Hello everyone! 안녕하세요! We’re proud to present our special series on Halal makan places we visited during our recent trip to Seoul! This round is a fan favourite – Kampungku Restaurant 캄풍쿠!
We were extremely honoured to be invited by the Korea Tourism Organization (Malaysia) to visit South Korea again (we went to Busan and Jeju the last time) and also be a part of the launch of Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019! More information about that at the end of the post so let’s start on the makan no – 나 배고파!! 
(BTW – head down to our Instagram profile page and watch all the IG Stories from the trip!) 
Of all the recommendations that came in to us for the Seoul trip, this place had the most! Sooooo many of y’all tipped us off to Kampungku Restaurant – specifically the Fried Chicken! (But more on that later LOL). Lucky for us, we were staying in the Myeongdong area so this place was within relatively reasonable walking distance.
The menu actually consists not only of some local dishes but quite a few dishes we’re more accustomed to enjoying in Malaysia and Singapore. It’s probably one of the reasons this place is so popular – a familiar taste of home! Well, we ordered pretty much all local Korean dishes btw 😛
And so, we visited Kampungku with high expectations! 😀
Japchae (잡채) is a quintessential Korean traditional dish that you simply MUST TRY at least once. We had it a few times (both in Korea and also in Singapore) and it’s always been good!
It’s basically a stir-fry of glass noodles and some shredded vegetables. The glass noodles are actually made of sweet potato starch! The result is a bit of stretchy yet fluid serving (thanks to a little gravy) that can actually get quite filling 😀 Id’ say order this on the side and share!
Because sharing is caring. And caring is Japchae.
We also tried a couple of rice dishes (out of the huge variety available on the menu :P).
Don’t underestimate the Kimchi Fried Rice! Sometimes, the simplest dishes are the power ones and this is a good example. Great Kimchi flavour! But I do think they could have done better than just one slice of cucumber on the side ah LOL Maybe a small serving of Kimchi or something would be nice.
The Dolsot Bibimbap at Kampungku may seem a little different but the basics are the same. A bed of rice lies waiting beneath a top blanket of meat and vegetables. Add in some sauce and stir it all up before digging in! Personally, I’ll only order Bibimbap if it comes in a hotpot/stonepot like this because that extra bit of cooking makes a big difference. So extra points to Kampungku for that!
And here’s another example of catering to familiar tastes – the egg is a fried one instead of a raw one 😀 (I wonder if we can ask them to swap out the fried egg for a raw one upon order…)
So this is what we came for! And I have to say that as soon as it arrived at the table, the look and aroma really does get you in the mood for some of their favourite fried chicken! In fact, there’s a huge window with STACKS of fried chicken you see from outside when you arrive at Kampungku (that’s the first pic at the top!)
They actually have a few types of Kampungku Fried Chicken by the way. The OG crispy fried chicken with no sauce (which they affectionately refer to as ‘KFC’ as in Kampungku Fried Chicken) seems to be the most popular with a crispy batter coating for a great crunchy bite 😀
The Sweet Crispy Chicken is a good choice for all you ‘saucy’ people. A sweet-spicy chili sauce coast the crispy fried chicken for an extra flavour kick. I thought this was their version of Korean Fried Chicken but then they also have a separate listing for Crispy Fried Chicken, Marinated Chicken and also Delli Chicken.
There are a few more Korean-style dishes on the menu at Kampungku. The Bulgogi with Rice was REALLY good! Tender and flavourful Beef Bulgogi and hot white rice is always sedap! I do wish there was an egg with this though 😛
Last but not least is something we’re all familiar with – Halal Ramyeon! This was a simple dish of Ramyeon in a Kimchi-flavoured stock with some vegetables and an egg. I have to be honest and say that despite this being a classic, I’d probably give it a miss. I actually went back a 2nd time and bought this again (which I ate during the IG LIVE session at the hotel room if you recall!) and it was a little lacking overall.
Having said that, those are pretty much all the Korean dishes on the menu at Kampungku. There are not many to be honest but some are actually really quite good.
But as expected, familiar flavours of home dominate the menu at Kampungku. You’ve got dishes like Nasi Lemak, a wide array of Nasi Goreng variations and even Telur Bungkus! They’ve even got Pizzas if you’re aiming for Western food (great for the kids too). So if you’re looking for a break in between your feast of Korean food or you just simply wanna eat something you’re familiar with – Kampungku has definitely got you covered on that front 😀
PRO TIP: Pop by next door to Halal Mart (also by Kampungku) where they have Halal snacks and products which you can buy and enjoy. Some handy souvenir ideas to be found there too!
PS it’s an extremely popular eating spot in the popular area of Myeongdong so be sure to plan ahead and check their Facebook page to keep updated okay!
A Quick Word About Halal Food In South Korea
So in case you’re wondering, it’s (thankfully) getting easier to find Halal food in South Korea these days. Across the country, Halal food and Muslim-friendly options are becoming more readily available. This is in part thanks to the efforts from organizations and events like Korea Tourism Organization and Halal Restaurant Week Korea!
You may see some of these labels when you visit restaurants that are suitable for Muslims to visit. They have 4 main categories that determine the ‘Halal-ness’ of an eatery. This is to be expected lah I guess especially where the Halal food scene is still developing and depending on which part of South Korea you’re visiting.
The 4 categories are;
- Halal-certified (safest as the eatery is certified Halal by the Korea Muslim Federation)
- Self-certified (basically means eatery is Muslim-owned)
- Muslim-Friendly (serves Halal food but may serve alcoholic beverages) *most common*
- Pork Free (eatery does not have Pork but may serve non-Halal meat and/or alcoholic beverages)
It may seem complicated with 4 categories but as always, we can simplify it. Do your due diligence and do not be afraid to #AskTheQuestion especially since you’re travelling. Halal is an individual responsibility so get the info and make an informed decision. Look for these labels at the door. If there is any doubt at all, best to give it a miss 
Our advice is to check out the Halal Restaurant Week Korea website where you can not only find a listing of Halal/Muslim-friendly eating options in South Korea but also enjoy some perks and discounts too! This year’s Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019 is being held from 1st September til 31st October (longer than a week lah :P).
Check out this handy micro-site – www.hrwkorea.or.kr/coupons/coupons.php – for more details on how to get your coupons okay! Thank you Korea Tourism Organization for taking the initiative to spread more information about Halal / Muslim-travel in South Korea! ??
Kampungku Restaurant 캄풍쿠
Jong-ro 20-gil, Namsandong 2-ga, Myeongdong
Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82-10-4062-2263
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kampungkumyeongdong
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kampungkuseoul
Operating Hours:
11.00am til 10.00pm (Last order 9pm)
DAILY
This meal was part of a trip organized by the Korea Tourism Organization (Malaysia). We visited all kinds of cool places and plenty of Halal makan places including this one! All information (including prices, availability of item on menu and Halal status of establishment) are accurate at the time of posting. All photos used in this site are property of The Halal Food Blog unless stated otherwise.
