Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Myeong Dong Korean Snacks (명동, 明洞) is a recently opened Korean snack stall at the Basement level of Gurney Plaza. Myeongdong refers to a bustling commercial district in the South Korean capital of Seoul, analogous what Shibuya is to Tokyo or Huangpu is to Shanghai.
The Thak Kang Jong Chicken (닭강정, dalg gangjeong) is a spicy Korean snack made using bite-sized chicken chunks. A light coating of spicy Korean chili paste gives a fiery sensation to the chicken breasts underneath. The chicken chunks are smooth and tender, thanks to the small size which allows intense heat to penetrate the meat thoroughly. A light sprinkle of ground peanuts adds a layer of crisp to this addictive dish.
Similarly, the Bulgogi Chicken (닭불고기, dalg bulgogi) is the non-spicy version of the previous dish. Bulgogi (불고기) refers to grilled marinated meat, commonly available at Korean barbecue restaurants such as Daorae and Korea Palace. The chicken chunks are coated in glossy batter which gives this snack a delectable lemon-tangy and honey-sweet flavor. Finally, a shake of sesame seeds gives this dish an appealing finishing touch.
Another novelty snack at Myeong Dong is the Almond Egg Muffin (계란빵, RM12.00), which comes in a box of three. The preparation of each piece is very interesting indeed. Using a correspondingly-shaped waffle iron, batter is poured to almost half capacity. Once the batter solidifies a little, an egg (both albumen and yolk without beating) is added to form the middle layer. Several slices of almond are thrown in, together with rest of batter to fill up the waffle iron.
The result is a sealed sandwich of muffin-like pastry with a poached egg and almond slices in between. The delightful texture of the pastry is appetizing by itself, but it is the protein-rich egg and mildly-bitter almond slices (due to trace, safe amount of cyanide) that give this snack a truly tantalizing gastronomic experience.
Our snacking session concludes with some Korean Malt Tea (몰트차). The tea has a malty fresh flavor and serves as good thirst quenchers during our meal.
There are other recommended items on the menu such as the Topokki (떡볶이, rice cakes). This is likely our choice during the next visit to Myeong Dong.