While it’s no secret that Tanjong Pagar is a hot spot for Korean BBQs, we’ve discovered a new gem. You won’t have to travel into the CBD for this one.
Nestled in a corner of Plaza Singapura, this restaurant can be easy to miss. Seorae is known for its interesting mix of authentic Korean cuisine as well as creative twists on familiar favourites.
Unlike most other Korean BBQ spots where gas canisters are used, customers at Seorae get to enjoy premium meats grilled over flaming charcoal, which adds that extra oomph and fragrance to the dishes.
Aside from its unique charcoal grill, this Korean eatery has also made a name for itself in Korea as a leading barbecue chain selling the much-loved skirt meat, or galmaegisal.
Recently, Seorae has also revamped its menu to include sizzling new selections, sharing sets, soju cocktails and makkoli mixes.
Needless to say, we couldn’t resist a taste.
1. Galmaegisal – $21.90
The very first Korean BBQ joint in Singapore to serve galmaegisal, Seorae is pioneering this tasty trend by offering up 3 flavours of the much-loved cut-garlic soy sauce, spicy and original.
Once served exclusively to Korean royalty, now you too get to feast like a king with Seorae’s signature dish, premium pork skirt meat marinated with authentic Korean spices.
Grilled to perfection using a unique ‘circle grilling’ technique, the galmaegisal is reminiscent of wagyu beef–rich in flavour with a tender and juicy bite.
Meat lovers, chew on this: The precious galmaegisal meat, located between the rib and belly, amounts to only 250 grams of a full-grown pig. That’s how precious it is!
2. Mixed Kkochi Platter – $21.90 (a la carte)
Next up, we got a taste of this platter that caters to even the most fickle of eaters. It was a sensational experience, with charcoal-grilled skewers of melted cheese, kimchi and spicy enoki wrapped in samgyeobsal (premium pork belly) and woosamgyeob (US prime beef shortplate).
It even came with skewers of pyogo buseot (shiitake mushroom), which were tasty and juicy, serving as a much welcomed palate cleanser among the wide array of meat skewers.
Silky Egg and Gooey Melted Cheese
Surrounding the grill are silky grilled egg and melted cheese, which allow diners to add a delicious mix of texture and flavours to their meal.
Despite being left on the grill for quite some time, the egg remained extremely fluffy and moist, with a soft and smooth, pudding-like texture. The top layer of the egg, on the other hand, was crispy and aromatic. Diners get 4 free refills of egg, so don’t hold back!
The creamy, buttery flavour of the stretchy cheese added an explosive umami burst to the galmaegisal and samgyeobsal, a lethally tasty combination.
3. Woosamgyeob – $22.90
With a good ratio of lean meat to fat, woosamgyeob, otherwise known as US beef shortplate, is characterised by a rich flavour and pleasant bite.
Marinated with Seorae’s in-house sauce, the beef strips were nicely browned on the grill and dripping with flavour. We were pleasantly surprised as the beef remained juicy and tender instead of being tough and dry.
4. Spicy Samgyeobsal – $17.90
Crisp, sweet and perfectly browned, the slices of samgyeobsal kept our chopsticks busy.
If you’re not a fan of spicy food, this samgeyobsal will offer the flavours of chilli without the searing heat. The other options are regular and hangari samgyeopsal.
5. LA Galbi – $29.90
These succulent prime beef short-ribs called out to us to sink our teeth into them, and we gladly agreed.
The meat fell off the bone easily, and was sweeter and more flavourful than the other cuts of meat as the meat was cooked with the bone.
6. Sundubu Jjigae – $14.90
If there was a go-to dish for a cold, rainy day, this would be it. A rich soup that nourishes and revitalises, this is Seorae’s secret: their special spicy soft tofu stew has a broth full of minced pork, fresh vegetables, clams and eggs.
We were initially worried the clams would be fishy, but the broth captured the sweetness of the clams without any hint of fishiness. The egg was beautifully cooked, partially gooey and slightly runny. Mixed with the flavourful soup and tofu, it was comfort food at its best.
7. Budae Jjigae – $35.90 (a la carte)
Unlike most other army stews, this version tasted much more wholesome, with a cleaner flavour. Simmered in a specially prepared Gochujang spicy sauce, the stew contained all the essentials and more. There was sausage, spam, fish cake, tteokboki, beans, and even bacon! They also included fresh vegetables to balance out all the meat.
If you’re not a fan of soggy ramyeon, Seorae’s staff can cook your ramyeon just right, making sure the noodle stays springy and chewy.
8. Cheese Mandu Tteokbokki – $35.90 (a la carte)
Guess what, more cheese! Not that we’re complaining.
Otherwise known as rambokki (ramyeon + tteokbokki), this Cheese Mandu Tteokbokki covers all the bases. It consists of Korean rice cake cooked in Seorae’s hot sauce, served on a hot pan with fried fish cake, egg, corn-cheese mandu (dumplings), ramyeon and pineapple. The ramyeon and tteokbokki is meant to be stirred into the hot sauce, where tasty, gooey cheese lies within.
Cheese lovers, you will not be disappointed by the corn-cheese mandu, a crispy golden packet that gives an audible crunch when you bite into it. It oozes stringy melted cheese, sprinkled with bits of sweet corn. We’re definitely ordering this again the next time we’re here!
9. Pineapple Soju Cocktail – $22.90++
A Korean BBQ feast is not complete without some soju. Accompanying our feast was this refreshingly fruity twist on the conventional Korean soju. This summery drink featured an entire pineapple spiked with soju, laden with fresh pineapple bits scooped straight from the husk. We downed one glass after another, keeping pace with our fervent feeding frenzy.
Enjoy Seorae’s Mother’s Day Promotion!
This Mother’s Day, grab the opportunity to treat your mum to some delicious, authentic Korean cuisine at Seorae! A Mother’s Day promotion will be going on from 12 – 14 May, and you’ll get a FREE Pineapple Soju (worth $22.90++) with every reservation made.
Seorae offers much more in terms of taste and variety than the typical Korean BBQ restaurant. What really awed us were their fruity sojus and their famed galmaegisal. We’ll definitely be back, and very soon too!
Seorae
Address: Plaza Singapura #02-01, 68 Orchard Road, Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: Mon – Thu: 11.30am – 10pm; Fri – Sat: 11.30am – 11pm; Sun: 11.30am – 10pm
Contact no.: 9181 2709
Website
Also read This Korean Cafe Serves Pork Ribs Wrapped With Stringy Cheese – And It’s Grate
