Korean Favourites

Being seated outdoors at @changkoreanbbq in Dempsey on cool nights is a really pleasant experience. You get to be away from the smoky smell, and your order of meats gets barbecued for you (which is perfect for lazy-to-cook people like me 😆). The friendly staff always presents whatever you’ve picked to be verified first before whisking it away to be grilled and cut up. So upon return, each order of piping hot meat can be eaten right away.
We only had beef on this recent visit because all of us were craving red meat. While the Marinated Prime Rib Eye (Australian, 200G - $58++) was flavourful and a tad sweet in taste profile from its marination, the Fresh Cut Prime Short Rib (U.S. 300G - $69++) was au naturel juicy goodness.
I alternated between wrapping the barbecued beef in leaves with green chilli, raw garlic plus a dab of the sauces provided, and pairing each piece with the “Myul Naengmyun” (#ChangKoreanBBQ does the tastiest version in my opinion). The piping hot meat and cold noodles (dressed in some vinegar and mustard) is a killer combination.
One thing we realised that evening was that the Banchan served during dinner differs a little from lunch. There were a few premium items such as marinated cockles, in the large spread. But when you request for another round, these won’t necessarily appear again. I guess, quite understandably, each table only gets a single helping of the pricier Banchan.

One of the better Korean BBQs I have tried in Singapore thus far. Introduced by a friend for our long overdue get-together, @hyangyeon_kfood at Telok Ayer impressed us very much with their solid Banchan (the kimchi wasn’t too sour which is how I prefer mine and they didn’t drag their feet when we requested for repeated refills), very satisfying Beef Bone Soup ($16++), tasty Seafood and Kimchi Korean Pancakes ($22++ for the combo plate) and most important of all, the meats. We made a beeline for the Tong Galbi Gui, a huge slab of marinated bone-in beef short rib ($98++, feeds 2 to 3 pax) and Duroc Pork Belly ($28++). Loved both, especially since the staff handled the grilling for us (it was done over a gas fire at our table) to ensure the meats were cooked to tender, juicy perfection. I must agree with Fengyi that this KBBQ restaurant serves high quality beef and pork. Will be back to this branch for sure!

This platter of Mo Deum Jun ($38++) featured an assortment of Korean-style pancakes which allowed us to try a variety all at once.
Although the thin layer of battered coating wasn’t the very crispy sort, we could really taste the ingredients. Every item was good but for me, the standouts would be the Pollack fish, the Kimchi and the Eggplant.

Although they have Set Meals, we opted for a la carte. Shown above is the soup I had been very keen to try - the Pork Hangover Soup.
Besides soft-cooked pork, it had slices of assorted pig’s organs such as heart, stomach, liver etc. A handful of fresh perilla leaves, leeks, different kinds of cut chillies were tossed in prior to it being served. These infused the pork broth with a lovely aroma and a subtle heat which led us to finish every drop.

We were in the mood for Korean food but not BBQ. Hence, it was the perfect time to check out @todamgol_korean - a place I’d been wanting to visit since @janet1ee (she’s American-Korean) told me she enjoys the soups and stews there.
Located at 31 Tanjong Pagar Road, this Korean eatery has a quaint decor and was quite full when we lunched there today.
One of the items we ordered was the Cheese Dak Gal Bi ($38++) had a mildly spicy sauce, so those of us who can’t handle too much spice could relish it without breaking a sweat. I like that large chunks of tender thigh meat were used, and there was some tteokbokki (soft, chewy rice cakes) under the thick blanket of ooey-gooey melted mozzarella cheese.

