By Aiman Azri
If Korean fried chicken, bibimbap and bulgogi are flooding your food fantasies this Ramadan, Sunway Velocity Mall is the destination to satiate your desires, with a remarkable range of contemporary Korean restaurants that are halal-certified or pork-free.
Here are Sunway Velocity Mall's six eateries that bring the soul of Seoul to the heart of KL - some of them are also running exclusive dishes and promotions throughout the fasting month, so start planning your buka puasa feast here with family and friends.
Better still, see how many of these Korean venues you can complete before Aidilfitri!
Ko Hyang Korean Country Delights (3-18, 3rd Floor)
Ko Hyang roughly translates to 'hometown', which evokes the feeling that the brand's Korean founder strives to convey to customers - his own culinary 'balik kampung'. Traditional Korean dishes rule the roost here, high in nutritional value, with many ingredients brought in from South Korea. With no MSG in the cooking, Ko Hyang is a prime pick for breaking fast with authentically wholesome Korean fare, rooted in a generations-old heritage.
For spirit-nourishing food that feels as intimate as home cooking, order the samgyetang (RM37.90, ginseng chicken soup, brimming with tender meat in a beautifully nuanced broth), seafood ramyeon (RM14.90, bringing together noodles with the bounty of the ocean), dol sot bibimbap (RM20.50, the familiar crowd-pleaser of mixed beef and vegetables cooked with rice in a stone pot) and kimchi jigae (RM18.50, sweet-and-sour kimchi stew that packs a tangy punch).
After all that steaming-hot fare, cool down with an extra-soft, exceptionally fluffy bingsu, showcasing strawberries from Cameron Highlands (RM7.90).
Do return for a morning meal after Ramadan is over, as Ko Hyang also offers an early-bird promotional full meal with a drink that only costs RM10.90, available daily (including weekends and public holidays), 11am-12pm.
Chicken Plus (2-15A, 2nd Floor)
Another Korean-founded restaurant in Sunway Velocity Mall, Chicken Plus serves exactly what its name suggests - Korean fried chicken, customised to your personal preference.
Choose your favourite chicken part (boneless, wing or drumstick), then watch it all come in a batch to the table, thickly coated in one of eight house-made sauces. Head here in a group to break fast with your loved ones, so you can sample a diverse variety of flavours.
The original recipes for all the chicken sauces hail directly from South Korea - the two signatures are the Creamy Onion and the Hot Shocking (dried red peppers in soy sauce). There's even a Crazy Spicy that relies on an astonishing amount of Vietnamese chillies, for challenge hunters.
Chicken platters start at a reasonable RM16 for eight pieces, or 20 pieces for RM43. To complement your chicken with carbs, order some ho-ro-rok tteokbokki or carbonara tteokbokki at RM20 each for a flavour-packed fusion take on Korean rice cakes.
Relieve the burn from the spicy chicken with one of five bingsu offerings - our best bet for the young at heart is the Oreo bingsu, coated with Oreo powder, with a hidden layer of Oreo crumbs in the centre (RM22).
If you haven't noticed Chicken Plus during your previous visits to Sunway Velocity Mall, find it on Level 2, opposite Toys R Us and Poney.
DubuYo (B-22, B1 Floor)
Vibrant and vivacious, DubuYo is one of KL's trendiest Korean eateries, with colourful urban vibes that might be a magnet for K-pop-loving youngsters. DubuYo in Sunway Velocity Mall was its first outlet in Malaysia to sport this exuberant, energised look, filled with fun furnishings.
This halal-certified spot is hip to the modern Korean repertoire - the signature recipe is the Seafood Soondubu Jigae, bringing together a fisherman's haul of tiger prawns and mussels with tofu in a fiery broth that'll have you licking your lips in gastronomic gratification, rounded out with rice and fresh-from-the-kitchen banchan (RM21.80).
Other standouts include the beef bibimbap, complete with an ensemble of eggs and crisp vegetables (RM23), and the relatively new buldak wings - barbecue chicken glazed in a spicy-sweet sauce that's rich and robust (RM23).
We'll never say no to bingsu, especially not DubuYo's soothing Snowflake Green Tea Bingsu, aromatic with green tea for uplifting rejuvenation (RM19.75) - a genuine respite after a long day of fasting.
Bonus tip: DubuYo is planning a surprise dish for Ramadan - a sure-fire smash of popcorn chicken with topokki and cheese - so check it out to savour a luscious, limited-time-only treat.
