We order the whole slab BBQ Ribs with chip and slaw @ RM88 as dinner. It's a slow-roasted spiced ribs, drenched with apple BBQ sauce and grilled before serving. It was meant for serve for 3-4 pax and we have been informed that only one size available when we placed order. It's okay, we can bring back the leftover anyway. The BBQ rib is fresh and supple! We almost lick the bones so there is no leftover meat nor gravy left behind. Another close by place for pork ribs and other pork dish in future in our food hunting list.

Seafood Platter + Pasta Marinara~ Nemo Cafe, Plaza Mont'Kiara

A cozy little lot next to McDonalds, Plaza Mont'Kiara selling fish and chips with fresh catch of the day. I like fish and chips but he doesn't. He likes seafood but I have allergy to some of the seafood. Since we are to share the meal, to be fair, we go for Seafood platter and Pasta Marinara. The seafood platter has fish, mussels, fresh prawns and calamari - it's up to you want it to be grilled or battered. We had it battered. While pasta marinara actually having the same thing like the seafood platter except it is not battered. A nice sunny afternoon with late lunch and a cup of cappuccino for me after the meal. 

Korean BBQ dinner~ Apgujeong, Solaris Mont' Kiara

Feels like having Korean BBQ tonight, he suggest we go back to Apgujeong in Solaris Mont Kiara again since we like their food & service. Located at 1st floor, we opt for outdoor sitting where it is overlooking at Bon-ga Korean Restaurant and street view. We order 3 types of pork meat @ 1 serving each. Gochujang samgyeopsal 고추장 삼겹살~ pork belly marinated with Korean chili paste. Moksal 목살~ pork neck meat which is beautifully marbled, typically comes in normal pork chop size. And, Hanjeongsal 한정살~ thin meat strips from front part of pork neck which has a detailed cuts with little bit fats attached on the meat, and very few pieces come from one pig. Texturally quite different from other pork cuts - a bit chewy yet it is tender and juicy.

Mr. Dakgalbi, Solaris Mont Kiara

New Dakgalbi restaurant in town. Looks like Uncle Jang Dakgalbi is not 'alone' now haha. We were just talking about the Yooganae (dakgalbi) we had in Busan, then we saw this Mr Dakgalbi when we drove passed. So without second thoughts, we choose to have dinner here after park our car. As usual, minimum 2 servings is required. A little different from Uncle Jang's, they have the main course set menu that comes with recommended sides for 2pax, 3 pax and 4 pax. Make it easy for those who are new to Dakgalbi and don't know what is the best way to enjoy Dakgalbi. 

We go for the 2 pax set and the sides are the basic one ramen, cheese and fried rice - so 1st round is Dakgalbi and ramen then second round will be fried rice and cheese. Don't forget to keep some 'leftover Dakgalbi' from first round to be cook with the fried rice. We get an extra 1 chesee as opening offer so we get to enjoy cheese in 1st round and also second round. Another different from Uncle Jang's is, they have this 'steel cover' that prevent the sauce splash all over the table (also on our body) during the cooking process. No need to wear the apron also okay though they also provide it to customers! The dakgalbi smell still linger a little on our clothing after meal; guess that can't be avoid when you go to the restaurant with open cooking like this. 

Cod Fish Stew~ Haeundae Suk-ssi-won-han Daegutang, Mipo, Busan 해운대 미포 속씨원한 대구탕

Morning before we leave Busan, we came to Mipo for Daegutang. Dae-gu-tang (Cod Fish Soup) also known as large mouth soup. Daegu 大口 means big mouth. This place is another famous Busan mat-jib appeared in various famous local TV programmes. Many Korean actor and actress who been here for daegutang has left their signatures on the restaurant's wall. Daegutang has a different version up at North and down at South. In Northern region e.g. Seoul and Gyeonggi. cod fish stew is boiled with gochugaru and marinated sauce, therefore it is called Mae-un-tang 매운탕 (Spicy fish stew). While Southern region like Busan, the cod fish is boiled and served with clean plain broth without any seasoning which is the dae-gu-tang. Daegutang is also a perfect hangover soup among Koreans and it is operate 24 hours.

Daegutang 대구탕 @ 10,000 won is served with rice, and side dishes such as kimchi, gim (dried seaweed laver), seasoned beans sprouts, seasoned fish cake, seasoned radish, chili peppers, cut onions, dwenjang paste and soy sauce (for seasoning the soup). We also order Al-Mari 알마리 @ 6,000 won~ a jumbo seafood eggroll with big chunk of fresh crab meat and perilla leaf wrap inside the egg roll! So delicious!

This area name Mipo, Jung-dong in Haeundae is where the tourist take sightseeing cruise tour along the Busan harbor from Haeundae Mipo Ferry Terminal. As the restaurant is next to the coastline, Haeundae Beach can be view in whole from here. Opposite the restaurant is the fisher dock where fishermen who just return busy unload their catch of the day from the boat. What an interesting view with modern buildings such as Busan Marine City and hotels along Haeundae at the background while the ahjumas busy cleaning and sorting the fishes along the dock.

Apartment Stay & Buffet~ Grand Apple, Centum City, Busan 랜드애플 뷔페 센텀한샘빌딩

Day 2 in Busan. This time come back we stay at a service apartment in Centum city for the entire trip.  As it is summer, and it is common that old landed houses in Busan doesn't have air conditioner install at home. Only floor standing air conditioner at the living hall. In order to let us have a comfortable sleep and cool summer, we all go for an apartment stay. We celebrate Abeonim's birthday with buffet dinner at Grand Apple, Centum City. It's my first buffet experience in Korea. Beside the 5 stars hotel-like interior, the great variety of food from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, American etc makes us feels like we are so spoil by the choice. The quality is assure too. Apparently it is one of the must try buffet restaurant in Busan. I didn't go thru many rounds but only 2 rounds mostly on assorted sashimi since I like raw seafood. We all have a good time with food~ buffet definitely is a good place to satisfy everyone's craving and taste. 

UNESCO World Heritage~ 통도사 Tongdosa, Yangsan

Day 3 in Busan. We visited Tongdosa - a UNESCO world heritage in Yangsan. It was rainning all the way when we visited Tongdosa there all the photos were so gloomy. Founded in 646 C.E. Tongdosa is not just a temple, but a museum that houses Buddha's genuine sacred relics, 19 provincial treasures and 794 culture assets designated by South Gyeongsang Province. Many of Tongdosa’s buildings were destroyed in the Seven Years War and later reconstructed. There are 35 buildings in total including Pagoda and 14 small temples. Tongdosa is also famous as there are no Buddha statues outside the temple. Before enter into Tongdosa, we first need to cross thru a stream via an acient style three arch bridge, followed by 3 gates (temples in Korea always has these gates). Beside the ancient temples, I am also amazed by the 100 years old pines trees that surrounds Tongdosa. Tongdosa is one of the most amazing temple I ever visit in Korea so far.