KEN HUNTS FOOD: K-Pot Korean BBQ Garden Restaurant @ Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

K-Pot Korean BBQ Garden Restaurant @ Tanjung Bungah, Penang.

**K-Pot Korean BBQ Garden Restaurant has since ceased its business operation. The branch at Prima Tanjung is still available though.**

Another great place for K-Pop fans to have their cravings (for Korean food) fixed, K-Pot Korean Barbecue Garden is a new delightful addition to the food scene in Penang, reasons are simple: inexpensive price tags, attentive service, authentic Korean food with comfortable yet homely ambiance. The place does not have sophisticated nor classy setting like the well-known Dao-Rae, rather, it is more towards home-cooking style. They do not have fancy menu, just a simple and earnest one; I was quite surprised not to see any Tteokbokki/ Korean Rice Cake, nevertheless, the menu is good enough to satiate my cravings. K-Pot Korean BBQ Garden Restaurant is located strategically slightly down the junction of Dalat International School (towards Batu Ferringhi), housed in a bungalow along Jalan Tanjung Bungah.

Barbecue Chicken (Rm 25) receives the unanimous votes for "star dish of the day". We love how flavorful the Chicken was. Chicken Breast beautifully cooked with a remarkable depth of flavor and well-coated with Korean Hot Barbecue Sauce, served together with Chili Bean Paste/ Dou Ban Jiang, raw Garlic and Chilies, wrapped in a fresh and crunchy Lettuce. The set is recommended for sharing and should be good enough for three diners.

There were 6 types of complimentary Ban Chan/ Korean Side Dishes- the quintessential Kim Chi, stir-fried Spinach, deep-fried Zucchini, braised Potatoes, stir-fried Bean Sprouts (with some fermented Rice Wine) and Fruit Salad. The home-made Kim Chi was mind-blowing, crunchy with a lip-numbing chili kick and a balanced acidic tilt, can't help but to have it refilled twice.

Their Glass Noodles with Sauteed Vegetables and Pork (Rm 20) was disappointingly average, though the portion was quite huge. Stir-fried springy Korean Glass Noodles with julienned Chilies, Bean Sprouts and Pork, a dish that is suitable for all ages, though I would prefer it to add a more interesting twist to the otherwise predictable flavors.

Cold Noodles (Soup/ Rm 18), served in an icy cold refreshing sweet-sour sauce and topped with julienned Cucumbers, pickled Radish, a halved hard-boiled Egg and flecked with toasted Sesame Seeds. It was good on its own, but even better with a touch of hot Mustard for the extra gentle dose of heat. I like how the dish appears to be light and easy on the palate, with some refreshing crunch from the vegetables. A perfect dish to enjoy under the unbearable and sultry tropical heat. However, if I had to nitpick, I'd prefer them to exclude the ice cubes, I thought the sauce was somehow diluted towards the end (as the ice melts).