Tag Archives: Korean
Sarang Korean Bistro @ Orchard Central
Korean food aficionados rejoice! Sarang, previously known as the heartbeat of Seoul has recently undergone an overhaul and since reopened as a revitalized, much improved upscale and decidedly chic Sarang, Korean Bistro. Modeled after the modern contemporary restaurants in the posh and upmarket district of Gangnam, Sarang is the first to introduce the avant-garde concept of Korean Tapas in our country, which is indeed a fresh and exciting addition to our vibrant local dining scene.
Apart from serving up tapas in their menu, Sarang will also be rolling out Korean cocktail pairings of Soju and Makgeolli, for a whole new dining experience that you will appreciate with Master Chef YY’s customized food creations.
The space along the balcony of the 7th floor, sports all the trappings of a well-tended garden, with planter boxes, lush greenery and largely Mahogany fine-grained furniture all included. And if any of the quirky light bulbs or unique steel framed chairs catch your eye, you probably will not find an identical piece in Singapore as every single item here has been specially imported from Korea, with the sole purpose of maintaining the uniqueness of Sarang.
Sarang means ‘to love’ in native Korean, and this affectionate term is translated in every aspect of this Korean bistro. From the careful conceptualization of the menu, which is an amalgamation of both Korean and Singaporean influences, down to the plating of every dish and even the potted plants that fringe the perimeter of the outdoor terrace, every little detail has been thoughtfully designed and purposefully orchestrated to augment your Sarang experience.
Classic Tapas – Pairings (Soju Bomb and Makgeolli Sprite)
Sarang Japchae $7 [must try!]
This classic Korean dish of sweet potato noodles is one that I always order at Korean eateries and I am most pleased to say that Sarang’s version is by far one of the best I have had. Bouncy, chewy and QQ with a slight sticky texture, these noodles were spot-on and every bite was peppered with a whiff of sesame oil that was most appetizing. Complimented by the crunch of shredded carrots, onions and black fungus, this dish was every bit as colourful in its presentation as it was in flavor.
Spicy Chewy Rice Cake $7
Putting his own unique spin on a popular street snack in Korea, Chef YY’s spicy rice cakes are different from what you may be used to, especially if the instant version of Tukbokk is what you usually have. With a stronger intensity of flavors that interplays and injects excitement to your palate, these cylindrical rice cakes are sure to whet an appetite. But for those who are not too accustomed to spicy foods, you have been warned.
Big Mama Korean Restaurant
Ever since I started watching Kimchi Chronicles on StarWorld and saw an episode where Marja Vongerichten featured the mouthwatering Dakgalbi, I knew that the only way I was going to get that cast-iron chilli red chicken out of my mind was to EAT it! And with that greedy thought in mind, I set out to look for a Korean restaurant that sold Dakgalbi. Lucky for me, Big Mama Korean Restaurant, which opened in March this year, held the answer to my search.
Big Mama is opened by a Korean lady Ji-young Nam Gung, who came to Singapore many years ago as a tutor but instead, found her true calling in the kitchen. Along the way, she had honed her cooking skills by whipping up home style Korean cuisine for her students before finally picking up the courage and started this authentic little Korean eatery at the beginning of Kim Tian road.
We came here on a Friday evening at about 5.30pm, hoping to escape the dinner crowds, but found that upon entering, though only a few tables were filled, the rest were all reserved. And we did not have a reservation. Disappointed and almost ready to be turned away, we walked towards the door, only to be stopped by Big Mama herself who warmly told us that we could have a table but had to leave at 8pm before the people who had reserved the tables arrived.
The star of the day and the reason why I came to Big Mama in the first place soon made its appearance.
The Dakgalbi | Spicy Grilled Chicken serve is prepared by the number of portions you order. It was $15/person with minimum 2 to order. Though there were 3 of us dining that day, we decided to only get 2 portions as we wanted to try other menu items so the portion you see in the photo below is for 2!
This was the black wok that was placed on a make-shift gas stove and the girl in charge will cook it for you. So you enjoy freshly fried chicken chunks and vegetables all drenched in homemade spicy bean paste sauce. Instead of taking the easy way out and using the bean paste sauce from those red containers that you can buy from Korean specialty grocers, the bean paste sauce here at Big Mama is made by Big Mama’s own special recipe and with strictly no MSG!
A little history about the Dakgalbi. This dish originated from the city of Chuncheon in Gangwon Province and actually used to be for the lower income groups such as university students on a budget. The concept of ‘throwing’ all the ingredients into a single wok to cook and thereafter eat straight from it, made it convenient and inexpensive. But now, in its modernized version and with increased popularity, more effort is put into the preparation of the ingredients such as the marination of the chicken pieces before they are fried .
Mandooooooo
So it was back to Mandoo Korean Dumplings because the little boy wanted Asian food and he wanted to drink soup so we came here! :)
Free sides. Have I mentioned that this is the ONLY place where I eat kimchi at? At everywhere else, I just pass it on..the seaweed was pretty awesome too.. :D
Fried Vegetarian Dumplings $11.99
Hot Pot for 2-3 $40- Contains 4 types of dumplings (chicken, pork, vegetarian, kimchi), tofu, beef, mushrooms, glass noodles, udon, rice cake and seasonal vegetables
Is it just me or have prices gone up slightly since I last came here in May? Hmmm..it seems a little pricer this time. Anyhow, I love love love the kimchi dumplings here (coming from someone who does NOT eat kimchi, I think that says a lot) and the hot pot is a must try. It’s like a pot of overflowing goodness and the beef was surprisingly tender too!
Related posts:
Mandoo Korean Dumplings
Korea Restaurant
This was actually the very first Korean BBQ restaurant I had visited in Adelaide when Uncle Mark and Aunty Amy first brought dad, mum and I here in first year during O week! So when I was brought here this evening, I was like ‘Hey this place is super familiar! I have been here before! And so I have…LOL!’
Friday night Korean BBQ dinner :)
Free sides…
My BBQ essentials- chilli! The chilli paste had an adequate spicy level so I was happy :)
We both ordered Set C $18 for Beef + Seafood Combination + free flow of rice + soup + sides
And let the BBQ-ing begin… :D
I came out smelling like smoke! Omgg but $18 was pretty worth it for the set. Service was excellent and it’s conveniently located opposite Eggless so you can enjoy dinner and then dessert after. Unless of course you forget to make a reservation which we did today and failed to get a seat!
Other Korean BBQ Places:
Charcoal Hwaro Korean BBQ
4 Table Korean BBQ
133 Goodwood Road
Goodwood, SA 5034
Seoul Korean One More Time!
Back to Seoul Korean one fine day because (a) I wanted Korean food (b) did not want to travel too far i.e. all the way to Chinatown and (c) wanted a place that I knew would definitely not disappoint :)
Free appetizers…
Chicken Cutlet Curry $14.90- Curry over rice with chicken cutlet
Jap Chae $12.90- Stir fried clear potato noodles with beef and vegetables
YUM YUM YUM! A new find and oh so delicious!! :)
Soft Tofu Hot Pot $14.90- Spicy red chili stew with soft tofu, clams, vegetables and egg
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Seoul Korean Restaurant
65 Hyde St
Adelaide, 5000
(08) 8223 5563
