Jeju-style Gogi-Guksu Havenāt really been going around the area around Tras Street despite having being in the Tanjong Pagar district of the late ā quite surprised to see some new names whilst going past the area. One of the dining establishments that had caught our attention whilst we were passing by Tras Street was Jeju Sanghoe ā seemingly a rather new addition to the street that often sees upscale bistros and bars, as well as fine dining establishments having moved into the conserved shophouses there. Turns out, Jeju Sanghoe had opened its doors at Tras Street in late October 2023; they had taken over the former premises of another dining establishment which is named Don & Tori at 74 Tras Street. It seems that the space had seen quite a bit of revamp after Jeju Sanghoe has taken over the spot ā while the exterior of the eatery has managed to stay pretty much the same less the changes in the signages and all, the interior sees a more drastic difference where it feature wooden furniture and fittings matched against a white wall. There are little details of stones, cherry blossoms and other ornaments that brings the vibes of the Korean island; the private rooms replicating that of small hut complete with āwindowsā, the interiors segmented and hidden from view. Jeju Sanghoe offers a different menu for its lunch and dinner service; the dinner service mainly comprises of barbecued and grilled meats, as well as Jeju-style food. For lunch, it offers individually-sized portions of some of their Jeju-style food items from their dinner menu that would work well for office workers in the area. Beverages available at Jeju Sanghoe includes quite a decent variety of alcoholic options, as well as non-alcoholic fizzy beverages as well.
While Korean F&B establishments are aplenty in Singapore, and especially even so around the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood, establishments that take on a Jeju-themed approach can be considered as a rather rare find around the island nonetheless. We are quite accustomed to seeing the usual Korean soups and stews in the menu of most Korean establishments, as well as the noodles dishes that Korean-Chinese eateries tend to serve up. That being said, it is the Jeju-style Gogi-Guksu that really caught our attention which made us plan to head down to Jeju Sanghoe for a visit after skimming through its menu whilst passing by. The menu describes the Jeju-style Gogi-Guksu as āPork Soup with Noodleā ā it is also listed as a best-selling item on the lunch menu here. Each lunch menu item includes free-flow servings of Banchan, as well as complimentary tea. Arriving our table right after our order is placed, there is a variety of seven dishes for the Banchan served here ā this includes the usual suspects such as Japchae, spicy marinated cucumbers, Kimchi, pickled onions, and even a quail egg dish; portions are also pretty generous as well.
It didnāt take long for the Jeju-style Gogi-Guksu to arrive the table, and boy were the portions huge. For those whom are not aware of what makes up the Jeju-style pork noodle soup, the broth is actually prepared by simmering pork bones for long hours. Taking a first sip for the broth, the broth is actually surprisingly clean and light savoury with just the right depth ā we had expected notes being really similar to that of Japanese Tonkotsu-style ramen but this certainly fit our tastebuds better; not that creamy nor heavy especially so when compared against the collagen-heavy broths that certain Japanese establishments tend to serve up. There are additions of spring onions, greens and onions to spruce up the flavours of the broth, though biting on the sliced chili padi does include a hint of spiciness to the dish. We do suspect that there two difficult cuts of pork being used in the Jeju-style Gogi-Guksu here; whilst both are nothing close to what the Japanese would serve up with their ramen, it does seem like there is a thicker cut and thinner cut that allows one to feel two different textures going on ā one having more bite and one being chewier. Koreans do seem to like their meats to carry a slightly heavier note of its inherent flavours ā this seems to be quite evident here considering the meatier notes that seem to well compliment that of the lighter-tasting soup. Overall, a really hearty, warm and soothing noodle dish that works especially well for those looking for something comforting to have in the rainy weather of the late; not to mention how much food that one is getting at the price of $17++!