KEN HUNTS FOOD: Dotori Korean Restaurant @ Arena Curve, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Dotori Korean Restaurant @ Arena Curve, Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Those seeking for no-frills, classic Korean delights will not be disappointed with Dotori Korean Restaurant, a fairly new K-Restaurant at Arena Curve, Bayan Lepas. Apart from the Korean grills, Dotori also offers a big Korean menu featuring classics like Tteokbokki, Jjajangmyeon, Naengmyeong, Jigae and Bibimbap. Unlike some popular establishments in town, we found Dotori's prices to be very affordable considering the generous portion. The only downside is the poor ventilation in the restaurant, they do not have a proper ventilation system so the barbecue odors tend to spread all over the restaurant. Other than that, we thought the food quality is good and can't wait to head back for more.

Tteokbokki/ Rice Cake (Rm 23)

Bibim Naengmyeon/ Spicy Cold Noodles (Rm 25)

Yukgaejang/ Beef Stew (Rm 32)

Complimentary Banchan

We were impressed with the quality of the Banchan, even before we started with the mains. All of the Banchans were expertly seasoned and beautifully cooked. We could tell that they were freshly made and no hint of staleness. The Tteokbokki was nicely cooked- even the Cabbage retained its crunch and the consistency of the sauce was perfect... not overly thick or watery, just nice to cling to the Korean Rice Cake. For mains, we had both Bibim Naengmyeong (Korean Spicy Cold Noodles) and Yukgaejang (Korean Beef Stew); both were delicious with great depth of flavors. The Bibim Naengmyeon's icy cold broth was spot on and the texture of the Buckwheat noodles was addictively chewy. The Yukgaejang was a little overly thick and rich to my liking but my better half thought it was good, a comforting dish to enjoy over rice.