Shik Gaek Korean Family Restaurant — Restaurant in Johor

Moving away from local Johor offerings tonight, I decided on Korean. Maybe it's the 14% alc. Makgeolli talking, and I had quite a few small bowls of it, but this is one of the most delicious Korean meals I have ever had in my lifetime - similar to what I savoured in Korea. 👍👍👍 Who would have thought I could find that authenticity in Shik Gaek in Johor.

Eating alone is never fun for me, but tonight at Shik Gaek, is different. I wasn't plunging and surfing on my mobile phone to while away time. I was pleasantly surprised, enjoyed my dinner, and had great food and drink, all amongst happy- and satisfied-looking diners, young and old.

Nothing short of perfection right from the get go. Unlike most Korean restaurants, within 5mins, out came at least 9 different types of Banchan, which could be replenished f.o.c. The fresh kimchi was especially good, even if it's not made in-house.

MASHISOYO! 😋😋😋

Cooked by the Korean boss at my dining table - at least I think he is Korean because of his looks and complexion - the cuts of beef from the ribs (without the rib bone) and slabs of pork belly were expertly BBQ-ed, tasted fresh and succulent, and together with the sesame oil, salt and pepper, Ssamjeang, green chilli and garlic condiments all packed into a salad leaf, the experience was nothing short of heavenly.

MASHISOYO! 😋😋😋

And that Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) was boiling hot when it arrived, packed with red dates, a fat stick of Ginseng and some other woody herbs, and what I believe could be a mix of nutty red and white glutinous rice. The authenticity screamed aloud with the presence of Korean spring onions swimming in the delicate broth - the Welsh onion kind, instead of the local overly pungent spring onions unsuitable for Korean cuisine.

MASHISOYO! 😋😋😋

Even the 14% alc. Makgeolli was good, with a slight bubble on the tongue but without that annoying alcohol bite. You see, it's not the Kooksoondang Makgeolli that other local Korean restaurants offer and serve. Although I did not have the quintessential Korean pancake Jeon to go with it, the Makgeolli paired extremely well with my dinner tonight.

MASHISOYO! 😋😋😋

Like every local Korean restaurant, K-Pop played in the background, but it wasn't unpleasantly loud to be able to snuff out the ever-smiling, super-cheerful and responsive local and foreign staff who were joking happily with the Korean boss, in English and Bahasa Melayu. It is a wondrous sight to behold, since at most other restaurants, it's all stoic and bland. 😄😃

Will I be back again during my next trip in JB? Hell,...

Seems authentic Korean dishes. Got 12 side dishes that are free flow. They are all quite delicious. Very appetising. Got the BBQ Set for 2. The lettuce is refillable. This set comes with free flow tea also. The tea is not as strong as the ones we had in Korea but still ok. The set comes with different types of meat. The meats are tender and seasoned evenly. However they are not those melt in the mouth type. Simply put, like a standard BBQ dish. Nothing special but worth the price for a good Korean cravings. A Korean Family Restaurant indeed. We also got the Kimchi soup which is full of flavour. Surprisingly nice especially on rainy days. It is packed full of ingredients and not overwhelming as it stays as a soup dish. One order can serve 4 bowls. The tteokbokki is a bit chewy and the aftertaste is very spicy. I saw there are chili padi inside and maybe that’s why it gave out that spiciness. It is a big portion. Simple yet fulfilling dish. For the drinks we had apple juice on top of the free tea that came with the BBQ set. The apple juice is freshly made but seems like got added sugar caused it’s very sweet. One thing we highly recommend this restaurant is because of the boiling water for the utensils. Not many restaurants practice this hygiene anymore and this is a major plus for diners. Very considerate and good practice. The service is also good. The boss is smart to hire most of them from the Philippines because they are known to be friendly and well versed in English. Very attentive and a relaxing vibe in this restaurant. One thing to note, it is very difficult to find...

Dropped by this place for the first time as it came highly recommended by my family. I have definitely passed by this location numerous times while in Johor Bahru, but had never once dropped in as the shop’s facade is very low-key.

Upon entering, the place looks pretty quaint and I very much loved the very spacious-feeling dining table we were placed at. The staff were extremely hospitable and provided very great service! Probably one of the best in JB I have to say!

What really struck me was their marinated meats! It is indeed by far the Best I have had in many Korean restaurants! Typically, most Korean restaurants have charcoal-grill to add that “charcoal flavour” to the meats.

This place had an electric grill, which for one, lessened the smoke generated, coupled with the breezy air-conditioning and wider spaces, made the eating experience very lovely and comfortable especially for a “grill experience”. On the other hand, the flavouring of the marination was so great that even without the standardized “charcoal grill”, the meats really just tasted amazing!!!

Overall, the beef set meal we had, where thankfully we can alter the fish option to a pork belly option, was just nice for a 3-pax serving. We really loved the Korean side dishes that comes coupled with the set meat grill.

I believe I would definitely come back in future as it would now be one of my main go-to places for great, authentic Korean grill...