Special thanks to Kim’s BBQ for extending this food review invitation.
Kim’s BBQ (킴스) is a Korean restaurant at Straits Garden, spanning the length of two shops. Kim’s was previously operating at Arena Curve and just moved here 10 days ago. It is operated by ethnic Koreans, so you can expect the recipes here to be as authentic as they can be.
The dining section is rather spacious and presents a family-friendly atmosphere. Wood is featured heavily, as evidenced by timber floor and furnishings. Built into each table is the most cutting-edge stone grill from Korea. Compared to an iron plate, a stone grill retains heat better and allows food to be cooked more thoroughly.
Kim’s is no longer serving buffet, but is instead focusing on à la carte dishes. Korean barbecue (고기구이) continues to be Kim’s forte. There are several set meals to choose from. Like in many Korean restaurants, pork and beef are the most popular choices of meat.
The Pork Lover Set (돌판돼지고기바비큐) comes with sliced pork, scallops, shrimps, mushrooms (eryngii and enoki), sausages and Korean rice cakes (떡). Vegetables include fried kimchi (김치볶음), onions, bean sprouts, broccoli, pumpkin and potato. Cheese corn and egg are cooked separately. The Pork Lover Set is ideal for 2 (RM69.00) or 3 (RM98.00) persons. For larger parties, go for the BBQ Family Set instead.
The 2-person Pork Lover Set includes 2 servings of pork of customer’s choice. We opted for Garlic Pork Belly (마늘삼겹살) and Spicy Pork Belly (고추장삼겹살). The latter is marinated with spicy gochujang (고추장) and suits my palate better. A popular way to enjoy Korean barbecue is by wrapping a bite-size portion of meat, garlic and ssamjang (쌈장) in lettuce. Another way to savor the meal is by dipping cooked pork into a cheese fondue (치즈퐁듀, RM7.90).
Next, Kimchi-Jeongol (김치전골, RM49.00) is a sour-spicy stew in a large iron pot. The stew contains numerous ingredients like kimchi (김치), pork slices, dumplings (만두), fish cakes (어묵), crab sticks (게맛살), Korean rice cakes, enoki mushrooms, tofu, leek and ramyeon (라면). Jeongol (전골) is similar to jjigae (찌개) except the fact that the former contains more ingredients.
Cheese Dak-Gangjeong (치즈닭강정, RM35.00) consists of fried chicken chunks and rice cakes. The chicken is glazed with sugar and spicy sauce. Crushed peanuts and sesame seeds are sprinkled on top. I love the chewy texture of the rice cakes. Molten mozzarella cheese on the side serves as a dipping sauce.
Jap-Chae (잡채, RM28.00) uses a translucent, springy glass noodle that is made from sweet potato starch. As per tradition, it is stir-fried with pork, assorted vegetables and soy sauce. The dish is sweet and savory, much to my palate’s delight. Regarded as a symbol of longevity, Jap-Chae is typically served during auspicious occasions like birthdays and weddings.
Moving on, Haemul Pajeon (해물파전, RM28.00) is a pan-fried seafood pancake that is made from wheat flour and eggs. The pancake is topped with shrimps, scallions, and chili peppers. Spicy soy sauce serves as the condiment. Haemul Pajeon is usually consumed as an appetizer or a snack. The pancake is also popular as an anju (안주), i.e. food that is consumed with alcohol.
Banchan (반찬) refers to small plates of food that go with main dishes. The number of banchan dishes varies from restaurant to restaurant. The five that are served today are pickled napa cabbage (배추김치), pickled cucumber (오이무침), mashed potato, water spinach and sausages. At Kim’s, banchan is complimentary and refills are free of charge.
After finishing the main dishes, it is popular among Koreans to order Pan-Fried Rice (돌판볶음밥, RM9.90) to conclude the meal. Using the stone grill, cooked rice is pan-fried with seaweed (김) and grated cheese (RM3.00) with a small amount of oil. Koreans like their fried rice to be slightly browned and crispy.
As for beverages, Ginseng Tea (인삼차, RM7.00) is highly recommended due to its pleasant bitterness which soothes the throat. Other hot drinks are Maesil-Cha (매실차, RM5.00) and Yuja-Cha (유자차, RM5.00); the teas are prepared from plum and yuzu respectively.
Kim’s has several popular brands of canned drinks from Korea. For instance, Podo Bondbong (포도봉봉, RM5.00) contains chunks of white grapes. This sweet, fruity drink is irresistible to children!
Should customers prefer private dining, the restaurant has three small rooms with sliding doors. Each room can accommodate 8 people. Individual rooms can be combined to form a larger one.
Besides mouthwatering Korean barbecue, Kim’s also excels in serving authentic Korean dishes. The staff’s attention to detail is exemplary. This restaurant is definitely a great choice if you seek a true taste of Korean cuisine. Last but not least, Kim’s has a sister outlet at Jalan Tavoy, George Town.
Name: Kim’s BBQ (킴스)
Address: 349-01-07, Straits Garden, Jalan Jelutong, 11600 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-296-4058
Business hours: 11:30am-3:00pm, 5:30pm-10:00pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/hotstonebbq
Coordinates: 5.39517 N, 100.31743 E
Directions: Straits Garden Suites is a building along Jalan Jelutong. Kim’s is one of the shops at the front. There are several parking spaces in front of the restaurant. Alternatively, customers can also park at the multistorey parking garage and enter the restaurant from its back door at Level L1. Kim’s reimburses customers for their parking expenses.