I have never had anything but a truly wonderful time at @anjusingapore. And when my friends and I had our little Thanksgiving dinner there, it was no different.
The lovely Serena (@raquizzi) took very good care of us, lubricating our lips with a complimentary bottle of their newest and most exclusive Korean Makgeolli - the Ellyeop Pyunjoo (ABV: 12%). Authentic and rare, it’s produced over generations by a single family in Korea and only made available to the public recently. Knowing it’s the same kind of tipple a scholar living in the country’s Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) would enjoy, only added to our appreciation of its tangy taste which we also found paired enjoyably with food. By the way, it will only be served on Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. So if you’re lucky enough to get a booking at @anju_singapore on those dates, you should not miss out on ordering it.
Besides the dishes we wanted, Korean Head Chef @k_marco.oo sent over a few of his new creations for us to try as well. Thus, these were what we ended up tucking into:
1. Bori Prawns ($9++) - Calvina had a craving for this snack of light and crunchy prawns, so of course, we had to order it. They were even better than I remembered them to be.
4. 4. 4. Lime zest-speckled Tofu Purée with Kimchi Chutney and Sourdough ($16++) - We gave this clever creation two thumbs-up.
6. Yuk Hoe ($28++) - Although I’d had the Korean-style beef tartare at Anju before, the recipe had since been tweaked. Served with crispy seaweed crackers, the raw minced beef was dressed in Korean gochujang sauce which gave it a little heat. While an egg yolk purée contributed silky richness, cubes of Korean pear added a pleasant crunch and sweetness to the spicy meat.
7. Hogam Jeon - Crunchy and cheesy, Anju’s modern take on a classic Korean pancake has been a bestseller since they opened. I would definitely recommend ordering this crowd-pleaser when you visit.
8. Abalone Gim Pasta ($34++) - Served chilled, this new creation by Head Chef @k_marco.oo proved a big hit with the three of us as well Topped with a butter-poached Korean abalone, the mouthwatering angel hair pasta was dressed in a light oil with lots of perilla leaves, seaweed and pickled shallots.
10. Galbi Jjim ($38++ per pax , minimum order of 2 pax) - Ever since I first stepped into this cosy and stylish restaurant and bar, the beef short rib dish has been a favourite of mine. It was still as delicious albeit a tad less sweet than before. Those large chunks of meat were enticing in texture - tender yet retaining a nice bite.
11. Sweet Potato ($18++) - We had two desserts by Pastry Chef Doreen (@doreeeeeeeenting) and although both were nice, this appealed more to us. Balanced in sweetness, it felt like we were eating an aromatic cloud filled with sweet potato ice-cream, salted caramel creme and charcoal curd foam dusted in roasted sweet potato skin powder and studded with little crunchy, buttery bits. Yums!
12. Dessert number 2 - Launching in December (thank you for the privilege of a preview), it was the more adventurous of the two with opposing flavour and textural elements of little balls of Korean mochi bread, black sesame cream, Doenjang (Korean miso) ice-cream and airy-light crispy sheets of yuzu meringue. Chef Doreen recommended mixing and matching the elements together for each bite.

Hopped into this Korean restaurant at Beauty World Centre (#04-04) since I was in the area, and tried Spicy Cold Buckwheat Noodles or “Bibim Naengmyeon” ($15) for the first time. Well, I liked it!
A bottle of vinegar was given to me to squirt how much I wanted into the massive bowl of very chewy noodles which came with half a hard-boiled egg, pickled radish, cucumber, a little bit of beef and a whole lot of the spicy, sweet and tangy paste (I found it only mildly spicy personally). There were small chunks of ice that helped keep the noodles cold all the way. I didn’t manage to finish all of it though - the portion was just too huge 😅

If you go during lunchtime, you can pick the either the Naengmyeon or Rice plus “Soup of the day” as your carb for the BBQ Beef Lunch Set ($43++ per pax) which includes a decent spread of refillable Banchan, Prime Ribeye (the staff can help you with the grilling at a separate table if you ask) and dessert of ice-cream.

