Woorinara Korean Restaurant @ Lorong Kilat / Upper Bukit Timah

Last week, we were at home, deciding what to have for dinner. The ladies at home were left to decide. There were so many choices and the ladies finally decided on Korean and then narrow it down to Korean Fried Chicken.

We did not want to travel too far because we were already quite hungry! So off we went to Woorinara because we like the crispy fried chicken here. That place is also usually not very busy.



They don't have the best selection and varieties in the banchans. It's still decent and edible.
Simple stuff. We ate it all up anyway. Kimchi's nice though.




The Fried Chicken! Crispy and crunchy skin fried chicken always delight us!
It was good that the pieces we ate were also moist. 

We had Honey Soy this time. The sauce is kinda addictive! Sweetish and saltish thick sauce that was dribbled over the chicken.

We controlled ourselves by not ordering the whole chicken. Half a fried chicken for 3 persons already have enough calories! Not having too much also prevents us from getting sick of it. :-)





We wanted to have something else as well, so we had the hot plate spicy pork.

Yes, it's very oily but because of the oil, the meat was sizzlingly delicious! The ladies were comparing it to another Korean place that uses very little oil and use water to cook them. This is more fragrant but oily!

We also ordered a beef bibimbap (photo was too blur) and ate it with the pork.
It was a satisfying, oily and calorie ladden dinner!


Usually this place is not busy, but because of the group by coupon offer this place is having, we realised this place is suddenly so busy! So we had to wait longer than usual for our food.

Woori-Nara Korean Restaurant
19 Lorong Kilat
#01-02
Singapore 598120

Tel: 6464 9282

Kim's Family Korean Restaurant @ West Coast CC

Colleagues and I just discovered that Kim's Family Korean Restaurant has a 3rd branch.

We used to visit the Lorong Kilat / Bukit Timah branch. Recently, we heard they have opened a branch at Sunset Way but we have not tried it yet. Few days ago, we saw this new branch when we went to West Coast Plaza to have lunch.

Our lunch plan changed when we saw the new branch. Images of banchans filled our disillusioned minds. We walked over from West Coast Plaza to the Community Centre!



This branch looks really nice from the outside! There's an outdoor area that should be nice in the evenings. Look, evergreen fake grass too!




The reason we suddenly decided to eat there. Their selection and varieties of banchans!
We liked most of it. They were tasty and nice, but I think we keep thinking about it that we expect more (that we were served)!




Two colleagues had the Ramen at $10 each.
Comment from the two colleagues that ate it was there are lots of seafood inside, but the "lalas" are quite small.




Another colleague had the Jajangmyun $15.
She seemed to like it. She loves all things Korean. (All our colleagues know that hehe)




I also had almost the same thing. I had Jajang Bap. $15.
I felt like eating rice so I had the rice option. It was served with a fried egg.

I have always wondered why the Korean actors and actresses always slurp it like it's the world's best food. It's black and gooey and does not look appetising at all. LOL

But I ate it all because it becomes more tasty as you eat it! There was bits of meat (the 3 layered fatty pork version), potatoes cubes, lots of onions (which I like) and all cooked in bean sauce.




Old cat, our colleague ordered the Oysters Soup. $17.
Pricey for a soup (and a bowl of rice) but there was lots of small pieces of oysters in it. Yes, small ones, but there was quite a lot of it. Soup was tasty too.
(We all could not help not dipping our spoons in his soup!)




A little pricey we know.
The place seems to be very quite too. There was only 2 tables eating.
I also just found out they have been around here for a few weeks.


Kim's Family Korean Restaurant
2 Clementi West Street 2
#01-01
(West Coast Community Centre)
Singapore 129605

Kim's Family Food Restaurant @ Lorong Kilat

It has been some time since we went to Kim's Family. We have been wanting to go since we knew they had expanded. Sis and I decided to pay them a visit about a week ago.

Nude Kimbap

When we got there, we saw on the board outside, a Today's Special advert. That night's special was called Nude Kimbap ($15) and there were only 15 sets available. Out of curiosity, we ordered it. (Ya, we thought it's a bit expensive)

Kim (dried seaweed) bap (rice) when they have a nude word in front of it means it's inside out. You can see from the photo that it's quite messy but somehow, it tasted rather good. It was warm to start with, and with lots of mayo on it, it was moist and tasty. Inside it were hidden crunchy bits of dried seafood. It was rather unusual, but those bits that sis and crispy fried shrimps tasted rather nice.

