Review: Bold New Flavours at Bulgogi Brothers

Overall comment: Delicious Korean meal, best enjoyed with loved ones :D
Halal: Pork-free

Bulgogi Brothers first opened in Gang-Nam, south of Seoul, South Korea in 2006. Featuring the concept of casual dining restaurant, this brand name is certainly no stranger to Malaysians & Asians alike. They currently have 40 outlets in South Korea, Canada, Philippines, Indonesia & even Malaysia! *wow*

As its name speaks, this restaurant is well-known for its Bulgogi ("bul" means fire, "gogi" means meat) dishes. The various types of seasoned meats are prepared & grilled by the table-side, waiting to be enjoyed by all meat-lovers.

The few types of Bulgogi that are "pride & joy" of Bulgogi Brothers are the Unyangsik Bulgogi (featured below), Gwangyangsik Bulgogi (also featured below), Seoulsik Bulgogi, Deungsim, & Galbi; all of different cuts & marination.

Unyangsik Bulgogi (front) & Gwangyangsik Bulgogi (back)

Pretty presentation, right? :D Perhaps a good option for celebrations with loved ones? Birthdays, Valentine's, special occasions? ;)

Different types of Bulgogi available here

Thanks to Chaswood Resources Sdn Bhd & Bulgogi Brothers@Paradigm Mall, a group of us were invited to enjoy & review some of Bulgogi Brothers' best-sellers.

Bugogi Brothers at Paradigm Mall

It's really hidden if you're walking from the inside of the mall. The restaurant's "outside".

Interior of the Paradigm Mall's branch

Every Korean meal will begin with a generous serving of appetizers. Here at Bulgogi Brothers, each table will be served with a set of complimentary welcome dish together with 6 refillable side dishes.

Complimentary welcome dish: Sweet potatoes, sweet corn, & "edamane"

Side dishes

All of their side dishes are made in-house, where some are "localized" to suit the taste-buds of Malaysians. You'll find the well-known pickled radish & kimchi, along with preserved kangkung. The kangkung was quite interesting as it's my 1st time having such a dish.

Savory-marinated lotus root, mashed sweet potatoes with pumpkin, & marinated spinach

Being a fan of mashed potatoes, my favorite on this platter is certainly the mashed sweet potatoes. I found the lotus root too salty for my liking, while the spinach too common.

What I found creative with the mash is that they have chopped cucumbers & carrots in the mash to give a variety of textures to the soft mash. It's sweet & savory at the same time. I enjoyed it :)

The featured "bold new flavour" is the Ginseng Chicken Soup, that's available only until January 2014. It's an ideal dish for this season of festivity & celebration with family & friends, especially for the upcoming Chinese New Year :)

Ginseng Chicken Soup/Samgyetang (RM45.90/set)

One whole young chicken stuffed with jujubes, ginseng, garlic, chestnuts and sticky/glutinous rice

  It's a "heart-warming" dish, best eaten while it's piping hot. The dish is a healthy start to a new year as this delectable dish consists of the nutritious ginseng & jujubes, tender young chicken & also some glutinous rice. It would be better to have a "bolder" flavor of the ginseng :P

Filling & satisfying dish for the family

Sauteed Beef Wraps/Sogogi Milssam (RM19.90/set)

Naturally colored wheat flour pancake wraps filled with seasoned sauteed beef slices and crunch julienne potatoes

This is another must-try. It's a fun-filled dish that allows you to mix & match the colorful pancakes with the meat before popping them into your mouth. The pancakes reminded me of my younger days; my grandma used to pan-fry pancakes ("pok chang"), which we will enjoy for tea time in front of the tv :D You'll find the red pancakes (beetroot), green pancakes (spinach), & the natural wheat flour pancakes.

Here's the usual way to enjoy the pancake wraps (you can get creative as well):

1. Pick a pancake from the dish & place it onto your plate

2. Scoop some sauteed beef slices & place it onto the pancake

Beef slices are sweet & savory as they're sauteed in the Bulgogi sauce.

3. Top it with the crispy julienne potatoes

4. Add some alfafa (optional) - I like it cos it gives a fresh-taste to the whole wrap

5. Drizzle some fermented bean sauce onto the mount of meat+veggie

6. Wrap & pop it into your mouth! :D Enjoy!

Another color of the pancake: spinach juice for the green coloring

After enjoying the pancake wraps, it's time to pick up the chopsticks & dig in to the juicy chicken & crispy tofu dish.

