Maek Jeok Korean restaurant, Wanchai, Hk

Tried their lunch set for a ginseng chicken soup and beef soup.  A bit surprised with the quality chicken they chose.  The appetitzers were very authentic and refilled upon request.  The steamed rice with dried seaweed was aromatic and nice to go with the soup.  Will come back and try their other dishes!  

 

Banchan and Cook, City Plaza, HK

Actually the appertizer made me come in for a dinner.  Tried their cabbage and cucumber kimchi and marinated tomatoes, the mains beef stew and pork with omelette rice.  It seem all the dishes are generally a bit too sweet.  Reminded me of a local celebrity chef often using sugar for all dishes as the first step.  

 

Ray's Kitchen, Quarry Bay, HK

Tried the bibimbap (hot stone rice) and it was so good that I came back a few days later.  Turned out this place wasn't too consistent.  The bibimbap was a bit too greasy for the second visit.  Even their house made kimchi could be quite different.  I'll still bet for a third try.

Bib n Hops, Tai Koo Place, HK

There was a time my Korean friend brought me to a cold bibimbap in Cannes.  After that time, I seldom tried it but still remember it.  I was glad that I could find this one in this restaurant in Tai Koo Place. 

Korean dining, top floor of Hyundai Dept. store

Got on the top floor of Hyundai Dept. store.  Found this decent place for some local dinner set.  This could be the better Korea meal I have tried.  It reminded me of the old City Super and City Plaza food court where I used to take this kind of Korean dinner set.  The shop's name is a bit too board with Korean Dining.

Something local, though not the best

Finally we could try some local food.  Got a chicken soup and a chilled noodle.  I recall in the old time that I used to try the cold noodle of Arirang in BKK.  Now missing Arirang.  

Korean deep fried chicken - at my opportunity cost.

Have tried quite many different Korean deep fried chicken shops but not to my palate.  The deep fried technique isn't too impressive to me.  The flavour is quite toyish with quite some artificial flavouring. Got a salad and the yoghurt dressing is also too artificial flavouring.  I simply can't appreciate all of these.  I have to excuse from any more of this kind of Korean chicken.  Deep fried food isn't healthy; so if the taste is good, I'd take the opportunity cost to go for it.  However, if it isn't good, I have to switch this opportunity cost to other unhealthy food.

Kyochon deep fried chicken, MBK, BKK

This place has a gimmick for marinating the food in 15 minutes and first deep frying in 2 minutes and the final frying in 5 minutes.  So we ordered a whole chicken and thought we could taste more parts of the chicken.  Turned out we didn't expect they cut the chicken in some very uneven pieces - some almost triple the size of the other.  So it ended up some small pieces were dried out due to 7 minute of deep frying.  Besides, the first step should be reverse as 5 minutes and the final takes 2 minutes for cut chicken wings.  In fact, I would prefer the local Thai style deep fried chicken. 

Tetsu Japanese Korean restaurant, Central Embassy BKK

Finished only half of the meal from this shop and went to Paul for making up the half full feeling.  The shop sells some Japanese Korean food, but sadly it failed on both sides.  The salad in a heavy dressing, the rice was cooked too mashy.  Forget it.

Bibigo, Korean restaurant, Indigo, Beijing, China

 If we recall how Dae Jang Keum emphasises on food healing, I certainly agree to it.  I was in a dull condition in Beijing with some sinus symptom.  Sometimes our body will tell ourselves to get something we need.  This night I felt like a veggie with rice.  There I got this veggie (with little beef) tossed with rice.  What a magic that an hour later, I felt so refreshing from the dull feeling.

Cooked Deli, B/F., Times Square, Causeway Bay, HK

Finally the newly renovated food court of City Super is there.  No matter how it is called now, it's still a memorable place to me as it was one of the few food courts I would like to visit (the others including the closed one of Pacific Place, the one in City Plaza and the other in Silver Cord TST.  The Korean outlet of this one is not bad for the chicken ginseng soup though it's at HK$78.  However, when we count the food cost, it isn't that expensive.

The Bibimbab, soi 24, Sukhumvit, BKK

Noticed this shop got opened a few years ago on soi 24, and later no it further expanded with more outlets in the malls.  Out of curiosity, and at the convenience of staying at soi 24/26 Suk, I came in here for a try.  It's not that impressive and in fact, I prefer the other family run on my previous posting.  I believe why it got popular locally is because of its heavily seasoned food.  

GaiBiMaRu, soi 24/26, Sukhumvit Road, BKK

Checked in at the hotel pretty late and tried to find something easy around soi 24/26.  There I checked this shop on the side of Sukhumvit main road between soi 24 and 26.  The shop isn't that appealing but then it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.  The appetizers were all very nice.  Got a hot stone rice (Bibimbap) and a ox bone soup.  Both were good too, esp. the soup that the salt was put aside.  Though the portion was a bit small, I think it's much worth it as this meal is just THB330. 

KoRyo Won, basement, Starhill mall, Kuala Lumpur

Glad that this restaurant is still here and it's been almost 10 years. The place is also very consistent. Not a single visit has disappointed me every time on my regular visit in town. Their kimchi is very nice as well as the other appetizers. I like the way (also very Korean) that they put the salt and chili paste on the side. This way you can taste the original flavour of ginseng soup. This time I ordered an ox tail soup. Very nice and aromatic. I feel pretty sleepy every time I took a real good ginseng chicken soup.