Those of us who have visited Korea before would know the difficulty of finding proper vegan/vegetarian food in the Land of Kimchi. Even for the nation’s most popular side-dish, kimchi, although it is primarily a vegetable dish, it is not vegan-friendly because of the sauce used in the preparation process.
Singaporeans
are very fortunate to be living in a city where vegetarian food is readily
available. The Boneless Kitchen, the
first meatless Korean casual dining restaurant in Singapore, moved to its
currently location in Tai Seng about 2 years ago. Garlic,
onion, animal products and seafood are not used. However, egg and dairy products may be used
for some of their food.
The
restaurant has table-seating and floor-seating options for those
who prefer a more authentic dining experience.
And one of the best things about the restaurant is that there is no
service charge and GST, apart from the consistent food quality!
A
total of 4 appetising side-dishes (banchan) will be served
at the start. Unlike other restaurants,
the side-dishes are refillable but with a small charge to avoid food wastage.
Their
range of main dishes is comprehensive and has every ever-green Korean dishes including
Korean Army Stew (Budae JJigae), Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae), Spicy Soft Tofu Stew (Soondubu Jjigae),
Stir-fried Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae), Kimchi Fried
Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap) Scorched Rice with
Vegetables (Bibimbap), rice roll (gimbap) etc which are available in
single-person portions. The cost of main dishes are reasonably priced
between $9.90 and $12.90.
Ala
carte side-dishes such as Kimchi pancake (Kimchi Jeon), Korean
Rice Cakes (Tteokbokki) are available as well. The side dishes are mostly under $6 and the
portion size is quite decent. Some
dishes may contain egg, and diners may request for egg to be omitted.
When
I am there with friends, my preference is to go for the hotpot stew (jeongol), which is similar to our oriental dining culture
of having steamboat. The Korean Army
Stew and the Kimchi Jeongol are highly popular.
The soup can be refilled at a small charge. It is quite enjoyable to have a slow meal, laze
around in the cosy restaurant and enjoy the K-pop songs. However, do be mindful and be considerate if
the waiting queue
outside the restaurant starts to build up.
In
fact, the restaurant can get quite crowded especially on Fridays and weekends. To save the hassle of waiting with a growling
stomach, try their online reservation is available through the restaurant’s
website (www.thebonelesskitchen.com).
The Boneless Kitchen
1 Irving Place #01-31, Commerze @ Irving Singapore 369546
Opens daily from 12pm to 9pm
Tel: 8457 6464
Directions:
3 mins walk from Taiseng MRT Station