Posts Tagged ‘korean food’

Ssikkek / Ssik Sin Korean Grill BBQ at Tampines One

September 22nd, 2013 365days2play

Since I am in the Korean BBQ mood, I decided to post this review of Ssikkek Koeran Grill BBQ located at Tampines One. I shall confess that prior to this visit, I had no inclination to visit any Korean BBQ restaurants because my impression of them thus far was that they were waaaaay too expensive as compared to other restaurants. I often felt that a few slivers of meat could cost tens of dollars at Korean BBQ restaurants, and why would I want to pay that when I can get a good whole steak for the same price at Western restaurants?

That was until I visited Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ at Tampines One. I tell you, the pricing is crazy! CRAZY LOW that is! It costs only $14.90++ for lunch and $24.90++ for dinner for unlimited servings of Korean BBQ items!! The pricing reminds me of Seoul Garden, but I think this is way better, especially in terms of service rendered. The truth be told, I was a little apprehensive about the quality of the food, given the spartan looks of the restaurant and the affordable pricing, especially when most other Korean BBQ restaurants are way more expensive. But luckily as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Ssikkek BBQ (22)

Look at my BFF looking so excited about barbecuing so many pieces of meat. Think guys would love Ssikkek Korean Grill because they can just feast, feast and feast on the unlimited amounts of meat!

Ssikkek BBQ (6)

You get about 10 different types and cuts of meats to choose from. There’s stuff like pork bacon, marinated beef short ribs, pork belly, marinated chicken etc. If you go during lunch hour, there will be less selection of meats.

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Eight Korean BBQ at The Central

September 20th, 2013 365days2play

*Media Invite*

E!GHT Korean BBQ, makes its debut at The Central at Clarke Quay and offers an array of tantalising premium BBQ meats in a sleek industrial chic setting. E!GHT is named after its eponymous 8 Colours Set, which features scrumptious slices of Berkshire pork belly in an array of flavours. With a well-trained team at this full-service Korean restaurant, diners simply sit back and enjoy their favourite drink and conversation whilst the food is expertly prepared for them at their table.

Eight - 8 Colours Set

Pork takes centre-stage here and E!GHT has gone the whole hog in bringing in high quality cuts by importing 100% Berkshire pork from the U.S.A.

E!GHT’s signature 8 Colours Set ($98)¸ suitable for three to four diners, is a veritable treatise on the wide-ranging flavours that complement this Berkshire pork. Mouth-watering strips of thick-cut pork belly are flavoured in eight different ways – wine, original, ginseng, garlic, herb, curry, miso, and red pepper paste. Each strip, approximately 70 to 80g each, is elegantly rolled up and presented on a custom-made wooden tray before being ceremoniously brought to the table and laid out next to the stove. The tray not only features the name of the restaurant; each flavour is clearly carved into the wood to ensure the customer knows exactly what is being served.

Eight - 8 Colours Set (from top - ginseng, curry, miso, red pepper paste)

Each additional piece costs $12

I don’t know about you, but I find these raw pieces of meat so artistically presented and neatly rolled up too! Makes me feel so carnivorous looking at them. I love looking at raw meat more than cooked meat sometimes, to be frank. Am I weird?

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Bornga BBQ Restaurant at Star Vista

March 20th, 2013 365days2play

*Media Invite*

Recently I was invited to try out Bornga, a Korean BBQ Restaurant at Star Vista. I am no expert when it comes to Korean BBQ, having been to only one other a couple of years back at the Esplanade. Which was why I was quite happy to make the trek to Star Vista, even though I live on the opposite end of Singapore.

Established in 2002, Bornga is a BBQ chain restaurant in Korea, and is the brainchild of Jong Won Paik, one of Korea’s most renown celebrity chefs. The opening of Singapore’s restaurant marks the 1st in Singapore and the 13th outlet outside of Korea. You can now find Bornga in China, Indonesia and even one outlet in USA, as well as 33 others in Korea.

Be warned, I will be inundating you with numerous pictures of raw meat. I sure hope pictures of raw meat turns you on, because I sure am getting hungrier as we speak.

Bornga (4)

Okay let me first start with something less bloody…the side dishes. As you know, all Korean meals are accompanied with a variety of small side dishes. I am in awe of all Korean housewives, how they must slave over the stove having to prepare so many different things.

