Today, I revisited the Food Place food court, located at Pavilion Mall. The food court is located beside the Oriental Kopi Restaurant. Today, the area is bustling with diners, mostly young adults and families, enjoying meals at shared tables, creating a casual and communal dining experience.
This time I ordered spicy pork Dosirak from the K Dosirak stall, it cost RM19.00 per box. The main dish is served in a Korean-style bento box. Inside the box includes: Spicy stir-fried pork (thinly sliced, cooked with onions and carrots in gochujang-based sauce), White rice, Kimchi, Seasoned dried anchovies with peanuts, braised fish cake (eomuk bokkeum), a few slices of watermelon and a side of seaweed soup. There is a few Korean fried chicken topped with sesame seeds, which were kindly given for free by the boss and is not part of the standard set.
“Dosirak” (도시락) is the Korean term for a packed lunch or lunchbox. Traditionally, dosirak was prepared at home by parents for schoolchildren or workers. It usually contains rice, a main protein, and several side dishes (banchan), making it a well-rounded, portable meal. Today, commercial dosirak has evolved into a convenient, restaurant-style offering that balances variety and nutrition, popular in Korea and across Asia.
The concept likely took influence from Japanese bento during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910–1945), but Korea has deeply localised it with ingredients like kimchi, gochujang-seasoned meat, and seaweed soup.
Spicy pork (often known as jeyuk bokkeum, 제육볶음) is a staple in Korean dining. The pork is marinated in a spicy-sweet gochujang (fermented red chili paste) sauce and stir-fried with vegetables. It’s known for its bold flavors and is often paired with rice and simple side dishes, just like in this dosirak.
