Eat Drink KL: Mi Na Rae @ Sri Petaling

Friday, August 9, 2013

Mi Na Rae @ Sri Petaling

Sri Petaling's best Korean restaurant? Possibly, probably.

Mi Na Rae's menu delves deep, going beyond barbecued beef to grasp other traditional favorites such as 'gamjatang' (RM50 before taxes), a mildly spicy soup of pork backbone & ribs, potatoes, veggies, peppers & sesame seeds.

No hatin' on the hog, hear: This is the kind of recipe that might work best on a wintry night, but we like it well enough for rainy-evening nourishment.

The price might seem high, but the portion's princely, more than sufficient for two customers.

Fans of other types of meat will find their needs fulfilled here too. Mi Na Rae's beef ribs (RM45) are beautifully steamed with potatoes in a sweet-savory sauce.

'Samgyetang,' a soup of chicken stuffed with sticky rice, cooked with ginseng & dried red dates. Piping-hot pleasure, soulfully slurp-worthy.

Don't duck the duck: Mi Na Rae serves smoked, bone-free fowl, barbecued in the kitchen.

Wrap it up: The makings of balanced meals begin right here. RM25 for this.

Bibimbap, full of fresh ingredients. Slightly blander than the norm, but still comfort food.

Dry noodles, their coldness countered by a surprising spiciness, served with a tangy iced broth.

Mi Na Rae's banchan is worthwhile, everything we could want (& then some).

Small dishes here are free-flow, of course, & vary from day to day.

Lovable liquor: Bokbunja, the Korean fruit wine made with blackberries.

Makkoli, the acquired-taste fermented beverage built with rice & wheat.

Baekseju, the Korean ginseng-laced "hundred-year wine."

Chung Ha rice wine. Mi Na Rae's bar is certainly nicely stocked.

Mi Na Rae,
39, Jalan Radin Bagus, Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.
Open daily for lunch & dinner, except on two Tuesdays a month.