First Korean Dessert Café In Town

By Sam Mei Sin

20^th July 2014

     What do you say to taking a break from prancing around Gangnam Style, and coming for a refreshing respite at Namoo on the Park?

     Namoo on the Park is located in Publika, Solaris Dutamas. It opened on 18^th Of July, 2012. This warm and inviting cafe and bistro serves healthy yet delicious Korean fusion fare. While many know it as a Korean dessert cafe, Namoo actually serves main courses too. Take for instance the Bulgogi Taco – a dish where Korea meets Mexico! Then, there is the Bibi Rice Burger, an  unexpected best- seller where East meets West.

          Namoo (나무)means 'tree' in korean, it brings us warm, comfortable and natural feeling. It also grew from a collaboration of four friends – three Koreans, and one Malaysian It is an effort to bring modern Korean food culture to the masses in Malaysia. Yup, Korean cuisine is not only about BBQs and bibimbaps.

Namoo managing director Kim Sung Yong

     “BBQ is basically the typical served by every Korean restaurant same thing in every restaurant,” says Namoo managing director Kim Sung Yong when I met him on a Saturday evening.

     At Namoo, dessert is at the forefront. The reason is simple: to showchase a more modern type of Korean fare.

    “ We take the various food in Korea, modify them and come up with our own desserts,” says Sung Yong.

     The 33-year-old explained that while tteok ( rice cake) and mattang ( caramel coated sweet potato) are street food in Korea, and cafe has combined and modified these two dishes to come up with their own version of Mat Tang.

     Besides, Namoo will serve you the new trend of Korean food by serving a genuine taste in modern style in an awesome ambiance with their modern interior design. Their mission is to change your impression of Korean food.

     As for ambience, wood panels cover the walls of Namoo, giving it a stylish and cozy elegance. Sung Yong revealed that a “sheltered” and warm theme was chosen for the cafe as it reflects its name. K-pop music is pipped into the restaurant, creating very relaxing and comfortable atmosphere where one can just sit back while catching up with friends. 

 Another plus point for Namoo is that the corner unit opens out into a little park.

     Namoo has had many Muslim customers as it is a pork-free cafe. Only chicken and beef are used in its ingredients, and the meats are supplied by the usual commercial restaurant suppliers in Malaysia.

    “ Most ( ingredients) are sourced within Malaysia. Certain things like ginsing and yuza ( a citrus fruit), we cannot find them here. These special ingredients, we have to import from Korea. That's why we cannot get the halal certificate, explained Sung Yong.

     Special consideration and care is taken to ensure that Namoo's cuisine can be consumed by our Muslim friends. After all, the cafe has been birthed out of the ambition to make Korean food accessible to all communities in Malaysia.

     Stay tune to NAMOO, you will get surprise from it !