Bornga - Ggot Sal (unmarinated boneless beef; $38) (2)

 Ggot Sal (unmarinated boneless beef; $38)

First up, the Ggot Sal, which is boneless and tender prime beef cuts served non-marinated so that guests can enjoy its deep beef flavour. Now I often hear people saying “oh this meat is great, the beef flavour is not so strong!” and nothing irks me more than to hear those kinds of statements. I’m like, why did you bother to order the dish if you didn’t want to taste it? Notice the rich marbling, which I’m sure is a huge turn on for anyone who loves his meat.

Bornga - Woo Samgyup (thinly sliced beef with BORNGA's special sauce; $22)

Woo Samgyup (thinly sliced beef brisket with BORNGA’s special sauce; $22)

This is one of the favourite dishes in Bornga. Apparently the recipe is patented as the beef slices are seasoned in Bornga’s secret marinade. Unlike the typical Korean BBQ dish of bulgogi which usually appears dull after marinating for at least half a day in dark-coloured sauce, Bornga’s Woo Samgyup is served shortly after being doused in the dressing that retains the meat’s natural colour, while enhancing the traditional bulgogi taste.
While the meat tasted great, I think they can do away with the pumpkin slices as it just looks weird….don’t you think?

Bornga - Samgyup (thinly sliced beef with BORNGA's special sauce; $22) (2)

This is how the Woo Samgyup looked like after being BBQed. Loved the aroma and flavour of the BBQ meat for both the meat dishes I have featured so far. Certainly, keep your calorie counter at home when dining at a Korean BBQ restaurant but it’s well worth the calories! I’m afraid I was a little too busy wolfing the slices down to really pay attention to what Ivy from FoodNews was saying.

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Cold Storage Korea Food Fair

October 28th, 2012 365days2play

Did you check out the Canada Food Fair that just ended? If you enjoyed that, you will be happy to know that Cold Storage will be having its inaugural Korea Food Fair which will be held for three weeks from 25 October to 18 November 2012 at all 49 Cold Storage stores. With support from the aT Korea Agro-trade Centre, the delicious fare from this popular Asian destination will be showcased with an extensive selection of almost 100 lines of fresh produce and delectable food products specially brought in to cater to discerning Cold Storage shoppers. Thanks to K-pop and K-dramas, Korean culture has become known around the world.

Win a Holiday to Korea!

At the end of the fair, ONE lucky Cold Storage shopper will walk away with an eight-day Korea holiday worth $5,000 for two. To qualify for the draw, shoppers simply need to spend a minimum of $35 in a single receipt (inclusive of two Korean products). 50 consolation prizes of HappyCall Cookware Sets – a well-known brand from South Korea – worth $218 each will also be given away during the draw.

Korea Food Fair - (9)

Bi Bim Bap, elephant size!

Cold Storage Korea Food Fair 2012 - Daheum Assorted Squid-tile

Here are some Korean snacks that you may or may not have heard before. I think most people are more familiar with Japanese snacks. I’ve never actually seen so many Korean snacks, or perhaps never really paid attention to Korean snacks until now.

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Food Republic at 112 Katong – Rice and more

April 20th, 2012 365days2play

*Media Invite*

Ju Shin Jung Korean Cuisine Stall Mixed Vegetables Rice in Hot Stone $7.80

Food Republic @ 112 Katong - Ju Shin Jung Korean Cuisine Stall Mixed Vegetables Rice in Hot Stone $7.80

Ju Shin Jung started out as a simple family business in Korea, which has now expanded to 3 full fledged restaurants in Singapore, with Ju Shin Jung at 112 Katong being their first express counter. I have always liked Bi Bim Bap aka Mixed Vegetables Rice due to the colourful assortment of vegetables and the mandatory raw egg right in the middle. But, when compared to Thunder Tea rice, Bi Bim Bap $$$ is on the high side, and when compared to Chinese mixed rice, this is a few times more expensive. But I guess that’s the price to pay when you want to savour non Singaporean dishes. This Bi Bim Bap was a little special as the rice was purple in colour! I forgot to ask them the reason for the colour, but the rice tasted pretty much like white rice, perhaps just a little bit fluffier.