Crispy Tofu with Chicken/Dubu Chicken (RM15.90/set)

Golden brown tofu with marinated chicken in teriyaki sauce and bean spouts

The 1st image that came to my mind was the "Ipoh Chicken Rice" - beansprouts, chicken & tofu! This dish is a very simple yet enjoyable dish. I find it a protein-infused dish as well...haha. Yummy sweet & savory dish.

Lovely flame to keep it warm :)

Chicken Mango Salad (RM19.90/set)

Special salad mixed with sweet and sour citrus dressing and topped with seasoned chicken & fresh mangoes

Another favorite of the night. Fresh medley of ice-berg lettuce, tomatoes, red peppers, beetroot, water crest, zuchini, & red onions accompanying the fragrantly dressed (grape-seed oil, oriental sauce) marinated chicken (simple black pepper & salt only), that's served with sweet yellow Thai mangoes. Such a hearty salad. Meat-lovers will love this & won't mind the juicy vegetables at all!

Beef Short Ribs Soup/Galbi Tang (RM39.90/set)

A 3-hour preparation of rich but delicate soup made from beef short ribs and Korean herbs. Served with rice

I know for sure that my colleague will love this dish. He was hunting for the Chinese-version of such tender beef while we were at San Francisco recently. The soup is very clear yet flavorful, but what I love best is the beef slices. So tender & melts in your mouth :) All beef are from Australia (Angus).

Check out the grains on the beef...oolala...

Dip the beef into this spicy dip for additional heat & flavor :D yums!

Hungry already? We're not at the peak of the post yet!

Spicy Chicken Bulgogi/Dak Galbi Bulgogi (RM29.90/set)

Juicy chicken thighs marinated in Bulgogi Brothers' special spicy Bulgogi sauce, served with a medley of vegetables (green chilli, carrots, enoki mushrooms, onions, leek, cilantro & Cameron Highland sweet potatoes) and rice cakes. Served with rice.

  I'm quite a sucker for such dishes. It has the tender marinated meat, spicy gravy, sweet & juicy vegetables & chewy rice cakes. Ah, perfect!

Cook 'til the broth reduces to a "gravy" to go with your rice. So delicious!

Save the best for the last :D This was the highlight of the night. Two different cuts of Bulgogi.

The Unyangsik Bulgogi (heart-shaped below) was first discovered at Ulsan, Korea in the 1960s by construction workers who were building the expressway. The unyang bulgogi is made from minced Australian Angus beef with 10% fats (around the shoulder blades area), marinated with the distinctive unyang sauce of soy sauce, fruit juice & hand-pressed into patties.

Bulgogi Brothers Special (RM81.90/set)

Special assortment of Bulgogi combination consisting of Unyang-style (seasoned beef and hand-pressed into heart shapes) and Gwangyang-style Bulgogi (thinly sliced seasoned beef served with mushrooms, sweet potatoes, leeks and onions).

  It's like eating a Korean-style burger without the buns (replaced with healthy green leaves) :P Quite nice, although I would prefer it to have more fat & juice.

The Gwangyansik Bulgogi on the other hand is a style of the southern provinces of Korea. The thinly sliced lean beef is seasoned to order in Gwangyang sauce; a closely guarded secret of soy sauce & fruit juices, which is not too strong to retain the delicate taste of the beef (words adapted from Bulgogi Brothers).

Quite yummy...I personally prefer this to the Unyangsik Bulgogi as this is sliced beef instead of minced beef

Looking back at the photos of the yummy meal, I'm tempted to pop-by Bulgogi Brothers for a meaty meal again. 

Remember, the Ginseng Chicken Soup is only available 'til next month, so don't miss out trying it!

Bulgogi Brothers Malaysia

Ground Floor Boulevard, Paradigm Mall: (+603) 7886 3543

Level 6, Pavilion KL: (+603) 2141 9620

Ground Floor, e@Curve: (+603) 7722 3633

Level 3, Mid Valley Megamall: (+603) 2282 2292

Business Hours: Daily from 11am onwards

URL: Bulgogi Brothers Malaysia

FB: Bulgogi Brothers FB

Ratings:

Presentation: * * * *
Price: * * *
Environment: * * * 1/2
Taste: * * * 1/2
Service: * * * 1/2


Overall:





Korean food - yums!