KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 — You would have been hiding under a rock, if you hadn’t noticed that the Klang Valley is having a Korean food moment.
Perhaps it’s not so noticeable since it creeps up year by year as more Korean barbecue joints pop up.
As natives from Mainland China expand their footprint into Malaysia at almost every corner (mee tarik, anyone?), Koreans seem to be neck and neck in their push for supremacy in the F&B business.
Once it hits the table, mix the egg yolk with the rice to combine everything inside the stone bowl. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
While their numbers aren’t as high, the Korean approach casts a wider net for diners’ appetites fuelled by an endless love for K-pop and K-drama that transcends all ages.
Nowadays, Korean staples like fried chicken or jjajangmyeon have been sidelined by exciting new concepts from established brands in Korea and Singapore, such as exploring how many flavours can come from healthy samgyetang or even a variety of pressure cooker dishes.
Junghee with its Korean fusion cuisine label that has won over Koreans with over 20 branches, is the latest to join the battle for our stomach space.
Bracken Fern Cream Noodles combines bracken fern, perilla seeds and seaweed with ‘sujebi’ for a fusion dish. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Housed inside the ever hip The Campus, Junghee is the stylish Korean idol, standing up against the ahjummas and ahjussis who favour gamjantang (pork bone stew) or smoky Korean barbecue.
One can easily dine solo here because the pasta and rice dishes come in individual portions, a vast difference from the huge portions usually found in Korean places that require sharing among friends or family.
The Korean influence isn’t loud as not every dish includes fiery gochujang (red chilli paste), however, you may find perilla, doenjang (soybean paste), bracken fern in a few dishes.
Once everything is mixed, you can spy the ‘sujebi’ with the fragrant creamy sauce dotted with perilla seeds. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Even their banchan of pickled garlic stems and a subtle, pale looking kimchi, refreshes your palate rather than leaving your tongue with a burning sensation.
Kick off your introduction to Korean fusion with Wagyu Beef Kimchi Fried Hot Pot Rice (RM37), one of the most recognisable dishes on the menu.
Who can miss that kitsch cow, fashioned from Wagyu beef yukhoe or their version of beef tartare, which made our phones happy as we tried to capture every angle of its cuteness?
Shrimp & Potato Pancake is that crispy snack featuring flaky potato shreds, prawns dusted with red chili powder, and grated cheese. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Housed inside a flaming hot stone bowl, mix it up just like bibimbap, combining the chopped raw beef, egg yolk and kimchi fried rice.
Leave it for a short time and the residual heat from the stone bowl leaves scorched marks on your rice called nurungjin, which infuses the whole dish with a layer of smokiness.
The kimchi’s presence in the dish is very subtle, leaving the beef and crust to do the heavy lifting to win your favour.
Sweet Pumpkin Espuma Bingsu is an airy, cold treat that isn’t too sweet. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Bracken Fern Cream Noodles (RM40) sounds ordinary but its main element is the hand torn sujebi.
That pulled dough is silky with a slight chew, working well with the thick creamy sauce enlivened by perilla seeds and roasted seaweed.
There’s just a touch of gochugaru (red chili powder), which splashes red into the pale looking bowl, barely making its heat noticeable.
Pine Nut Tofu Tiramisu Parfait hides an unusual flavour pairing with layers of tofu, pine nuts, mascarpone cream, and ladyfingers soaked in coffee. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Though it may not look like much, the whole combination made us reach for more even when our stomachs were full.
Portion-wise, we felt this was good enough to share between two, especially if you want to order their Shrimp & Potato Pancake (RM33).
Gamja-jeon or potato pancake is a personal favourite of mine, featuring crisp, fluffy potatoes and this version is skillfully prepared with minimal oil.
Dine in modern surroundings at Junghee at one corner of The Campus. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Juicy prawns pop up between the shredded potatoes, adding a hit of sweetness to the crunchy shreds, which are also dusted with gochugaru and grated cheese.
The fun part comes at the end which most diners tend to skip because Korean desserts are usually an afterthought.
Playing on our love for bingsu with its impossibly fine milky shaved ice, the Sweet Pumpkin Espuma Bingsu (RM24) was divine with its cloud-like espuma and yes, it wasn’t too sweet.
They had run out of the roasted pumpkin, but it didn’t matter because the espuma drizzled with pumpkin syrup, when paired with the super fine shaved ice, was sufficient to clear our palates.
Don’t miss the Pine Nut Tofu Tiramisu Parfait (RM24) either.
Beneath the matcha, you will discover unconventional layers of ladyfingers soaked in coffee and cinnamon, along with tofu, pine nuts and mascarpone cream.
Junghee Korean Fusion Cuisine
G33, The Campus,
Lot 7706, Jalan Kolam Air Lama,
Ampang.
Tel: 011-16557260
Open: 11am to 10pm, last order is 9pm
Instagram: @junghee.my
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
