it is ranked 6th by korean tourism organization (kto) as one of the top 10 korean dishes.

its popularity in south korea is astounding, so much so that koreans consume the most of this beloved dish in the world, often needing to import in order satiate the cravings of the locals.

and its name is SAMGYEOPSAL{삼겹살}.

essentially thickly sliced pork belly {돼지고기}, the name is inspired by the three distinct alternating layers of fat and meat where it is literally translated to three 'sam'{삼}, layer 'gyeop' {겹}, meat 'sal' {살}. typically uncured, not seasoned and not marinated, samgyeopsal is a barbecue dish {고기구이} where the meat is grilled over the charcoal grill or in this case, flat cast iron griddle over gas stove. this allows the meat to shine in its true essence and the 'seasoning' comes after the cooking.located in solaris mon't kiara, the restaurant replicated its flagship store's decor in south korea including the eye catching cute-sy little piggy table number that is hung just below the lamp. clean and simplistic, it starts with cement floors and wooden panels that lined the walls while the other half of the wall are ceiling high windows to allow the sunlight to illuminate the restaurant. there is one main dining area and also a few private rooms for bigger party of diners. practicality was reflected with the barrel-like stools with removable cushion that doubles as a bag storage and the utensils kept in the drawers at the table.like samgyeopsal, palsaik's name has meaning rooted within; 'pal'{팔} is eight while 'saek' {색} translates to color - the signature dish: the fresh pork belly {생삼겹살} marinated in eight sauces - ginseng {인사}, wine {와인}, pine needles {솔잎}, garlic {마늘}, herb {허브}, curry {커리}, soy bean paste {된장} and hot pepper sauce {고추장}.8color set {팔색한상} | palsaik pork belly which is not only good for your health but also tasty, seasoned with 8 different ingredients - set for 3~4 persons; set + seafood soup + vegetables (rm 112)

{건강에 좋고 맛도 좋은 여덟가지 색깔 스페셜하게 즐기는 팔색삼겹살}the seafood stew - a clear broth with mixed vegetables, tofu and seafood of crab, shrimp, mussels, clams and squid in a shallow metal hot pot that turns fiery red as the soup simmers to a bubble. the soup (is also refillable!) was spicy with mild seasoning but didn't manage to extract the flavors of the fresh seafood into the soup without overcooking the shellfish.(p.s. the daikon cube on the stick is not edible but instead is used to clean the flat griddle of grease throughout the cooking process)the grilling was done with two batches where the first four strips were marinated in the lighter sauces followed by the stronger flavors.while the first four strips were grilled to perfection, they are stacked aside while the rest of the pork belly were placed on the griddle.each strip of the samgyeopsal had its own subtle differences and wore the flavors as you would expect them to.

the strips of pork belly had a good fat to meat ratio making them succulent and meaty simultaneously as the warm tart and mildly spicy kimchi contrasted the cool raw vegetables and the rounded saltiness of the soy bean paste. my favorite has got to be the soy bean paste, garlic and the hot pepper sauce for the occasional heat. more importantly, discerning the eight different nuances in flavors that tickled the five elements of taste in one meal has made this a rather special samgyeopsal experience.

side dishes :: cheese stir fried rice {치즈복음밥} (rm15)

with the five of us sharing the meal, we added an order of rice to fill our hungry bellies, which was prepared at the table by the staff. in similar fashion as 'dalkgalbi' {닭갈비}, as we have consumed the seafood broth to a minimal amount, the broth will be mixed with the leftover kimchi from the griddle which would become the base for the fried rice.it was simple and quick by adding sesame leaves for the punch of herbaceous brightness to counter the mild spiciness of stock absorbed by the rice, mild saltiness from the seaweed and finished the creamy meltiness of the cheese. it was a a pretty tasty encounter although my personal preference would be to add a small spoonful of hot pepper sauce!palsaik korean bbq restaurant offers something slightly different from its counterparts. while i would have had a happier belly if they served a few more side dishes {반찬} (including the spicy green onion salad which is surprisingly enjoyed in seoul {파절이} - a perfect accompaniment), the concept of samgyeopsal marinated in eight different sauces that deliciously seduces the taste buds in a mild manner had won me over. although the menu is very limited, it is worth trying out at least once with family/friends who crave for pork belly goodness with a twist!

