Korean Cafe Gil

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

The ground level of Ivory Plaza is filled with eateries of all sorts. Tucked near a corner is Korean Cafe Gil (길), a dainty Korean café operated by ethnic Koreans. The shop's name "Gil" means "road" or "way" in Korean.

The atmosphere in the café is quite cozy. Wi-Fi is also provided, no wonder it is a popular hangout spot for college students staying nearby.

The menu is illustrated with pictures and captioned with descriptions in English. Therefore, it is not difficult to place an order.

For my lunch, I selected the Jjambong (짬뽕, RM10.00). This is a bowl of noodles in spicy soup with assorted ingredients such as chicken, shrimps, squids and kimchi cabbage. It also comes with a small serving of kimchi.

The soup is not too spicy, although I must admit that because my tolerance for spiciness is quite high, it may be overwhelming for some. The seafood ingredients used are reasonably fresh. Not to forget the Napa cabbage kimchi to give a delightfully sour sensation to this dish.

I seem to have a craving for kimchi. Somehow the spicy and sour taste appeals to my taste buds.

For snacks, I placed an order for the Boong Eo Pang (붕어빵, RM3.00), which literally means "crucian carp cake". Essentially, it is a fish-shaped waffle made using a waffle iron. Red bean paste is encased in batter, giving this snack a mildly sweet taste. This serving consists of two pieces: a larger "fish" and a smaller one. The taste can be improved if there is more red bean paste in proportionate to batter.

For drinks, I had a hot cup of Ginseng Tea (인삼차, RM5.00), which is pronounced as "insamcha" in Korean. The tea is sweet, though I prefer more ginseng essence instead. Nevertheless, it is nice to sip this drink during the hot afternoon.

Overall, the food offered at Korean Cafe Gil is reasonably good. The price is slightly more expensive than neighboring eateries. Then again, Korean food tends to be more expensive due to higher cost of ingredients.