Food
Top 5 Korean BBQ Restaurants in KL That Tastes As Authentic As the Ones in Seoul!
Get mouth-watering treats right in your feed! Like us:We don’t need to tell you that K-Fever has swept Asia like a hurricane, spreading in the same way that wildfire razes through dry grass across the continent. Wherever you go, there’s no running from the influence that they exert upon our culture, from music to television, to fashion styles and makeup trends. But we’re Munch, so we’re not going to be talking about any of those things! Instead, from the land of toppoki, kimchi and bimbimbap, we present to you the BEST (in our humble opinion) Korean BBQ restaurants in KL! Listed in no particular order.
1. Po-Cha Korean Restaurant @ Jalan Sulaiman 1
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You simply can’t have a list about Korean food without starting with a name from Little Korea in Ampang. For those who don’t already know, the Ampang Point area happens to be a haven for those who enjoy Korean fare, due to their large Korean emigrant population. Po-Cha is one of the lesser known restaurants among the many there, owing to its largely unassuming exterior. Completely lacking any of the modern flash and panache one would come to expect from its contemporaries, Po-Cha truly is a diamond in the rough.
Reasons to visit/tips:
- You’ll be very pleasantly surprised to find that Po-Cha Korean Restaurant happens to offer some of the most authentic K-BBQ dining experiences ever. The plethora of traditional Korean favourites such as sundubu jigae (Korean tofu soup) come highly recommended owing to how closely it keeps to original recipes.
- Another main draw here is the splendid Korean barbecue menu, which while not barbecued right in front of you (trust us, considering the size of the rooms, you wouldn’t want that), is succulent and smoky to the bite. It’s relatively cheap, too.
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Address: 23, Jalan Sulaiman 1, Taman Putra Sulaiman, 68000 Ampang, Selangor
Operating hours: Daily (5.30pm – 12.00am)
Contact: 014-662 3180
2. Seoul Korea Restaurant @ Plaza Danau
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Seoul Korea Restaurant has incredible staying power and has already been featured previously on one of our articles for delivering truly superb Korean fare. Located on the second-floor of a shop-lot in Taman Danau Desa, you wouldn’t realise the sheer popularity of this eatery until you wind up waiting in line all the way from the bottom of the steps leading up into it. But fret not, for the restaurant offers comfortable, albeit packed seating.
Reasons to visit/tips:
- Like most Korean barbecue restaurants of any notable repute. Seoul Korea Restaurant offers a bewildering number of different pork cuts for your delectation. Our pick of the bunch will definitely have to be the pork belly slices. Go for the slices without a marinade to truly pamper your taste-buds. Don’t worry, we don’t blame you for asking for seconds!
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Address: 1-1, Plaza Danau 2, 2, Jalan 3/109f, Taman Danau Desa, 58100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours: Opens daily, except on Mondays (12.00pm – 3.00pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm)
Contact: 012-373 1176
3. Apple Samgyupsal Restaurant @ Jaya One
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Known for being another popular Korean barbecue restaurant in the Taman Desa vicinity, Apple Samgyupsal has since opened a new outlet in Jaya One’s The Square. Boasting ample seating and an open-aired concept that ensures diners remain relatively cool and comfortable as they sit before an open charcoal pit, you won’t have to worry about breaking a sweat while eating. But there’s no avoiding the smell of grilled meats though!
Reasons to visit/tips:
- True to its namesake, Apple Samgyupsal offers a particularly unique take on Korean barbecue: meats marinated in apple sauce for a day prior to serving, and smoked on apple wood chips prior to being grilled. This lends a slightly sweet, fruity undertone to the grilled slices of pork, setting it apart from your average barbecued meat selection.
- The restaurant recommends eating your grilled pork slices on the aptly named ‘Apple wrap’, which consists of a thinly sliced apple to go around your meat of choice. Biting into equal parts apple and apple-marinated meat ensures that flavors are amplified twofold on the tongue.
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Address: G08, 09 & 10 The Square, Jaya One, Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Operating hours: Daily (12.00pm – 12.00am)
Contact: 017-444 4118
4. Bon-Ga Korean BBQ Restaurant @ Jalan Solaris 3
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A familiar name for those who live around the Mont Kiara area, Bon-Ga Korean BBQ Restaurant can be found in the popular bar district of Solaris Mont Kiara. Noticeably more upscale than its competitors, diners will find themselves among a more contemporary dining setting that will seat the typical throngs of guests comfortably.
Reasons to visit/tips:
- While the barbecue menu is properly exhaustive and covers all the basic and then some, Bon-Ga sets itself apart from the other typical barbecue restaurants by serving fish alongside varieties of pork cuts. Flaky, tender and filled with that savory-sweet umami flavor prized in seafood, this is a great alternative for those who want a less calorie-rich option on the grill menu.
- If you have a penchant for spice, the restaurant offers a hot pot brimming with an incredibly red smorgasbord of Korean chili paste, octopus, grilled pork, and mushrooms. Be sure to have tissues on hand!
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Address: 3A-2, Jalan Solaris 3, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating hours: Daily (11.30am – 10.30pm)
Contact: 03-6204 0012
5. Sae Ma Eul Korean Restaurant @ Solaris Dutamas
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Possibly the most reputable Korean barbecue restaurant here out of all the others you have seen listed previously, Sae Ma Eul Korean Barbecue Restaurant builds on a highly reputable name with consistently delicious Korean barbecue fare. Operating out of Solaris Mont Kiara and Empire Damansara, both restaurants are local hubs for many of the Korean community living nearby. If that isn’t the best judge of quality, then we don’t know what is!
Reasons to visit/tips:
- Grilled pork slices are great and all, but don’t forget to order some of their signature sides, which include the marinated baby octopus and spicy rice balls, both of which are meant to go on the grill. Delivering a slight kick that helps offset some of the greasy slices of delicious pork belly, you won’t want to miss out on either of these treats.
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Address: Solaris Dutamas, 1, Jalan 13/6, Pjs 13, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Selangor (outlets also available in Empire Damansara and The Square @ Jaya One)
Operating hours: Daily (11.30am – 11.30pm)
Contact: 03-7932 3196
Want to see more stuff like this? Don’t forget to like Munch to find out more about mouth-watering spots all over Malaysia!
Also read: This Stall in Sungai Buloh Serves Noodles With Giant Bone Marrow!
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