[#protip: as with other korean grill restaurants, you will come out smelling like korean bbq! dress lightly since it will be warm with all the grills on the go!]

fujimoto-san is the the udon expert collaborator behind the inception of ori-udon, what transpired after my meal at the former was inevitable - i had to try the original. fujimoto's very own sanuki udon shack in taman desa. the petite noodles shack unpretentious. despite the simplicity of the decor, it breathed japanese - with the use of dark wooden panel that arched the entrance. mostly alfresco dining while the other half of the dining space inside was entertained by the open kitchen. sticking to their basics and the simplistic approach thus far, their menu was similarly contained within a single page menu with a handful of udon choices and kushiage as well as side dishes aplenty.

[#protip] fill out your orders in the two order sheets provided at the table and don't forget table number. oh, cash ONLY so be sure to have enough in your wallet before you go on an ordering spree!it didn't take long for all the dishes to make their appearances. i'd say our choices made up a pretty balanced meal! ;)sanuki udon :: house special with egg | hot or cold {rm5}when i can't seem to make up my mind, my fall back plan is to go with their speciality. i mean, it's already in its name AND you can't really go wrong with the soft cooked egg to top it all off! this was more of a basic version of the one i had from ori-udon.starting with a base of a couple of spoonfuls of dashi broth that seasoned the noodles sufficiently, breaking the soft yolk was gratifying as the silky richness embraced the freshly made udon, cooked el dente, it gave a chewy texture with a hint of elasticity. the udon was a slurping goodness that shone in the simplicity of the dish. uncomplicated and the dish made complete sense. no need for extras and is best to be experienced as is. oh it's probably better hot instead of cold.

sanuki udon :: original soup | hot or cold {rm 5}{mh}'s choice seemed to be well received. topped with a handful of vegetables, the same freshly made thick udon that is made out of japanese wheat dough was served with a warm light broth that i guess was dashi but had a bias towards the konbu flavor. it was a comforting bowl of tasty noodles, perfect for the rainy evening.

topping :: kakiage {rm 3}my first introduction to kakiage that i remember was at ori-udon. prepared tempura style, kakiage is a mix of vegetable (perhaps onion, carrot and burdock root), thinly shredded into thickness of match sticks. just ever slightly less greasy than its ori-udon counterpart, it was missing that crispy crunchiness that left me rather unsatisfied. although subtle different between the two, ori-udon had the ratio of vegetables mix that better suited my taste buds with a more prominent natural sweetness of the roosts and onions.

kushiage :: tori momo | chicken leg meat {rm 2}breaded in panko bread crumbs prior to the deep frying, my first bite had me pause to reassess the flavors of the skewer. while the chicken mea remained moist, the lack of seasoning on on the chicken and the not-as-crispy-as-i'd-hope panko breading compelled me to slather a generous amount of the delicious sauce which had the much needed punch from the japanese yellow mustard, which i loved. there was something amiss about the tori momo kushiage that we couldn't quite put our finger on and was staring at some tables that ordered the karaage which seemed to suggest a better feedback from the clean plates. *nods subtly* yeah, we were sorta wishing that we had ordered that instead.

one word that resonates the being of sanuki udon is simplicity - but definitely in an optimistic way, allowing the basic and clean flavors that highlight the essence of the dishes although a couple of tweaks in the execution would probably be good. thus, proceed with a simple expectation and you may be greeted with a pleasant surprise, especially with the very reasonable price tags, to boot.

