Food Review: Sae Ma Eul Charcoal Korean BBQ, Jaya One

This was over a month ago but I’ve only had time to write a review now; that’s how busy I’ve been 😦 

It’s been awhile since I last met up with my uni-mate Jo, so we decided to get dinner after work. I wanted to take her for some yakitori, but the place was closed so we ended up getting Korean barbecue instead. Located on the second floor of the central courtyard, Sae Ma Eul uses charcoal rather than an electric grill for the meat, creating a nice, smoky flavour.

Interior looks like your typical bbq joint, with indoor and outdoor seating and exhaust hoods over the grills to catch the smoke.

Readying the grill.

I’ve been to several grill places where the service is excellent – waiters are very attentive to your needs/help you to grill your stuff. This was not one of those places. Service was mediocre, and staff members looked completely disinterested at their jobs. The boss himself was great – came out to show us how to cook the meat properly – but the staff needs proper training and a huge dose of enthusiasm.

Jo and I got a set meal for 2-3pax (ambitious much). Instantly regretted when the food came because they came in such hefty portions. Giant pork belly slabs. Humongous shoulder cuts. A huge mound of marinated octopus. Didn’t help that I (foolishly, but hey, everyone does that when they’re hungry right?) ordered an extra helping of cheese lol.

High quality cuts with good marbling and balance between lean and fat.

Jo didn’t like octopi so I had this all to myself 😀 They were quite sizable, and the spicy sauce it was marinated in had a kimchi/bellpepper flavour.

Part of the fun of bbq – watching the meat crack and sizzle over the fire.

Our melted pot of cheese on the side was thick and gooey – great as a dipping sauce with the meat. The meat itself was tasteless but went well with some sesame oil and bean paste. The best way to eat is to wrap the whole chunk in a fresh lettuce leaf with some garlic. Hmm!

A lot of food which we struggled to finish towards the end. Didn’t even touch the banchan (side dishes) too much lol.

All in all, I’d say that I’ve had better K-BBQ, but Sae Ma Eul isn’t bad and pretty value for money if you’re sharing a set with friends. Service can definitely be improved though. They also have branches in Publika and Solaris Mont Kiara.

SAE MA EUL (JAYA ONE BRANCH) 

77-1, Block E, The Square, Jalan University, Jaya One, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Open daily: 11.30AM-11.30PM