Koreana restaurant is quite an established institution serving authentic Korean food in Kuching. It has recently moved its premises to 101, complete with brand new décor and fittings.
I went there with Irene and Emeric during my last trip to Kuching. The new Koreana looks much better than the previous restaurant and features an upper level for more dining space.
I like the eating implements (and also using unconventional words instead of just “utensils”) in Koreana. The chopsticks at Koreana are Korean chopsticks – it’s angular and oblique which makes it difficult to handle the first time you come across it.
We all had a mug of steaming green tea (RM 2) since we had just consumed an excessive amount of Slurpees previously, which made us a little on the cold side. The weather was chilly too, for some reason – rainy season, probably.
Koreana serves a select range of complimentary entrees for all diners. There’s kimchi (the staple of Korean food), clams in some sort of hot sauce, seaweed, anchovies, a salad and vegetables of some sort.
Irene had the Dolsot Bibim Bub (RM 20) which is described as “slizzling rice with assorted vegetables in stone bowl”. I’m sure they meant sizzling. 😉
The bibim bub (stone bowl mixed rice) comes with a raw egg which was cracked in by the waitress…
…and mixed thoroughly. Check out the look of concentration on her face. The raw egg is actually cooked by the excess heat from the stone bowl.
The obligatory kimchi is then added to the stone bowl mixed rice…
…before it is served. Koreana serves a pretty mean bibim bup and a testament to the authenticity of the place is the Korean expatriates at a table beside us.
Emeric opted for the Kimchi Fried Rice (RM 12). It tastes a lot like the Dolsot Bibim Bub minus the theatricals. 😉
I went for the Mulnaengmyun (RM 22) which is cold noodles in soup. It came with bamboo shoots and other vegetables and half a boiled egg. The dish was served in a metal bowl full of ice cubes. It’s not just cold, it’s freezing! I like! 🙂
Koreana also provides you with scissors for the cold noodle dish to cut the noodles into more manageable lengths for slurping. I really liked the taste of this dish – the freezing cold soup tastes delicious and although the concept of having ice cold noodles may be foreign for some people, it actually tastes really good.
We also ordered a bowl of Samgaetang (RM 35) to share. It is chicken soup cooked with ginseng Korean style and Irene insists that it is a very healthy substitute for ED meds. I’m not sure why she thinks me and Emeric has that kind of problem, but the chicken soup does taste good. 😉
The chicken soup with ginseng is served with half a whole chicken and lots of Korean ginseng. There’s also some rice at the bottom of the soup bowl and the rice expands and absorbs all the goodness of the soup and is meant to be eaten after everything else is consumed. It’s delicious!
Koreana is a nice place to have dinner if you’re hankering for authentic Korean food. The bill came up to about RM 95 so it’s pretty reasonable for three people. Thanks to Irene for driving me around Kuching in search of the elusive Slurpee! 😉
FAI CHAI!!!!
HB,
Thanks for another great food post. I can’t believe how many good places to eat have popped up in Sibu.
On another note, I used to live in Mountain View, Ca. You would like it. The main street is 90% Asian restaurants (mostly chinese and vietnamese).
The best Asian super market in Silicon Valley is there.
On Friday nights, the Asian chicks walking around are hot. There is also a great brew pub called the Tide House. The brew the beer right there.
If you make it to the U.S., I’ll give you a tour.
David
utar: Sorry, we do not sell that stuff over here at sixthseal.com. Try Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals. 😉
David: This was in Kuching. Sibu still has a long way to go with regards to dining establishments of this standard.
I would love to go there, I love dining at all sorts of different places and love eating all kinds of cuisine…and the brew pub! OMG! I wish there was a microbrewery with a pub over here in Malaysia. I love the concept.
I’ll definitely keep you in mind if I ever make it over to the US. Cheers buddy! 🙂
Ahhh, I love Samgaetang. Interestingly the first time I had it was at Terengannu
MmmmMMMmmm I love Bibum Bup…Hmmmm, k, so you totally owe me some Kuching food – or rather, any sort of non-steak and non-potatoes food… Still waiting for your funny story in my email, and since my memory is horrible, I do not know what it pertains to any longer
You look thinner HB ;p Are you on a diet?
I hardly try any Korean, since there’s no Korean restaurant here.
i have been craving for korean food for quite some time! can’t find kaki for korean food. 🙁 i heard the best korean in KL, as rated by most koreans, is the one in jalan ampang. i have yet to explore that place though.
darren: there’s one in miri, just opposite boulevard,run by a korean family i think. it’s alright i guess, but not as good as koreana.
koreana’s not half bad, but still not as good as the food i tried in korea itself – the selection of fresh seaweed (i love seaweed)!
and the small fish stalls on jeju island where you can pick your own (live) fish and have it gutted and grilled on the spot by cranky fisherwomen – you can’t get it any fresher than that hehe…
Have u tried the Korean restaurant in Sibu? Not exactly authentic but quite nice, except ur clothes stink when u leave the place because of the barbecue steamboat. We can go there one of these days?
Hi there! Visiting for the first time 🙂 I love Korean food too, but I’ve always played safe and never tried other things except for bulgogi and BBQ. 😛 The Bibimbub looks delicious! Maybe I should be more open to choices next time 😉
KY: Terengannu? Interesting. It’s not exactly the place one would think of when thinking of Korean food. 🙂
Skwermy: OMG! When two memory deficit people collide! I can’t remember the story I was going to tell you anymore! I’ve got to look though our emails and see if I can find out which line I was going to go down. Hmm…
jessy: Nope, it’s the angle, me thinks. 🙂
Darren: There isn’t a proper one in Sibu as well, but Kuching has a very large (relatively) Korean community.
xin: Hmm…I’ll be your kaki for Korean food. 🙂 It’s not related but I can’t find kaki to go see Clone Wars. None of my friends are Star Wars fans.
Irene: Oooh…cranky fisherwomen! I can’t wait! 😉
suituapui: Yeah, I’ve been there several times. The first was way back in 2002/2003. I didn’t know it was Korean though, thought it was just a bbq place.
iamthewitch: Hello there! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Bibimbub is quite common over here, a lot of places serves it. I think the popularity of it can be attributed to a certain Korean drama to which I forgot the title too.
Yeah, it’s always good to try new things. Cheers!
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