so when someone at work recommended marutama ra-men {まる玉 らーめん}, which is one of his top favorites for ramen places (btw, his other half is japanese), i was intrigued but i wasn't sure what to expect of it. after the popular ramen trend took the local food scene by storm a couple of years ago, marutama stood out from the rest of the porcine-based counterparts by being the pioneer of chicken soup for ramen in japan. nestled in a hidden corner on the first floor of fahrenheit 88 mall in bukit bintang, the petite noodle joint mimicked the simplistic japanese decor of its sister franchises in japan, indonesia, thailand and hong kong. it took a bolder approach with the focus walls painted in my favorite hue of red that contrasted yet complimented the other grey and white walls as well as dark & light brown furniture. as the sun set, the last of the evening sunlight streamed in through the ceiling-high windows that faces the back roads of bukit bintang.the compact menu was filled with the choices in the combination of either spicy/non-spicy broth and toppings of chashu, pork belly or ajitsuke tamago. in fact, if you're feeling hungry, why not all three? or you can even order the toppings (or their other offerings) as a side to be shared with others if variety is what you're looking for.

ajitsuke tamago ra-men | chicken soup ra-men with a slice of roast pork, seaweed, spring onion and a seasoned egg (choice spicy or non spicy) (rm 21) as much as i love spicy versions, the best way to savor the nuances and notes in its stock will be in its most natural and basic version of the non-spicy.being the only diner at the restaurant meant that the bowl of goodness got to me really quickly. the broth was warm and i inhaled its fragrance when i tasted my first sip. as the warm soup trickled down my throat, it sung a couple of the same notes as my favorite tonkotsu broth but on a milder, subtler tune. the stock almost had the similar sticky lipped richness and light creaminess in a flavorful disposition.. a lighter version, if you will but seasoned just nicely. the soup is cooked for five hours daily over high heat using the freshest ingredients and that it takes one whole chicken to make two bowls of soup to achieve that level of flavor intensity. plus, marutama boasts of no added preservatives nor msg.the handmade noodles were fresh as it was coated lovingly by the thick broth. i've always liked my ramen's texture to be cooked el dente for that firm, springy bite with each chew but this was slightly overdone, thus making it a little softer than i'd like.one of my favorite ingredients in the bowl has got to be the understated and unassuming imported river bed seaweed from japan that gave another layer of flavor that somewhat cut through the richness of the stock. i would call it the secret (although not-that-secret) ingredient that made this bowl of noodles whole.the slice of roast pork loin with its great lean to fat ratio was cooked to its tenderly satisfying texture. flavor-wise, pretty good but it didn't stand out as memorable.and finally, a must have with every bowl of japanese ramen -- the ajitsuke tamago. very mild flavors of soy and mirin infused into the marinated soft boiled egg, done using almost textbook perfect techniques (although i've definitely tasted better ones). as i pierced the egg with my chopsticks to split it open, the runny yolk streamed some of its golden richness into the stock to accentuate the flavors.don't miss out on the fried garlic flakes on the table and you can even have a second experience with that same bowl of ramen with the addition of their signature condiment. perhaps first half without and the second half with. ;)the fried garlic flakes gave a slight earthy, sweetness mingled with a bitter undertone from the garlic itself to give a more robust punch of flavor with the occasional crunch of the fried flakes. don't forget to try it for yourself to figure out if you prefer it with or without.

[#protip] while you can't add more stock, you can always have an additional order of ramen (rm 3) if you would like extras to slurp up all that chicken stock with.

oh, and if you are wondering whether the green tea is refillable, it's a yes ;)

"beloved thai dish --
a secret ingredient;
boat noodles, it's called"

