[Lily McCarthur]

Seol Pocha

Seoul Pocha is a Korean barbecue restaurant located Jalan SS15, Subang Jaya. If you are looking for a place to chill with your friends, this is an ideal place. It offers Korean food such as dumplings and rice cake soup, curry noodles, bibimbap and more. For those who have a sweet tooth, there are special desserts such as vegan ice cream and soybean milk desserts to choose from.

You have the option to grill the meat yourself or you can ask the staff to grill it for you. I would head over to Seoul Pocha on Friday night just to chill and drinks with my friend. The atmosphere is just nice as a ‘lepak’ place on Friday night. It’s almost like a bar place to me I would say. Do come early or book a table as it gets quite busy and crowded over the weekend. The main customers here are usually youngsters and uni students since INTI, Sunway and Monash are located very near to SS15. Hence, it is a hub for students to chill. Besides food, they also have Korean alcohol which is Maekgoli and Soju. They offer various flavours from the original to fruity options for alcoholic beverages. Do keep an eye out for their monthly specials which are usually on the last Saturday of the month!

[Lily McCarthur]

Steamboat=hotpot and it is basically a Chinese cuisine that uses broth, vegetables, and various contents such as meat, seafood, etc. It is typically eaten with noodles or rice. The reason that hotpot has become popular in Western countries has been attributed to its wide availability in the food market and its affordability.

Steamboat/hotpot also a cultural practice that has developed over time. The history of hotpot dates back to the Tang Dynasty through the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, where it was called “Baotou”. The origin of hotpot can also be traced back to medieval China. A pot full of boiling broth is placed in the middle of a table, where raw ingredients are dipped in it and then eaten. The style has changed in various dynasties and eras. During the Qing Dynasty, the hotpot was called “Huoshao”. The dish was served in a steamer and eaten with chopsticks.

In the 1950s, four hotpots with different flavours were created in Dongdaemun Market in Seoul. Through the passage of time, most people have come to eat it at home due to how convenient it is to have it at home. All you need is a hotpot which you can simply buy it online and the price range varies according to the brands.

KL is another great place to get your steamboat fix – and it’s a good one, too. Korean, Japanese and Chinese-style dishes are on offer here. For those who prefer their noodles slicked with tangy sauce or broth, KL has menus with dishes such as beef hotpot and shabu-shabu. The wet market eateries in the area also offer a variety of steamboat pots from which you can choose to have your meat served for lunch at ridiculously affordable prices. Hope this explanation makes sense XD