Taste Seoul (Food Republic @ BreadTalk IHQ)

Was scrolling around social media and got to learn about the new Seoul Taste that had just opened their stall in the Food Republic food court at BreadTalk IHQ — it does seem that there is quite a fair bit happening in here considering how many new stalls have moved into the premises in recent times. Occupying the stall that serves Ayam Penyet, the stall can be identified with a traditional Chinese signboard that matches the theme of the food court that refers to the stall as 首尔美食 (i.e. Seoul cuisine). Turns out, Taste Seoul is actually a new concept by the same folks behind Seoul Bunsik — Seoul Bunsik being an independently-run establishment that has outlets in Far East Plaza as well as at Funan; perhaps most notable for their Korean street food offerings. With all that in mind, it seems that Taste Seoul is positioned slightly differently from Seoul Bunsik considering how they are a stall situated within the food court; the menu of Taste Seoul comprising of Sotbap, Ramyun, Korean Fried Chicken, Kimchj Fried Rice, Tteokbokki and even rice sets featuring stir-fried meats.

Considering the hype surrounding Sotbap (i.e. Korean-style “pot rice”, it goes without saying that the main star of the show at Taste Seoul would be their line-up of Sotbap. Taste Seoul offers various types of meats with their Sotbap offerings — think items like the Spicy Chicken Sotbap, Spicy Pork Sotbap, Salmon Pot Sotbap and the Beef Short Rib Sotbap. Our choice would be to go for the Beef Short Rib Sotbap; Taste Seoul doesn’t describe on the elements that come with their Sotbap dishes, though it can be noted from our order that the Beef Short Rib Sotbap does come with egg yolk, spring onions, a knob of margarine, and Danmuji (i.e yellow pickled radish) — it also comes with two (2) different types of Kimchi, a sauce and a mug of soup on the side. The way to enjoy the Sotbap is to pour the sauce into the bowl before mixing everything up; one can then add the soup into the “pot rice” to enjoy it as a porridge as they deem fit after finishing most of the rice. Considering the amount of margarine provided, the Sotbap does carry that slightly buttery note of flavours even despite the sauce on the side carrying its own hint of savouriness alongside the egg yolk; the sauce being almost akin to the dipping sauce that usually accompanies Korean Pancakes.

If anything, we were definitely more impressed with the Beef Shortrib which we found to be very close to that of flame diced beef cubes that was trending in Singapore for a short period of time — juicy, tender and smoky without being fatty or veiny; our favourite element of the lot. With the pot being warmed and all that margarine that was added, the rice does get a little hardened just as what one would expect in the usual local-style claypot rice dish, though there wouldn’t really much charred bits going around. Adding the soup in, the soup loosened the rice that were stuck around the pot, though we did feel that the flavours of the soup which were seemingly close to that of corn silk tea did dilute the flavours of the entire dish — not quite something which we necessarily prefer. The Danmuji does help to add an element of crunch and a tang to the dish overall. We aren’t probably the right ones to make any comments on whether the Sotbap served up at Taste Seoul is authentic or close to the ones that are offered by Korean restaurants around — after all, the Beef Shortrib Sotbap is our very first try on the Sotbap. That being said, with the prices of its Sotbap ranging from $12.90 to $14.90, they are a slightly more accessible option that those keen to trying the dish may consider going for — just to know what it is all about before progressing to those that are served at local Korean restaurants.