By popular consensus, @changkoreanbbq seems to have the best Korean cold noodles in Singapore. I’m by no means an expert, nor have I eaten enough Naengmyeon to claim anything but I do favour theirs. The broth here is the tastiest in my opinion, and that’s even before I spam it with the mustard and vinegar served on the side.
Thanks to a tip from @randy_onggg, my god-daughter’s friend, I discovered how to derive even greater pleasure from it today - by adding a piece of straight-from-the-grill barbecued prime ribeye, and some kimchi. They really do enhance the cold, chewy noodles most marvelously! 😋😋

I took my friend Annette out for an early birthday meal at @gokbbq_singapore. And although we didn’t get to have the proper a la carte experience, the lunch sets were really impressive in terms of tastiness and value.
Both our Pork Belly and Beef Short Ribs sets ($24.90++ and $36.90++ respectively) came with our choice of stew (Annette clearly loved her Kimchi Seafood while I enjoyed my Beef and Radish) plus rice and banchan. Portions were massive (hooray!) and the meats which came ready grilled, were superb for the price. This place is known for their aged meats and the Pork Belly I selected had a funkiness about it which was balanced well when eaten in the classic Korean style of wrapping in fresh lettuce leaves with ssamjang, raw garlic and green chilli. I was allowed by Annette to steal her Short Ribs which I did again and again rather shamelessly 😂

Thanks to my friend Elaine for recommending this place to me 😊

After drooling over the Netflix series “Korean Cold Noodle Rhapsody”, I developed a major craving for said dish. So when a friend recommended I get my fix at @changkoreanbbq, I headed over for lunch with my husband.
To my happy surprise, the restaurant offers a Set Lunch Menu. It didn’t take a second for me to pick the Marinated Prime Ribeye Set for us both ($43++ per pax) after clarifying that the Korean cold noodles was a carb option. There’s also a Baked Black Cod Set for $48++ for those who prefer fish or don’t want grilled meat.
Almost immediately after our orders were placed, the #banchan arrived. By the way, those multiple small bowls of kimchi, sesame oil-marinated beansprouts and other Korean small bites are refillable.
A large plate with two portions of the marinated ribeye came next. The staff didn’t hesitate to help with the grilling upon request. Although I wouldn’t describe the meat as super premium, it was very well marinated, tender and tasty. We were quick to merrily stuff our faces with the piping hot slices of beef after wrapping them in the perilla leaves and lettuce provided (also refillable).
The lunch set includes Pajeon, the Korean spring onion pancake with mixed seafood and meat. Theirs was extremely crispy - pretty much a fritter actually. It got our stamp of approval.
The dish which had drawn me to Chang’s Korean BBQ in the first place, the “Myul Naengmyun” (buckwheat noodles in cold beef broth), was bigger than expected for a half-portion. So much so that I struggled and failed to finish. But enjoy it immensely I did. The soup had a certain purity and delicacy about it. And after stirring in mustard and splashing on a little vinegar, was especially irresistible.
Since my husband preferred something hot, he decided to go for the rice plus soya bean paste soup instead of the Naengmyeon. He was satisfied with his hearty serving of bubbling soup chockfull in tofu, vegetables and beef.
For dessert, we each received a scoop of chocolate ice-cream and a cup of chilled pumpkin tea.

(Media Gifting)
Have you ever tried your hand at making “Maesil Cheong” or Korean Green Plum Syrup? Me neither but I am so excited to give it a go!

Thanks to the newly-launched

𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝘀𝗼𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗸.𝗰𝗼𝗺

an e-commerce website for Korean produce and ingredients by @brandfitsg, you can purchase this nifty D.I.Y. Kit that includes a box of Korean green plums, Korean sugar, a sturdy glass jar and other paraphernalia. There are clear instructions provided to guide you through the simple process. After which, it just needs to be left to be fermented for 3 months for the natural sugar (or condiment) substitute to be born.

You can enjoy your homemade “Maesil Cheong” with a splash of water and ice, as a tea (just add hot water), or add it to salads, marinades and wherever sweetness with a Korean touch is required in a dish.

I’ll be making mine over this weekend and enjoying the fruits of my labour (quite literally) come early September. Yay!