Yeap, as much as I love kimchi, I've never had an authentic korean meal. And the sub-standard-run-off-the-mill meat buffet at Seoul Garden doesn't count at all.
It was just a ten minute drive away from my house and really near to my primary school.
The staff were warm and nice. I saw an Indian too, who was probably a novice as he looked a bit unsure of everything. But he was really nice and it's pretty interesting to see an Indian working in a Korean restaurant, given the number of stalls selling indian food around bukit timah area..
Soon after ordering all the food, we were served 12 types of banchan.
They were mostly vegetables and one that had sausages. Well the sausages were the floury kind so I only took a bite of that.
My favourite were the sweet mini anchovies, eggplant and garlic-infused bean sprouts.
I think I ended up requesting for them to fill those up twice :/
Mummy loved the spicy cucumber (done in kimchi style I think).
talk about shamelessness.
but then, hey, we ordered almost a hundred bucks worth of food? :D
All gluttony is hereby justified.
1. Dukppoki (Spicy korean rice cakes)
$6
3.5/5
This was, well, infatuation at first bite.
I fell in love with the chewy texture of the rice cakes.
They were round and thick, unlike the chinese ones that are flatter and less chewy.
Pity the sauce was far too salty it overwhelmed the delicate sweetness of the rice cakes.
Even after wrapping the rice cakes and eating them with fresh lettuce, my lips were numbed.
2. Galbi BBQ
$25 for about 12 slices
4/5
Beef slices were of a beautiful marbled texture and the right thickness.
Nothing to rave about, just good quality beef and a mouthful of heaven when you wrap it in fresh lettuce.
3. Kimchi Casserole
~$27
3.5/5
A huge portion of kimchi stew heaped with fresh vegetables, glass noodles, pork slices, a little seafood and tofu.
Ingredients were really fresh but the soup was a too salty for my liking.
I had to add iced water to tone down the salt attack.
That said, I'll still try out their other casseroles next time with my friends.
A steal for the price, really.
4. Bibimpap
~$12
4.5/5
Served in a piping hot claypot, heaped with fresh vegetables, beef slices and topped with a raw egg, it's simply dellish.
Loved this.
Enjoyed stirring every thing up with the special spicy sauce like rojak.
The rice touching the bowl ended up a little charred, but I loved it.
Added a nice touch of wok hei to the korean, erm, "stir fried" rice :D
5. Kimchi Pancake
3.5/5
Eating it with banchan, 4/5
This one was good, with lots of delicious kimchi embedded in a thin, chewy flour base.
But it was a bit too salty and oily.
I like my pancakes made with minimal to no oil.
That said, I enjoyed the charred, crispy bits that can only be achieved when oil is added.
And eating it together with the eggplant just kicked it up notch.
But maybe I'm just biased.
We ended our feast with complimentary ginger tea and a slice of orange.
Aww, such a sweet gesture.
The tea, with hints of liquorice, had a pretty acquired taste.
Daddy didn't like it and Mummy gave me half a cup because it made her feel very full.
Hahas yeah as much as I enjoyed the tea, it does somehow make you feel more filled up than you think.
Verdict
4/5
I totally see myself coming back here to try their other casseroles, ginseng chicken, jajangmyun and seafood pancake.
I might just order the bibimpap when I chance by here again alone (:
Service was really good, and this pretty good korean looking waiter even smiled and asked us how we found the food (;
Only quirk I can remember is that they could perhaps ask you what you'd like to be served first because we found ourselves scrambling to make space for all the food we had ordered, and cause everything looked so sinfully appetising we were at a lost which one to eat first.
And this resulted in some cold food in the end.
But then it could be because they wanted to get ready for the inevitable lunch time crowd afterwards?
P.S
There are many interesting stalls around this place.
Next up I'll be trying out the Yong Tau Foo stall and muffins from Ng _____ (can't remember) confectionary. I have a thing for old school bakeries and anything to do with pandan and kaya, you know?
Till then.
<3
herfairytail
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