[Singapore Restaurant] Experience Korea's Most Beloved Dishes from Bibigo

The wave of Korean Fried Chicken + Beer has hit the sunny island of Singapore when this food combo known as Chimaek (치맥) was featured in the popular Korean drama "My Love from the Stars" (별에서 온 그대) earlier this year.  The word "Chimaek" originates from the word Chicken (Koreans pronounce the word as Chikin) and Maekju (which means beer in Korean).  Chimaek is especially popular during the summer seasons when the heat wave is up and the beer has the cooling effect.  It is so popular that an event "Daegu Chicken and Beer Festival" is held annually! 

 

Being summer all year round in Singapore, it is timely that Bibigo has added Chimaek to their menu starting from September!



 

What's unique about Bibigo's version of Chimaek is that, you get to eat the fried chicken with 2 different sauces (soybean and sweet & spicy) and salt!  Personally, my preference would be the soybean sauce, followed by the sweet & spicy sauce.  The salt is dry and doesn't quite stay on the chicken.  The plus point about having Chimaek is the refreshing pickled white radish.  But honestly, the plain fried chicken itself is already quite delicious and addictive.

Order the Gangnam Chicken as an ala carte dish (6-piece chicken) at $10 or top up another $10 for 2 bottles of iced-cold Hite beer.  Hite beer is really popular in Korea!

For an authentic Korean meal, order a Spicy Kimchi Stew ($10) and Kimchi pancake ($9).  The stew comes with a bowl of Korean short grain rice and a kimchi side-dish.  In fact, these 2 dishes have been newly added to Bibigo's menu and they are quite decent, although I think the pancake would have tasted even better if it was crispier. 

 

Just a small tip to share.  The Kimchi pancake does not come with any dipping sauce.  But not to be disappointed, the soybean sauce from the Gangnam Chicken dish is a perfect dipping sauce for the pancake!

 

For non-spicy food lovers, another dish on the limited-time menu would be the Seafood Noodles ($9).  Udon is used as the main staple, cooked with seafood and a generous portion of green veggies, it makes a good option on days when you just feel like having something light and soupy.

 

Overall, the pricing for these new dishes are quite affordable and there is no price differentiation between lunch and dinner.  The food portion is easily sufficient for those with small to moderate appetite.  Head down to Bibigo with 2 to 3 other friends to experience all these dishes!

 

 

Website: http://sg.bibigo.com/index

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/bibigo.singapore?fref=ts

 

Bibigo Suntec City

Suntec City Mall Tower 3 #B1-107 Singapore 038983

Tel: 65-6338-5809
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm

(Nearest MRT Station: Promenade Station on Circle Line)

Bibigo NEX Shopping Mall

23 Serangoon Central, #03-08 NEX Shopping Mall, Singapore 556083

Tel: 65-6509-8272

Opening Hours: 11.30am to 10pm

(Nearest MRT Station: Serangoon Station on North-East Line)

 

Bibigo Raffles City

252 North Bridge Roadm #B1-74 Raffles City Shopping Center Singapore 179103

Tel: 65-6336-4745

Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm

(Nearest MRT Station: City Hall Station on North-South Line)

 

 

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[Singapore Restaurant] Korean Food: Jang Shou Korean BBQ

It has been more than 5 years since I last stepped into Jang Shou Korean BBQ.  Jang Shou also means longevity.  The restaurant is conveniently located downtown, at The Esplande.  For this visit, I tried 2 BBQ and a soup dish.

Jang Shou restaurant is generous with their side dishes.  A total of 9 dishes are served, in addition to the onion soup as appetiser.

I always hesitate trying this dishes as I was afraid that the onion taste will be too over-powering.  But thankfully, the onion soup was quite refreshing.  It tasted sweet and a little sourish.  The restaurant serves set meal only during lunch.  Each set meal costs $23 and comprises 1 grilled meat dish (choice of beef, pork and chicken) and 1 stew dish (choice of soybean paste stew, spicy soft tofu stew, buckwheat noodles in cold broth and dry buckwheat noodles in spicy sauce).  For such a combination, I personally think that it is pretty worthwhile. 

But for this lunch, I decided to order BBQ meat instead of the set meal.  For some reason, the restaurant uses charcoal for BBQ only during dinner.  And during lunch, it is cooked over gas.  The first BBQ meat I ordered was the Jang Shou Galbi, marinated pork ribs in olive and honey.  There are 3 BBQ pork choices.  Besides pork ribs, they also serve olive-wine marinated pork belly and hot-pepper marinated pork belly.

The second BBQ meat that I had was Jang Shou Dak Galbi, grilled spicy chicken.  In fact, the choice of BBQ chicken is only limited to the spicy flavour.

While the spicy chicken looks more appetising than the pork ribs, I like the pork ribs more than the spicy chicken.

The soybean paste stew was average.  I like it more when the beanpaste taste is stronger.  But I guess the restaurant would have to cater to the majority's preference.

Overall, the dishes are decent but variety is limited for non-beef diners.   But I like the variety of side dishes served.  There are very few restaurants that provides such elaborate side dishes.

