In a city known for its diverse cultural food scene, finding authentic Malaysian fare is harder than it should be. That's why Karthy Subramaniam—who started takeout venture Bungkus with his mom earlier this year—is looking to put some Malaysian classics back on the Toronto food map.
Often mixed in amongst similar cuisines such as Thai or Indonesian, true Malaysian food is the epitome of fusion; full of colour and flavour. The name Bungkus (pronounced boong•koos) is the Malay term for 'wrap-up' so naturally, the focus is on street food classics like curry puffs and char keoy teow (fried noodles). Bungkus will start with a limited menu, available exclusively for delivery on select days through the mobile app Cookin. An expanded menu and pickup location are expected to be coming next month.
Karthy, who has been running a hot sauce business called Lost in the Sauce since 2018, has spent the last few months cooking with his mom, Siva, out of their home kitchen. It's her recipes that are at the heart of every dish, and Karthy credits her saying "I was inspired by the fact that without any proper guidance or culinary education to back it up, my mom knew how to make so many different dishes (...) I would see her experiment with different flavours and, in hindsight, this may have led to my pursuits with making my own hot sauces via LITS and eventually Bungkus."
Earlier this summer, the duo debuted Bungkus at Smorgasburg Toronto and were an instant hit, selling out every Saturday before 4 p.m. "It was great hearing the positive feedback on classics like our curry puffs and having repeat visits and referrals coming in (...) We’ve gained a lot of new followers and exposure from Smorgasburg and there’s been a lot of engagement with the content we’ve been putting out."
That popularity and the opportunity to highlight Malaysian cuisine and culture led Karthy to quit his job and pursue Bungkus as a full-time business. "Working with food and having the freedom to create my own structure, work culture, products and services, is something I’ve been working towards for a long time," he says.
About his mother, whose dream it is to have her own food business, he remarks "It’s really great seeing her do something she loves and working together on something we’re both passionate about." Next up for Karthy is securing a larger location to cook out of, one that is accessible by public transit so that they can take pickup orders as well.
Follow Bungkus on Instagram for details about availability and announcements on pickup location and a full menu.
Check out our coverage of the food delivery app Cookin.