Myeongdong Topokki (4-02, 4th Floor)
Named after Seoul's Myeongdong enclave that's known for shopping and street food, this venue boasts the advantage of one of Sunway Velocity Mall's best views, offering a bird's-eye panorama of the neighbourhood's verdant surroundings.
For its Ramadan special, Myeongdong Topokki is serving up a promotional set of a half-dozen wings and drummettes in three flagship flavours: hangul (original), yangnyeom (spicy) and ganjang (soy garlic) - if you adore Korean chicken and want to test out a variety of lip-smacking flavours, this is well worth bookmarking. But if you crave just one specific flavour, you can also get a half dozen at RM15.90, for the ultimate juicy crunch in chicken.
While Myeongdong Topokki might be best known for its namesake topokki (stir-fried rice cakes), an extensive menu of complete meals with refillable banchan (side dishes) and drinks makes this a suitable selection for a buka puasa session. Choose from the likes of dol sot bibimbap (RM20.90; featuring beef with mixed vegetables), soondubu jjigae (RM17.90; stewed tofu with chicken), hangul chicken ramyeon (RM18.90; fried chicken with noodles), kimchi bokkeumbap (RM17.90; fried rice with kimchi) and bulgogi beef deopbap (RM18.90; stir-fried beef with rice) - balanced meats with all the necessary carbs, protein and fibre for Ramadan sustenance, whether you enjoy noodles or rice or even neither.
Myeongdong Topokki's main Ramadan promotion starts May 3 onwards: two dishes and four pieces of chicken wings and drumettes for RM44, suitable for two persons; three dishes and eight pieces of chicken wings and drumettes for RM84, suitable for four; five dishes, or a dozen chicken wings and drumettes for RM132, suitable for six. Set meal dishes comprise beef bibimbap, chicken soondubu jigae, hangul chicken ramyeon, kimchi bokkeumbap, or bulgogi beef deopbap.
Seoul Garden Hotpot (4-07 and 4-08, 4th Floor)
For families and friends who might be undecided about what to order, Seoul Garden Hotpot is your go-to spot, promising set meals that spotlight a full spectrum of Korean specialities.
The Indulge set meal pictured here is an impressive spread for at least four persons - for RM99, you'll get ginseng chicken, a kimchi dubu jjigae (tofu broth) hotpot, kimchi bokkeumbap (fried rice), beef hot plate, two sets of deep-fried mushroom, kimchi namul, hot and spicy chicken drumettes, and four drinks of the day. It's exceptional value, especially when you consider that the star dishes - the ginseng chicken and kimchi dubu jigae - go for RM26.90 and RM16.90 on their own, nearly half the full set price. This is the set to order for a communal buka puasa.
If you're breaking fast on your own, opt for the Personal Hot Set, which includes one lamb hot plate, rice, kimchi, pickles and a ginseng red date drink. Alternatively, the chicken drumettes are great for either devouring on your own or sharing - a set of 10 pieces clocks in at RM25, steeped in hot-and-spicy or Korean soy sauce.
Seoul Garden Hotpot's upcoming promotions also include a Ramadan family meal set at RM99, which includes ginseng chicken, a full seafood hotpot and more. Seoul Garden Hotpot is available for catering too if you're planning events for Ramadan and beyond.
4Fingers (1-23, First Floor)
4Fingers deserves a high five for its fast-food concept that's convenient for quick meals or takeaways, especially if you want to bring home some chicken for your family's buka puasa dinner or save a bit for supper or sahur.
4Fingers' crispy chicken is distinctive, even more crackly in its batter than typical Korean fried chicken; while it's hand-brushed in sauce, the flavours won't mask the natural taste of the meat. The chicken is served as wingettes or drumsticks in soy garlic or hot-and-spicy sauce, made with natural herbs and spices, with soy beans that have been fermented for months.
Other chicken recipes are available: Customers craving burgers can chow down on the B.F.F., layered with roasted garlic sauce and kimchi coleslaw, while others seeking a nutritionally balanced meal will prefer the Katsu Salad for fried chicken goodness atop fresh vegetables. Each of these is available as a set meal with fries and drink for RM19.70; the fries come with seaweed or kimchi seasonings.
All in all, we had a terrific time exploring the Korean restaurants at Sunway Velocity Mall - any and all of them would be a cool choice for Ramadan, so if you enjoyed reading this post, head here soon to savour the real thing!
Many thanks to these restaurants for having us here.
Sunway Velocity Mall
Lingkaran SV, Sunway Velocity, Jalan Cheras, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