Note: WAH! Korea Club members enjoy 5% discount on regular food items from Monday to Thursday, excluding set meals.


Jang Shou Korean Charcoal BBQ
Address : 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-13A/B Esplanade Mall, S039802
Tel : +65-6337-8880
Business Hour:
Mon to Sat: 11.30am to 2.30pm / 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Sun and PH: 5.30pm to 10.30pm.

Website: http://www.jangshoukoreanbbq.com/

Getting there: Nearest MRT station is Esplanade Station on the Circle Line.  Follow the walking directions with the MRT station to Esplanade - Theatres by the Bay.  Go to level 1, take the exit next to Harry's.  Keep left and turn left into the entrance to Jang Shou Korean Restaurant.




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[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] Homecooked Budae Jjigae 부대찌개 Recipe (Korean Army Stew)

The Korean Army Stew 부대찌개 is a common dish in Korea. The difference between a soup and a stew is that the latter is thicker while soup tends to lighter and most of the time, clear. 

This dish originated from the Korean war times when food was scarce.  In order not to waste whatever precious food that was surplus from the US Forces (from ham, spam, sausages etc), the Korean has transformed into a local dish that is still very popular to date.  The region where this originated from was Uijeongbu (located at the south of Seoul), it might be where you can get the most authentic 부대찌개.

Cooking 부대찌개 at home isn't as complicated as I thought. In fact, the dish can be ready within 30 mins.

Here's what I did.  Cut the beancurd into 6 pieces. Thaw the sausages. Get ready a can of baked beans. Prepare a slice of cheese if you like the soup to have some cheesy taste. Spam can also be added. Korean restaurants would also add ddokpokki (떡볶이) and mandu (만두). Add that if you have the ingredients.

I bought premixed 부대찌개 sauce and 김치.  Add about 300ml of water into the pot.  Add all the ingredients.

When the sausage is almost cooked, add in 라면. Cook for another 5 mins and you have a pot of 부대찌개!

That's how easy it can be....해보세요 ^^

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Related Posts:
Singapore Style Sundubu Jjigae (순두부찌개 / Beancurd Stew) (click)
Cheese Ramyeon (치스라면) (click)

Singapore Style : Korean Beancurd Stew (순두부찌개)





Doesn't those scenes in Korean dramas where the actors/actresses are eating piping hot stews from the pots make you drool?  One of the popular stews in Korea is the Sundubu Jjigae (순두부찌개).  It is a hot and spicy stew dish with beancurd and seafood, with an egg on stop of the dish.

 

It is actually quite easy to cook up a pot of Korean Beancurd Stew once you have the stew pre-mix.  The pre-mix is a sauce which I got mine from one of the Korean supermarkets. 

 

Koreans would typically eat this stew with rice.  For a change and to localise this, I decided to add the thick nice noodle into the stew.

 

 

 

For ingredients:

1.  Stew Pre-Mix (it can serve up to 4 pax)

2.  Eggs

3.  1 pack of Beancurd

4.  Some Thick Noodles which depends on how many persons you are serving

5.  200 ml of water

6.  Seafood

 

 

Steps:

1.  If you are using the thick noodles, cook it separately first and put it aside.

2.  Add the water and stew pre-mix into the pot. 

3.  Turn on high heat and let it boil. 

4.  Lower the heat and add in seafood ingredients

5.  Followed by eggs, beancurd and noodles.

6.  Turn on high heat for the final boil and that's it!

 

Simple, isn't it?  Taste wise, it is not bad.  If you prefer the stew to be thick and spicy, then the portion might be sufficient for just 2 persons.  If you do not take spicy food well, you will need to add a bit more water.  The thick noodles can be replaced with glass noodles too and it is all a matter of preference.

 



Related Posts:
Korean Army Stew (부대찌개 / Budae Jjigae) (click)
Cheese Ramyeon (click)

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돼지갈비찜 Stewed Pork Ribs with Potato

Anyone has recommendation for Stewed Pork Ribs with Potato in Korea?  I was on a trip in Seoul last year and my tour guide brought us to a restaurant which served this really delicious stew.  However, a check with the restaurant reception - they only cater to tour groups and not for individuals.  What a disappointment =(

If anyone has recommendation, do let me know.  I will check out the restaurant the next time I go to Korea!  꼭잦아하고싶어요!

Kimchi Stew

Ingredients
1/4 head of kimchi,
100g pork,
1/2 onion,
1/2 a root of green onion,
2 tablespoons of chili powder,
1 tablespoon of ground garlic,
salt, pepper powder, chili


Method
1. Cut kimchi into small pieces.
2. Prepare pork belly. Cut them into dice.
3. Slice onion thickly. Minced garlic and cut the green onion diagonally.
4. Put kimchi, pork and chili powder into a pot and add a little bit of water. Mix well so the there is no chili powder lumps. (If you want to make the stew not so spicy, add kimchi juice instead of the chili powder and boil.)
5. Add water again to 4 and boil. Add onion later.
6. If the kimchi is cooked, add minced garlic, green onion and chilli, and boil again.
7. Season.

credit : Korean Infogate