[Singapore Restaurant] Korean Food: Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ Restaurant

Wang Dae Bak - this is a restaurant that I had wanted to visit since some time back but only get to do so now.  Friends, who are fans of Korean food, have been raving about this restaurant and after trying, there's no doubt that this is possibly one of the few Korean restaurants that serve pretty decent BBQ!

The restaurant isn't very big and the size of table is good for 4 pax.  The deco of the restaurant ie. the BBQ chimney, seats with round metal chairs, cylinder tank beneath the table top, resembles what you see in BBQ restaurants in Korea!

Side dishes - a total of 5 and all were really delicious.  We asked for refill and the service staff topped it rather speedily.

 

Each person is also given individual portions of condiments comprising salt, ssamjang for the BBQ meat and sesame oil. 

For the BBQ, we order a portion of pork belly and marinated chicken.  It came with tteokbokki and a bunch of enoki mushroom.

For lunch, the BBQ isn't cooked over charcoal.  Instead, it was cooked over the Korean-style hotplate.  Notice that the side of the hotplate is used the scrambled egg?  This is the first Korean restaurant, amongst the many that I have visited that uses such hotplate. 

Between the pork belly and the marinated chicken, it was unanimous amongst me and my friends that the BBQ chicken was really delicious!  And just to clarify, it is not the case that the BBQ pork wasn't delicious.   It was!  Just that the chicken BBQ was better!

And none of us would object that the seafood deonjang jjigae (bean paste soup) was delicious!  But note, for those who have not tried Korean bean paste soup before, the taste of this dish may take a while for one to used to.  Deonjang jjigae is made from fermented soy bean and hence, the fermented taste may be a little overpowering for some people.  Otherwise, for seasoned Korean food eaters, this is one place that I will recommend for deonjang jjigae.  

Andong Chicken is one dish that is quite subjective.  For people who haven't tried this dish and likes spicy food as well as stewed chicken, it is actually quite delicious.  But for those who have tried Andong Chicken in Korea, this would not be able to match up to the standard.  But overall, it is not a bad dish though.

The haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) is uniquely served on a bamboo-woven plate.  The portion was bigger than what we expected.  The pancake was quite nice too... thin and crispy at the edge.

We had also ordered the gamjatang (potato and pork ribs soup) and the dish was not impressive.  There wasn't any distinctive taste from both the potato and the pork ribs.  So... this is one which I will give it a miss.

Good news is that diners are entitled to 15% discount during lunch except for BBQ meat dishes.  You may also wish to try out the new dishes on their lunch menu.

Overall, the food, ambiance and value of food at Wang Dae Bak is good!  I will be back for more next time!

Wang Dae Bak
98 Amoy Street, Singapore 069918
Tel: 62260450
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat, 11.30am to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Website: www.wangdaebak.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wangdaebak

Getting there: Walk from Raffles Place MRT station, Exit F.  It is approximately a 7 to 10 mins walk, depending on your individual speed.  With the opening of Downtown Line, it is in fact nearer to walk from Telok Ayer MRT station to the restaurant.



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[Recipe] Korean Potato Pancake [감자전]

Korean Potato Pancake is one delicious dish that I really really like!  Gonna learn how to cook it!



Ingredients:
1 pound peeled potato
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water
¼ cup chopped Asian chives
vegetable oil

Garnish:
red and hellow bell pepper, slice into 1 inch strips

Dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
a pinch of roasted sesame seeds

Preparation Direction:
1. Cut the peeled potato into small chunks and add to a food processor
2. Add water, chopped chives, and salt. Blend it well until creamy puree
3. Put the mixture in a strainer over a bowl to strain. Press it down with a spoon gently so that the starch water will go through the strainer.
4. Put the strained potato mixture in a bowl
5. Wait for 1 minute for the starch to sink in the bowl
6. Pour out the water to get the starch. Add the starch to the potato mixture and stir with a spoon.

Cooking:
1. Heat up a non-stick pan over medium heat
2. Add a few drops of vegetable oil and spoon the mixture and place it on the pan. Spread it nicely to make about 2 inch disks. Repeat this to fill it your pan depending on your pan size.
3. When the bottom part starts a little light brown, turn it over.
4. And add the garnish strips and press it in with a spatular. Cook about 1 minute until the bottom part turns golden brown.
5. Turn it over and cook 10 seconds so that the top part won't brown.
6. Transfer it to a serving plate. Repeat it. You will get about 10 pancakes

Serving:
Combine soy sauce, vinegar and sprinkle sesame seeds in a small bowl.
Serve hot with the dipping sauce