boat noodles has sailed from the 'land of smiles' and landed at kuala lumpur since earlier this year. about a month ago, {jl} asked me to check out a new boat noodles that his friend opened in kuchai lama -- the kuay tiew reua boat noodles.i am a stranger to boat noodles prior to the first of of its kind that opened in damansara perdana, bringing that thai love that originated from the days when the kingdom's capitol was ayutthaya and the country was still connected by canals. ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ or guai dtiaw rua is a classic thai cuisine where the boats pulled up to the shore to serve soup to people who savored them on the banks of the canal. on present day, this beloved warm bowls of comforting noodles are also sold at urban floating markets. resonating its rich history of origin, the richness of the broth is attributed to the addition of a (or perhaps, not-so-) secret ingredient.kuay tiew reua boat noodles is a petite shop nestled in the commercial row in kuchai entrepreneur's park. its decor was oddly reminiscent of the local food shops that i had seen or eaten at during my visits to thailand -- minimal decoration on the orange walls that contrasted the monochrome tables and chairs. you can find the cook in action as he dished out petite bowls and bowls of noodles in the open kitchen at the back of the shop.despite the rainy evening, the queue outside the door was not surprising. after waiting in line for about 5-10 minutes as we were willing for our turn to come by very soon, much to our horror and disbelief, a staff placed a 'sold out' sign at the entrance! i almost over-reacted! >.< before they explained that they were still accommodating those who were already in line. phew, that was close!the menu was simple: there is a total of six noodle options. soup or dry versions where you can pick your options of noodles: thai rice noodles, vermicelli or glass noodles. not knowing how many bowls would take to satiate the hunger without stuffing ourselves silly, we started with five bowls each.a few things: closed on mondays, it's cash only, no take away's, crispy pork rinds for extra texture are sold at the counter and waiting is inevitable. because it sure felt that our waiting moved from the queue at the entrance to the tables -- it took a pretty long time before the many bowls of noodles finally invaded our table.with all the usual thai fixin's, it was customary to enhance the flavor of the noodles with the addition sugar, fish sauce, or the variations of chilli condiments - spicy chili oil, toasted chili flakes, spicy green chili in vinegar. or you can even combine them all in a ratio if are a daredevil of all things spicy. in other words, you can customize the noodles till your taste bud's content!between the soup and the dry versions, my vote of preference goes to the former. its stock was (here it is, the secret ingredient!) porcine blood-thickened giving it a nice depth and thin richness as its savoriness danced with the mild fragrance of the spices. it reminded me of vietnamese pho but with a very subtle hint of complexity. its mildness of flavor was probably to accommodate the addition of fixin's if you like it spicier, sweeter or saltier. the delightful pork meatball was moist and most of the pork slices were succulent. the fried garlic was a brilliant inclusion to bring another dimension to the flavor profile. the dry version was less inspiring since it didn't quite possess that familiar thai flavors distinction.overall, this bowl of noodles was pretty tasty and the condiments are a must. i think i found my favorite combination of all varieties that we've tried: thai rice noodles in soup, a dash of fish sauce and a spoonful of vinegar-y chopped green chilies -- savory, vaguely sour and spicy. as we were working on our fourth bowl, we begun to think that five bowls per person were maybe one bowl too many. each portion was surprisingly filling although it looked deceivingly small. i had to admit that the long wait harbored some frustration that somewhat put a dent into the whole experience.although i've never tried the boat noodles before in its country of origin, this pretty tasty offering from kuey tiaw reua boat noodles prepared by a thai local was enough to convince me to be on the look out for this beloved canal street food the next time i go on vacation to bangkok. just be prepared to do some waiting since crowds are probably steadily flocking towards these boat noodles as the novelty still runs high.for full post and photos you can check it out at: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/08/kuay-tiew-reua-boat-noodles.html