Dapur Padang Stall Nasi Kuning set $6.90

Food Republic @ 112 Katong - Dapur Padang Stall Nasi Kuning set $6.90

What you see here is Nasi Padang, which is a traditional Indonesian cuisine. I love the way they presented the dish, don’t you find it so appetising? When you order the Nasi Kuning set, it will also be presented this way, minus the little cap on the top of the rice. Speaking of the rice, it is nice tasting but a little on the hard side, perhaps due to the fact that it was pressed into a conical shape. Of all the dishes, I found the mutton to be the most outstanding. It was supremely tender and every mouthful had the melt in the mouth sensation. Mutton tends to be stringy but this wasn’t at all. The pile of cracker looking thing on the right bottom is a pile of crispy potato and tempeh (fermented bean). I’d never had anything like it before. It was on the sweet side but I loved the crunchy texture!

Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Stall Chicken Rice with Dumpling set $6.50Food Republic @ 112 Katong - Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice Stall Chicken Rice with Dumpling set $6.50

I think chicken rice fanatics should be pretty familiar with the name Wee Nam Kee. The flagship store is located at 275 Thomson Road, opposite the Novena Church. Rings a bell now? The restaurant was also invited to participate in the Singapore Day in Shanghai. I can imagine all the homesick Singaporeans lining up to taste Singapore’s most famous local dish! The Wee Nam Kee stall at 112 Katong is actually a mini restaurant within the food court. You can order stuff like cereal prawns, assam fish head and chilli crab amongst other things. Hey I would have liked to try the chilli crab, how come we only got to try the chicken rice???

Indian Express Stall Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan $9

Food Republic @ 112 Katong - Indian Express Stall Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan $9 (2) Food Republic @ 112 Katong - Indian Express Stall Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan $9

Have you heard of the Song of India restaurant? I’ve never been there but I love Indian food and I know that it can get expensive dining in an Indian restaurant. Now you can try the dishes without paying through your nose at Indian Express, which is owned by the Song of India. I tell you, that Naan looked absolutely beautiful when it arrived at the table. It had such an appetising and glossy sheen. Went so well with the butter chicken curry. The butter chicken curry would appeal to tomato lovers as there is a strong sweet tomato flavour too. Will definitely be back.

Fragrant Hot Pot Stall Hot Pot Ma La Triple Set $21.90Food Republic @ 112 Katong - Fragrant Hot Pot Stall Hot Pot Ma La Triple Set $21.90

Ok this Ma La Hot Pot, I will only recommend to my enemies. The dish was so so so so so so spicy that just eating 1 sliver of cabbage was enough to make me surrender! Luckily I was warned by the victims before me or else I shudder to think what would happen. In that 1 sliver of vegetable, I did detect a very strong peppercorn and peanutty taste in the broth. Unfortunately I am unable to comment beyond this for obvious reasons. I am told that Fragrant Hot Pot originates from Beijing and the Hot Pot is widely popular with Chinese nationals. What you do at this stall is that you choose the individual ingredients that you want, kind of like how you choose your yong tau foo items. The items will be weighed and you will be charged accordingly. They have lots of meat and vegetable dishes to choose from.

Pepper Lunch Stall Pepper Steak $15.90Food Republic @ 112 Katong -Pepper Lunch Stall Pepper Steak $15.90

Pepper Lunch is the 2nd mini restaurant within Food Republic. To be frank, I have never liked Pepper Lunch. I find it to be a novelty feature that I have to cook the steak myself. It is different from steamboat because if you ruin or overcook something, its a small item and there are many more items in your steamboat anyway. Ruin or overcook this steak, and there goes your lunch. Besides, I like my steaks to be medium rare. Maybe the 1st piece is fine but by the time I reach the last piece, the steak would have been well done. The one and only time I ate at Pepper Lunch, I found myself hurrying to eat the steak, and as a result I burnt my tongue. Not a very good impression eh.

Read more about Food Republic at 112 Katong Mall

https://365days2play.com/2012/04/20/food-republic-at-112-katong-snacks-and-drinks/

https://365days2play.com/2012/04/20/food-republic-at-112-katong-oodles-of-noodles/

https://365days2play.com/2012/04/20/food-republic-at-112-katong-rice-and-more/

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