PETALING JAYA, Sept 8 – The name Bonjuk brings back many happy memories for me.

Previously, the Korean franchise had an outlet in Desa Sri Hartamas. Even though it was simple porridge – savoury and sweet – it yielded so much comfort that my friends were mad about it too. Sadly it closed down.

When I found out that the franchise had ventured back to our shores, I was happy to rediscover their food. This round, they're located in Damansara Jaya, right above Boon Signature Roast Pork.

The menu is more varied now. It's probably designed to appeal to different taste buds since porridge isn't your typical daily meal.

As they are also on GrabFood, some dishes are ideal for takeaway. You have lunchboxes and kimbap too.

In August, the menu was tweaked to include more choices like Volcano Gamjatang using pork bone soup, Korean Army Stew and popular Korean noodles like Jajangmyeon, Jjampong, Kalguksu and cold noodles like Bibim Guksu and those with cold broth.

The highlight is their "All You Can Eat" offering for RM39 per person. You get Pork Belly BBQ, Dakgalbi, Stir Fry octopus, Kimchi Stew, Kimchi Jeon and rice. It also includes drinks like green tea or soda.

As I tried some of these individual dishes before the introduction of this menu, it's definitely a great deal especially if you have a big appetite.

It's not the full serving size since there will be food wastage but think of it as a sampler of all their best items, giving you a taste of Bonjuk in one meal.

I do find the portions for the individual dishes to be good enough for me, hence I stick to those.

It took me numerous visits to tackle this vast menu, but it was a pleasurable journey since I am a big fan of Korean food.

Out of the dishes I tried, what stood out was the Stir Fry Octopus Bibimbap (RM30 for normal and RM32 with the stone bowl). Usually bibimbap is served with just vegetables but you can opt for a protein like pork, beef or chicken. I don't usually see octopus as a choice, hence this was a real treat.

The texture of the octopus is crunchy, contrasting nicely with the rice that has a slight crust on it since I opted for the stone bowl version. There's also vegetables inside so it's healthy too.

What I liked was they separate the sauce for the bibimbap so you add however much you want yourself. Usually the sauce is reddish in colour and it's spicy since it includes gochujang or Korean chilli paste. This one was a brown shade, probably using more doenjang or Korean soybean paste, which is not too spicy.

There's also an option to add a fried egg for extra protein.

Since I liked the Stir Fry Octopus so much, I even tried it with one of their lunchbox options. The lunchbox is great for delivery since it has a little of everything to be a complete meal you can enjoy at home or the office.

With the Stir Fry Octopus Lunchbox (RM31), it is served with a small portion of Pork Belly BBQ. What came highly recommended was the Pork Galbi with ribs, hence I swapped it.

Depending on what you like, the pork belly has a more savoury taste while the pork galbi has a slightly sweeter taste.

The lunchbox is served with the healthier purple rice or huekmi bap. There's also a small rolled egg, kimchi, pickled cucumber, creamy potato salad and a seaweed soup.

With their lunchbox series, you can select from beef bulgogi, pork bulgogi, dakgalbi, pork belly BBQ and pork galbi.

Porridge is a good option when you need something comforting. Here, the Korean porridge is thick but creamy, making it a pretty substantial meal to fill you up.

Their signature is Abalone Porridge (RM42) for a mild taste with one whole abalone served cut in small pieces. On the side, there's their pickled radish that gently cleanses the palate. You can add on abalone too, going up to a triple portion!

If you're looking for more healing types of porridge, they also have Samgae Abalone Porridge made with chicken stock, whole abalone, ginseng and date. There's also an option without abalone. A crowd favourite is the Octopus Kimchi Porridge.

For more conventional porridge choices, there's shrimp, bulgogi octopus, beef mushroom, vegetable, tuna vegetable and beef vegetable. Here you don't get the sweet porridge though, which was my favourite in the old Bonjuk place.

If I want something lighter but decadent, I opt for the Korean Army Stew (RM28) served with luncheon meat, sausage, cheese and noodles. I also reach for stews like their Spicy Soft Tofu with Rice (RM31) whenever it's raining. The portions tend to be quite big for one person as they load up the soup though.

What I really like is their pancake or jeon. Unlike those thick floury pancakes, you get in other Korean restaurants, it is thinly coated with batter and the texture can be crispier. The Seafood Chives Jeon (RM35) has lots of chives, prawns and chillies. It's got a milder flavour that requires the dip on the side.

If you're a kimchi fan, there's a Seafood Kimchi Jeon (RM35) too. I find this has a more robust taste and you get to enjoy the pieces of kimchi and plump prawns too.

The eatery is not that big, since most of their customers order delivery. Usually people trickle in during lunch time, since it's quite hidden and located on an upper level.

Bonjuk & Lunchbox Cafe, 75A, Jalan SS22/19, Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya. Open: 10am to 3pm, 4pm to 9pm. Closed on Wednesday. Tel:03-77335533. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonjukkl/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bonjukkl Website: https://www.bonjuk-kl.com

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