pickle & fig means two things for me.
o1. one of the listed top 2o must-try coffee places in kl visited by says.com.
o2. mission o3: brunch edition.pickle & fig's idea is simple - summarized in three words:
cafe. panini. smoothie.
and it was exactly that, plus some.
but where were the pickles and figs?minimalist is their approach to its industrial chic decor but was lacking accent pieces to bring completeness to its theme: in fact, slightly TOO minimalist/simplistic: a concrete space (both walls &amp; floor) + wooden pieces/furniture + cushioned benches with comfy pillows + industrial lighting pieces.our late morning brunch visit left us spoiled for seating options since it was a quiet morning for them. there were even a couple of patio seating if you fancy the warm ambiance outside. i quickly picked the one with the cushioned benches, which also gave me a great view of their huge artfully written chalkboard menu, that gave the space a punctuation of green and some character to the petite establishment - a contrast to the otherwise monotonous grey, black and wooden space.a selection of fruit smoothies dominated the chalkboard on top of choices of hot pressed panini, cold sandwiches and fresh salads. there were a couple of other snack bites and 2 "others" for those who are not in the mood for bread: traditional fish &amp; chips as well as carbonara pasta. its hearty and healthy selection of sandwiches was a lovely departure from the typical brunch cafes.
once you've selected food and beverages desired, head over to the counter to place your order. oh, it's cash terms only!it was only that after i've paid for my food that i realized there was a monthly specials menu next to the cash register, with po' boy occupying the top half - i wished i could have tried their rendition of the famous southern favorite from {rmc}'s home state, lousiana, to see if they could do the sub justice.
coffee :: latte (rm 8) & cappuccino (rm 8)
cappuccino for me, please!
sometimes, i like to ummm.. mix things up... hehe.
i know, latte and cappuccino are essentially the same with the exception of the thick layer of foam.lo and behold!
it was a pretty good rendition of the espresso + hot milk combination that resulted to a creamy cuppa with light bitterness of the espresso, which i enjoyed but towards the end of the sip, i pursed my lips from the deep bitterness of the foam that lingered unpleasantly for a short moment.
"sigh..so close."
even so, it was one of the better brews i've had.the intricate coffee art alongside the distinct layers of the coffee and foam held so much promise but {hr}'s comment: average.
cold gourmet sandwiches :: smoked salmon and cream cheese | smoked salmon, capers, chives cream cheese, lemon tarragon mayo and mixed greens on focaccia (rm19)to match its decor, pickle &amp; fig serve the sandwich on a metal sheet tray lined with wax paper, with sides of fried potato wedges and a tiny side salad. the side salad was leafs of lettuce tossed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette. to call it a full sandwich would be unrepresentative. a decent amount of fresh salmon slices, lightly cured when tasted on its own, smeared liberally with the tarragon mayo and sprinkled with briny capers.alas, 'twas was the day where the herb called tarragon that conquered and overpowered sandwich-ville with the spicy, sweet anise aroma that were much too stronger than the rest of the ingredients. the cream cheese was cowering behind the mayo that i couldn't taste much of the tangy cheese-like fullness. while the focaccia bread, well, i wish it took on a more chewy texture.
i have to commend the presence of the wedges, who came to the rescue and stole the show. {hr} seconded my views of this starch greatness. still warm in its crispy jacket, the potato wedges were cooked to perfection with the insides soft and seasoned aptly with salt, pepper and spices.
hot pressed panini :: rotkraut pastrami | beef pastrami, rotkraut, mozzarella, russian dressing, infused oil on wholemeal or white bread (rm 19)an interpretation of the classic reuben where its main ingredients are corned beef, swiss cheese, russian dressing and sauerkraut stacked between two slices of rye bread, the rotkraut pastrami mimicked with minor differences.the cheese was melted beautifully with toasted, crispy bread. i understood {hr}'s sentiments of the panini which was good but not close to being his favorite when he was sharing his reminiscence of the fantastic delicatessens in NYC and the abundance of the thinly shaved, smoked corned beef surpassed this local interpretation, at least twofold. {hr} would have loved a bit more zing, which was lacking in the rotkraut and smokiness of the meat in the sandwich too.
one of the drawbacks was the size of the sandwiches was barely enough to satiate our hungry bellies, something we were hoping for its price tag. perhaps the lunch crowd had a different view as they poured in and filled the cafe despite the slow start in the morning.
pickle & fig gathers and offers sandwich favorites with classic flavor pairings, both hot and cold. and the smoothies. and the coffee. just as they've promised.
and oh, yes. i am still searching for the pickles and the figs.
for more photos and other reviews: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/05/pickle-fig-ttdi.html