If you are bored sitting in front of the PC/Mac now, you can view this you-tube of how these 2 Korean girls made kimbap. Although it's in Korean and I don't understand that language, I think it's hilarious! The link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UckzXKVxqTk

The Banchan

The 'secret' reason why sis and I visited this place. The huge variety of banchan that they serve!
We got served 13 this time. Oh these mini bowls of joy!

Some are nice, some requires you to have acquired taste, but we did not waste any but finished them all! (or rather, I finished the ones that sis did not want)

Samgyetang

I love Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup, so I ordered this to share. I have always enjoyed their soup here. You will find that it taste bland. The salt has been left out in the cooking process. The salt's served on the side.

I had a Korean reader emailed me once and told me that the salt's not suppose to be added into the soup. That's how her family have it since she was growing up. The salt on the side is for dipping the chicken meat when you eat it.

So out of curiosity, I have been having Korean chicken soup in many places since I got that email some weeks ago. I will always pretend I don't know anything and ask how should I eat it.

The answer I got, if you like the soup salty, just add the salt into the soup! If not, then drink it without salt. The chicken is bland, so when you eat it and prefer more tasty meat, you can dip it to the little saucer of salt. So I concluded that it all depends on how a particular Korean family eats it at home. ;-) Have it your way!

I had the soup without salt, but dipped the chicken with a tiny bit of salt while eating as suggested by the reader. It does taste different.

Ddukppoki

My sis has always loved Korean rice cakes. It has become a 'must order' when I dine with her at Korean restaurants.

I always find their version having more other ingredients than rice cakes. For rice cakes lovers, you might only find a few pieces of rice cakes, they have lots of flat fish cakes inside.

It worked because I like the fish cakes more than rice cakes, and sis like rice cakes instead of the fish cakes.

Persimmon tea

Cold cinnamon tea at the end of the meal to give you a 'jolt'. I am not a fan of this tea, because when I drink it, it literally gives me a jolt. It's cold and the taste of persimmon and my glossopharyngeal nerves aren't the best of friends. It nerves tells my brain something and I will get this chilling 'urrgh' sensation. It is not really my cup of tea. LOL

I know there are many of you who loves it. I think Dad would like it, he loves persimmons.

Oranges

Some ascorbic acid to end the meal. It was quite sweet and we literally ended the meal with a sweet note.


Kim's Family Food
17 Lorong Kilat
#01-06
Kilat Court,
Singapore 598139

Tel: 6465 0535

Authentic Korean Cuisine @ NUS Business/School of Computing Canteen.

Those working in NUS/NUH/Science Parks will be happy with this new discovery. A new Korean food stall has replaced the chicken rice stall at the NUS Business / School of Computing Canteen.

The name of the stall is simply "Authentic Korean Cuisine". It opened this week and many people have been trying it and giving it a thumbs up. It seems they are only offering part of the menu now as they sort out opening headaches.

One thing we noticed is that they are Korean ladies and teenagers manning the stall. You know in many so called 'korean' stalls, when you order beef bulgogi, the person will shout 'niu rou' or when you order daeji bulgogi they will shout to the kitchen 'zhu rou'. Well here, they read out the orders in Korean to the Korean 'aunties' in the kitchen. They also mumble some Korean that we don't understand. Colleagues and I think it's quite authentic (for now!)

Another thing we like about this new stall is their prices.

***

Over the last few days, colleagues and I have been eating from this stall. This Bibim bap was quite nice and it only costs $3.50. There are some meat hidden below the egg by the way. You scoop your own spicy sauce over it from the table.

I think a colleague is now addicted to this as she has taken the same in 3 straight days! LOL



It came with a bowl of soup (which we notice varies by the day) and some kimchi and peanuts/anchovies.

***

This was the Daeji Bulgogi (Spicy Marinated Pork) that one colleague tried. (I also tried it another day). They were quite generous with the meat. The pork had been well marinated and it was spicy. It also has lots of onions (my favourite) but some of you who hate onions, too bad lah...

You actually finish your rice before the meat. This only costs $4 with a stainless steel bowl of rice and the kimchi and peanut/anchovies side dish.

***

Another colleague tried their Beef Bulgogi. A few of us tried the beef and we liked it. But the colleague who ate this was the fussy eater. He said the meat is too marinated so the flavour is too strong for him. 

So, if you like your beef and you like well marinated meat, maybe this is for you. If you like light tasting food, we would suggest you try the yong tau foo stall next door. :-p

The beef bulgogi costs $4.50 with rice and side dishes.

