Korean cuisine has gained a steady following in KL over the last decade, thanks in part to the influence of K-pop and K-dramas. There is also a sizeable Korean community here, especially in the areas of Mont Kiara and Ampang – which is why many Malaysians are already familiar with favourites like samgyupsal and Korean fried chicken, as well as authentic comfort foods like samgyetang and jjajjangmyeon.

Jung Hee, the latest to grace the city, sits somewhere in between the two. Nestled within The Campus Ampang, this offshoot of a popular Korean chain, which has over 20 outlets in its home country, serves up Korean fusion flavours with a modern twist – think pasta-like dough strips in a creamy bracken fern broth, or wagyu beef and kimchi rice bowls.

The restaurant boasts warm, understated decor and cosy, intimate interiors that seat just 30+. We were fortunate to have visited just before it blew up on social media, so there wasn’t much of a crowd. Even so, expect long waiting times as they cook stuff to order. Despite only having three other tables during our visit, the food took nearly 45 minutes to serve.

This is me being a nitpicky but I felt that the service was unattentive (waitstaff seated the four of us, I went to the toilet for a bit, and the same waitstaff proceeded to layout just three sets of cutlery. When I returned I actually sat at the table for awhile thinking they would give us an additional set, but nope. Had to go get the stuff myself. Cutlery was also not cleaned properly). I would put this down to the restaurant still being new and staff still undergoing training, so it’s not too big of a deal.

Was the food worth the wait? Yes! Everything was tasty and made well.

Of particular note is the shrimp potato pancake (RM33) – unlike the traditional gamjajeon, which has a doughier, softer texture, Jung Hee’s version is more like a rosti, with strips of potato (almost like fries) piled together like a lattice, studded with bouncy shrimp and cheese, then deep fried. The result is a crispy, crunchy exterior, with the rocket salad leaves on the top giving it a nutty finish.

The Kimchi Cheese Tteobokki Fries (RM35) piles all of your favourite snack items into a sinful medley. Gooey cheese that stretches sky-high is melted over a bed of tender, juicy chunks of fried chicken, fries, and chewy rice cakes, with bits of kimchi adding tangy layers of zestiness. Carb overload, but who in their right mind would count calories in a restaurant like this?

The al-dente texture of the Vongole Hand-Pulled Noodles (RM34) is reminiscent of a thick lamian or pan mee, perfect for pairing with the savoury clam soup. A huge dollop of butter added even more richness, and they were also very generous with the amount of clams, which were fresh and sweet.

Last but not least of the items we tried was the Prawn Avocado Perilla Noodles (RM35) – which turned out to be my favourite of the lot. It was a perfect pairing of textures and flavours: served cold, the smooth, buckwheat noodles came drizzled in sesame sauce and perilla oil – a staple of Korean cuisine – which gave the noodles an addictive nuttiness. Creamy, buttery avocado and sweet, crunchy prawns completed the dish.

There wasn’t room for some of the other signatures – namely the bracken fern and wagyu bowl – which warrants a second visit. I hope they would have ironed out their service kinks by then, including the wait times and server attentiveness – but otherwise this is a spot I would return to for bold, Korean fusion flavours.

JUNGHEE – THE CAMPUS AMPANG

G-33, Lot 7706, Jalan Kolam Air Lama, Mukim, Hulu Kelang, 68000 Ampang, Selangor

• Phone: 011-1655 7260
• Opening hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5pm – 8.30pm (daily)
• Website: https://www.instagram.com/junghee.my/

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