SUJEBI, a steaming bowl of handmade noodles in soup, was just what we wanted for brunch at Choupuffs, a Korean cafe in Plaza Damas, Kuala Lumpur, recently.

The smooth, chewy noodles sat in a clear clam soup with strips of carrot and hairy gourd, topped with seaweed.

Fish and kelp are steeped to make the soup. Together with the clams, the noodles make for a tasty, satisfying meal.

The Kongbiji Stew was recommended to us as a dish enjoyed by most Koreans. The thick stew of blended soybean with minced pork and kimchi was served with rice. It was mildly spicy and definitely delicious.

Choupuffs may sound like a misnomer for a Korean restaurant, but it started out as a bakery, where home-style Korean dishes were served on the side. Demand for the cuisine grew, eventually “taking over” the bakery. You can see why after sampling the menu, which comprises stews, rice-and-meat dishes, noodles and pork dumplings in soup.

Of course, every Korean meal comes with banchan, or side dishes.

We liked the glass noodle omelette in the trio of side dishes served at this eatery, so much so that the sweet Korean lady who owns Choupuffs brought us another helping. Another of the side dishes is kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine.

Gimbap, or Korean seaweed rice roll, is served in two combinations here.

The Spicy Stir-fried Pork Gimbap we had was so good. The centre of the colourful gimbap was sweet, spicy and aromatic pork. Add to that layers of pickles, carrot and lettuce, and then rice. Together, they made for such yummy bites.

The other gimbap was more plain, rolled up with egg, crabstick, pickles, carrot and pork. This variety, too, was enjoyable.

On another visit, we ordered the Mandu Soup with Pork Dumplings and Rice Cakes, which had the same soup base as the Sujebi. The soup was laced with beaten egg, and onions and cabbage lent sweetness to it. It was finished off with a seaweed topping.

The dumplings, filled with minced pork studded with chives, were bursting with flavour. I loved the al dente texture of the dumpling skin, and the chewy slices of rice cake in the soup.

We have been making Choupuffs a regular brunch stop over the past week. Among the dishes we have tried are the Kimchi Stew, Sundubu and Donkasu.

The Sundubu, a spicy stew featuring soft tofu, minced pork, egg and enoki mushrooms, came bubbling hot in a black stone bowl, just like all the stews served here.

Halfway through the stew, we were asked if we wanted the bowl reheated. I guess the Koreans like their stews very hot!

I liked the dish’s deep, spicy flavours and its plentiful ingredients.

I will certainly go back for the Donkasu – slices of pork dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, and  deep-fried to perfection, served with a slightly tart and sweet dip, pickles and shredded cabbage.

We were told that the Korean version of the dish offers thinner slices of pork than Japanese Donkasu, meaning the meat is even more crispy.

The food at Choupuffs is reasonably priced. The Spicy Stir-fried Pork Gimbap is RM15, Donkasu (RM25), Mandu Soup with Pork Dumplings and Rice Cakes (RM20), and Sujebi, Kimchi Stew, Kongbiji Stew and Sundubu (RM18 each).

Choupuffs is located at E-0-5, Plaza Damas in Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. It can be reached at 03-6206-5435 or 016-249-0130.

The cafe is open from 10am to 7.30pm every day, except for Sundays and public holidays. – August 3, 2019.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.