Dongdaemun Dakhanmari brings South Korea's traditional chicken hot pot to Solaris Mont Kiara

The soul-warming signature speciality of Seoul's Great East Gate comes to Solaris Mont Kiara: Straight from the Dongdaemun Market district, this is KL's destination for dakhanmari, a whole chicken hot pot, served steaming and satisfying to share.

For fans of unique Korean recipes, Dongdaemun Dakhanmari is a delicious delight - its 'one-chicken pot' is the top temptation, but there's more poultry pleasure to try, from traditional whole fried chicken to Korean-imported chicken feet, for the ultimate Korean chicken kitchen.

Rest assured of Dongdaemun Dakhanmari's authenticity - this Korean-run restaurant relies on a 30-year-old secret recipe for its hot pot, focusing on farm-fresh chicken as well as a wide variety of Korean-cultivated vegetables. It makes its soup from scratch without stocks and shortcuts, its own sauces and noodles, resulting in honest flavours that taste home-cooked.

Dongdaemun Dakhanmari is one of Solaris Mont Kiara's most spacious restaurants, with a bright, beautiful window view of the neighbourhood's lush lands. It's calm and comforting, with convenient parking in the SohoKL complex.

The One Chicken Pot with Whole Chicken (RM88) is a massive meal, reasonably priced and suitable for two to four persons.

It comprises the whole chicken in the pot, plus a generous assortment of about 25 vegetables, including plenty of potatoes and spring onions in the soup. It comes complete with noodles, as well as a choice of porridge or rice balls for carbohydrates. 

Dongdaemun Dakhanmari's team will guide customers on how to relish this hot pot.

First, the tender chicken is cut into pieces, with minced garlic added, before being boiled for 10 minutes. Vegetables and rice cakes are then added to simmer for at least five minutes in the soup, naturally rich with ingredients like mushrooms, radish and onions.

The first serving is ready to slurp! Select your favourite parts of the chicken, plus the cooked vegetables and rice cakes, dipping them into the spicy sauce or devouring them with kimchi.

After you have finished the chicken, cook the noodles next, complemented by kimchi.

Finally, use the remaining soup to prepare a creamy porridge with egg. 

It's an excellent experience, with multiple steps and courses - we love the soup, with its wholesome flavour and restrained texture. It's light enough that we won't feel bloated having several bowls but ultimately hearty so that we'll leave completely fulfilled.

If you're craving a chill-fuelled affair, binge on the Braised Spicy Chicken & 2 Rice Set (RM88) - this unleashes the heat and firepower, in a sultry, sweat-worthy set for two persons.

For a faster, fuss-free fowl feast, check out the Korean Traditional Fried Whole Chicken (RM58) - hand-marinated and whole-fried in true Korean style, it's gently crisp-skinned, harbouring superbly succulent flesh, juicy but not oily, producing poultry of quality.

Fun fact: This chicken is ideally eaten at the restaurant - but even if you take it home, it'll remain crisp-skinned for a few hours, thanks to its time-honoured technique of cooking. 

The Honey Soy Chicken (RM58) is lip-smacking if you prefer your Korean fried chicken saucier - harnessing farm-sourced honey, the flavour is pleasingly mellow, not overpoweringly cloying, making this a refreshing change from commercial Korean fried chicken.

Dongdaemun Dakhanmari goes beyond chicken meat - for offal enthusiasts, the Stir-Fried Gizzard & Garlic (RM38) is moreish for munching, with the crunchy gizzard complemented generously by aromatic garlic cloves, served sizzling with sesame seeds. 


Dongdaemun Dakhanmari takes the extra effort to source its chicken feet from South Korea, gorgeously gelatinous and substantial in size.

The Chicken Feet Soup & Rice Ball (RM55) could be a full course on its own, full-bodied and full-flavoured - if you're chicken feet aficionado, bookmark this for your next indulgence.

The  Charcoal Grilled Spicy Boneless Chicken Feet (RM68) is extra-convenient, with no bones to worry about. With a subtle smokiness, these prove irresistible, collagen-rich and lusciously smooth instead of leathery - the perfect after-work dinner-and-drinking snack!

Dongdaemun Dakhanmari
K-G-5, 2, Jalan Solaris, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. 
Open Tuesday-Thursday, 12pm-12am; Friday-Sunday, 11am-12am. Closed Monday. 

Tel: 012-913-2996