***

Another colleague tried the Ginseng Chicken Soup. (on another day) The chicken piece was quite big. The flavour according to my colleague is nicer than Kim's Family Food (For Kim's you need to add your own salt, but the ones here salt is already added).

The chicken had glutinous rice stuffed in the cavity of the chicken. It looks quite a filling meal. It costs only $4.50 with a bowl of rice and the side dishes.

***

So far, we think this place is good. We just hope it's not the opening bonus that we are getting what we see now. We hope their quantity and quality stays. It seems most things are under $5 here, probably the most affordable Korean cuisines around from a real korean kitchen.

I think Science Park folks will be taking the free shuttle buses into NUS now. It's still the university break, so there are lots of seating places. We see NUS staff and students forming a snaking queue now.


Authentic Korean Cuisine
NUS Business/School of Computing Canteen,
National University of Singapore. 
15 Computing Drive
Singapore 117418

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken BBQ (2)

After all the BBQ thingy, the table was cleared and other dishes were served next.

This is kimchi radish and sliced boiled pork. It's a bit chewy. Those who like them chewy would love it. I like the melt in your mouth type.



This is the ginseng chicken. Sam Gye Tang. It's their signature dish, if you realise the name of the place. We had the lady dressed in Korean traditional dress served into smaller bowls for us. I tell you, you would love this soup! Everyone of us did! It has glutinous rice in it, so it's a bit porridgey.



There's also grilled fish. I forgot the exact name. You realise I am quite forgetful nowdays? haha... Maybe I need to eat more gingko.



Next was Rice topped with assorted vegetables, beef, and egg in a hot stone pot. It is known as Bibimbap. The lady showed us the big stone bowl, but our table's too full, so she served them into smaller bowls for us too.



This is not in the set meal. But aunt wanted to eat the korean pancakes, so we ordered the spring onion and seafood pancake. ( Pa Jeon ) It's sis and aunt's favourite!



So, where did you all go for Father's Day?

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken BBQ (1)

On Father's Day, which is yesterday, we went to Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken BBQ for lunch. It's located at Ngee Ann City.

Instead of thinking what to eat, we thought why not take the set meal? So here's what we ate.

Just like most Korean places, you get all the tiny starter dishes. I love them!



Then for the BBQ meat, you can cook them by yourselves, or opt for the their kitchen to do if for you. Our kid cousin wanted to cook it, so we let her cook for us!

There are 4 plates of meat, I guess I was too lazy nowadays to take so many photos, so here's the 3 that I took.

The marinated beef. I can't remember exactly which it is marinated in, but it's just so so good!



This is the tender beef ribs, the meat around it is sliced longish and then we BBQ it. This is even more delicious!



I remember pork collar, so I guess this must be it. The fat melts after grilling, so the meat taste so tender....



There's also another chicken meat. Not taken here...

Here's one of the batches of the meat being cooked. I only took 1 shot! haha... I guess we were most interested in eating than taking photos.



This is the veg that you can wrap the meat with.


More tomorrow...

환영 - 2

As promised, here's the main course dishes. It was all in a set and they all taste excellent.

Started with Ginseng Chicken soup. For someone who does not really fancy ginseng, this was ok to drink. Not strong ginseng taste and not overfully heaty.

Next came the rice, otherwise known as bibiba. Its a korean rice dish, where you see different ingredients like beef, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, some seaweed and an un-cooked egg yolk in the centre. You are suppose to mix it all up with some chilli sauce, breaking the egg yolk. Traditionally, this is served in a stone pot.

Lastly, a fish, also known as saba fish. Something like the japanese ones. At the side is a slice of lemon for people who are afraid of the fishy taste.

Enjoyed everything here :)

환영 - Welcome

I simply love Korean food. Before the main dishes arrived to the table, they always serve you 4 to 6 dishes of appetisers. And each one taste quite different. This was eaten at Crystal Jade Korean @ Centrepoint.

Started with korean bean sprouts. These don't taste like the ordinary ones, its has more "beannie" taste.



Next came the traditional kimchi. Ooo, this was spicy! But if you love spicy and sour together, this is good.



Following that, green vegetables. Cant remember what's this called, but its a tad oily.




Then came something that tasted like radish.



This is also radish, prepared in another way. This one doesnt taste as spicy as the kim chi.



Lastly, eggplant with capsicum.



Just those 6 appetisers, we were already 1/2 filled. And the main course was not served yet! That comes tomorrow ;)