Palsaik Korean BBQ - Pork Belly of 8 Different Flavors @ Mid Valley SouthKey in Johor Bahru [Malaysia]

I love barbecued food and while it can be from any cuisine; I do have a special liking for Korean BBQ, given their more flavorful marination and the fact that I would eat the grilled meat with a lot of lettuce!

Hence, we eventually settled for Palsaik Korean BBQ for lunch even though Mid Valley SouthKey has numerous food options, including Nando's and Dragon-i.

Palsaik actually means 8 colors but the explanation for the above refers to tastes, which is more correct as visually, you wouldn't think there are 8 different unique colors. That would have been weird anyway; imagine a greenish pork belly. My mom would have immediately assumed it's spoilt. 

Lunch with Alex and my sister! The thing with having Alex around is that he is way pickier with food and we have to be less liberal with ordering as the chance is high that he would give up if he doesn't like the food, even if the hungry monster is eating away his stomach. 

Nevertheless, we proceeded with the Palsaik signature set which was indicated as sufficient for between two and four persons. Oh well, without any rice / noodles; I think my sister and I could eat for three persons.

Pork belly marinated in eight different ingredients; resulting in a different flavor for each piece. The eight are ginseng, red wine, pine leaves, garlic, herb, curry, miso paste and Korean red pepper. For best tasting experience, have the meat grilled and enjoyed in the aforementioned order. 

As mentioned earlier; the colors were not distinct enough to be differentiated into eight types although you can argue the different shades of pinkness for some of them; a battle I wouldn't want to join in.

Tea wasn't free - it was charged at RM 4.50 per person.

Serving up the rest of the dishes, including salad for each of us. As I was hungry, I decided to take a bite and was pleasantly surprised by the salad sauce which had an interesting, flowery taste. 

First up on the grill pan was the kimchi! A lot of us would have the fermented cabbage as it is but you don't what you are missing; kimchi tasted even better when grilled or when you put them in instant noodles (soup)! 

Powering the grill pan appeared to be infra-red and not charcoal. Honestly, my taste buds are not refined enough to discern the subtleness unless the ingredients were grilled over charcoal fire. 

Adding other non-meat to the pan.

As part of the signature set, we had the option of choosing either clear clam soup, seafood soy bean paste soup and kimchi soup. Alex doesn't take well to spicy stuff so we only have one choice; the clear clam soup. What shocked me though, was the portion! I was expecting a small earthen pot, and not this huge pan! 

Even though it was peppery yet bland in the beginning, the continuous simmering eventually resulted in a deliciously sweet broth with huge clams, mussels and crab! p.s. clams were a tad sandy and mussels not that good. 

Let the grilling begin! Do you have to grill yourself? The answer is a big NO! The servers would do the work for you and I didn't have to worry about the meat getting burnt or undercooked! Let the professional handle it.

The four lighter flavored pork belly; ginseng, red wine, pine leaves and garlic. Rule of thumb; don't immediately put it on a piece of fresh lettuce that was slapped with a dollop of ssamjang. You wouldn't be able to taste the subtle flavor of the marinated pork belly! 

Despite my love for the pork belly, I needed my lettuce as the greenies would guarantee a smooth output the following day. Disgusting stuff aside, I love the meat that was marinated with the garlic even though garlic marination wasn't that unique (Thai mookata often has that). Ginseng and red wine would have been marvelous if the flavors were intensified. 

Now the final four contestants; herb, curry, miso paste and Korean red pepper. As we were following the order starting with the lightest of flavor, I am looking forward to having my taste buds being excited by the stronger flavored pork belly.  

Server using a piece of radish to remove the grease stains from the pan! That was bewildering as I didn't know the unassuming radish has such capability! 

They were indeed better! Personal favorites had to be the strongest flavored korean red pepper, followed by the mouthwatering curry and then miso (soybean paste). Garlic, the one I loved from the first four, was relegated to the 4th position. 

Before and after, ending with a full stomach! I honestly can't wait to go back again; good food, fresh ingredients aside, service was top notch, especially from the Vietnamese gentleman who was helping us with the grilling. 

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Address

T048 & T049, Level 3 The Mall, 

Mid Valley Southkey, Persiaran Southkey 1,

80150 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

 

Map

As above.

Website

https://palsaik.my/

Pricing

8 Color Set - RM 158.00

Tea - RM 4.50 per person

(Subject to Service Charge and Service Tax)