Food Explorer & Home Chef
Samgyetang first made its appearance in 1917, in a cookbook under the name gyesamtang which means chicken ginseng soup. somehow along the way, the name changed to samgyetang with emphasis on ginseng (sam) instead, in the 60s. The soup a part of traditional Korean cuisine …
From the mountainous Gangwon province in South Korea, comes food that had its beginnings in the small village of Soyari, Wonju. It started as a small family business selling delicious buckwheat noodles. Rumoured to have started as far back as the 17th century, buckwheat noodles …
So, this was a quaint little cafe selling croffle on the balcony (formerly known as I love croffle) of a double storey terrace; a shared space with a boutique and hair salon when I last visited. Fast forward couple years, today each has their own space and (name changed to) Cafe Seoul Forest (CSF) has a complete dine-in menu, complete with signature Korean dishes occupying the whole upstairs floor.
I confess I wasn’t expecting much, but ended up being bowled over by the delicious food. The croffles were quite good too, some even go as far as to say best in town. CSF offers an extensive variety of croffles, including waffles as well.
Instead of half-hearted fusion cafe food, the Kimchi jiggae and Sundubu – RM20 (choice of beef, and others – add RM8, etc) were genuine, hearty soul comforting stews that came with a bowl of rice, cooked by one of the Korean owners, no less. The flavours rocked, and you can just imagine a scene from K-drama where after slurping the first mouthful, you can’t help but say,”mashisseoyo!” (delicious)
The tteokbokki had good texture, firm and chewy, a nice change from the usual doughy commercial ones that taste mostly of flour. Tasted pretty close to the ones I had in S. Korea, and for this price point (RM20 normal/RM23 mala, rose) – option to add cheese, dumpling, fishcake – compared to actual Korean restaurants, this was so worth the calories.
We also had jimdak (RM25) – Korean braised chicken – essentially chicken stew, similar to Chinese style black soy Chicken, except that this has chunjang (black bean paste). A very familiar taste, this was just one step short of Nyonya Ayam pongteh, which also has potatoes without vegetables, and gula Melaka instead of normal sugar/honey. Took a while to arrive but it was freshly made, came in a claypot, worth the wait, so tasty.
We also had croffles and good coffee, indeed, a fitting end to a lovely Saturday lunch. Definitely will be back again.
Add: No 6, jalan ss2/55, Petaling Jaya. hp: 017-807 8721
Those who have tried premium chilled Australian beef and lamb would certainly be familiar with the delicious taste of these meats. Recently, I was invited to a masterclass detailing the nutrition and quality of Australian beef and lamb, hosted by MLA (Meat & Livestock Australia) …
By now, quite a few would have heard of THB Bistronome, short for The Humble Beginning – a restaurant after his own heart. By his, I mean chef Andy Choy, formerly from Chateau Dionne who also runs his other current establishment, Nice Bistronome, together with …
What did I eat at Taan Thai? A lot, and I loved ALL of it! Some dishes more than others, of course, but with Thai chef Korn Yodsuk (of Erawan/la Moon fame) behind the menu creation, you can be assured of authenticity and awesome Thai food.
Located on the ground floor of a shopping mall, it’s a surprising find to have such quality food. Started by the Caren and team, the same owners of Anviet, the menu is constantly being honed to perfection to ensure less waste, and the taste caters to customers’ taste buds.
My personal favourite dishes, if I had to choose, would be Isaan style grilled pork (there’s a beef option) – savoury, spicy, herbaceous – a strongflavour that hits the palate at the onset, made this stand apart from other contenders.
A unique recipe concocted by Chef himself, I was smitten by the Cockle curry at first bite. Not too spicy, rich with herbs and spices, creamy yet not overly so, I could have finished a whole plate of rice with this.
We tried Spicy fried fish – a nice change from the usual Thai lime fish. Crisp on the outside tender, flesh was still moist, with a slightly spicy edge. So flavourful and tantalising.
Something more common, Thai omelette – a proven favourite, seafood tom yum, stewed pork trotter and mein kham – which came already prepped so you don’t have to get messy – just pop the whole thing in your mouth. These dishes are more familiar to most Malaysians, and they certainly did not disappoint.
It goes to show that there are so many other Thai dishes which we don’t know about as most of the time, Thai restaurants promote the same few things. Not to be missed, Red ruby dessert but make it bingsu! Soft fluffy ice like snow, with large crunchy rubies (water chestnut) and jackfruit.
Drink of the day? Tom Yum cooler! Not for everyone, it might seem a little strange at first – like drinking cold soup, but after a few sips, I was hooked!
Located on the ground floor Sunway Velocity Mall, KL, prices are reasonable. Personally, it’s one place definitely worth making the trip into town centre for.
Add: Sunway Velocity Mall, B-25, Level B1, Maluri, Kuala Lumpur. hp: 011-6547 1811
Tiger Beer is turning up the football season with the launch of the Tiger Football Heat League, a new fan challenge that brings the brand’s “Brewed for the Heat of the Game” campaign spirit to life. Running from 11th June to 20th July 2026, the …