Thursday 28 October 2021

Pohang Seafood – Korean Sashimi Meal Experience in SG


Fresh Tuna @ Pohang Seafood
Our first Korean style sashimi meal experience was during our first trip to Jeju in 2017. It was a gastronomic experience, though I must admit it is not something that I eat frequently. Last year, we found a Korean restaurant serving Korean Sashimi on the east side of Singapore and Pohang Seafood is the second restaurant that we tried in Singapore.

Pohang Seafood SG
We decided to try this after I saw the IG post of Bjorn Shen, one of the judges of Master Chef SG. For the meal, we choose Fresh Tuna and Flatfish set (small, $180, recommended for 2 pax). One thing for sure, when you order the meal, it is like a banquet that will knock you over.

In a typical Korean meal culture, they flooded your table with side dishes at the start. Here, the banchan consist of salmon sashimi, acorn jelly, Mulhoe (Spicy raw fish soup), porridge, broccoli, corn with cheese, mini seafood pancake, salad with mayo and kelp soup.

Banchan Part 1
Salmon & Salmon Belly
For the salmon sashimi, each person has a thick slice of the regular part and another slice of the salmon belly. Both are smooth and delicious. The porridge is subtle, thick yet tasty, while the corn is slightly charred, sweet and topped with cheese. It can do with a bit more cheese and more charred.

Porridge, Mulhoe and Corn with Cheese
The mini seafood pancake is crispy and enjoyable. Mulhoe is a cold spicy raw fish soup, as a side dish the version is much simpler and it plays a dual role as an appetizer and palate cleanser. It tasted icy, tangy, spicy yet refreshing. It is a bit too spicy for my liking, but LD enjoys it, and also enjoyed the acorn jelly. Instead of mulhoe, I enjoy the subtle flavour of the sea in the kelp soup.

Mini Seafood Pancake
Acorn Jelly
The steam egg followed soon together with the next seafood treat of Abalone and Sea Squirt. The abalone is thinly sliced, delivering a familiar Korean abalone crunchy texture. Opposite to the abalone texture, the sea squirt inner part is soft with a touch of chewiness, it has a slight bitter taste but one thing for sure they are very fresh. However, the skin of the sea squirt is super chewy, I don’t recommend you eat that.

Steam Egg
Abalone & Sea Squirt
Abalone & Sea Squirt
For the seafood, there are 4 types of dipping sauce. Soy sauce, wasabi, sesame oil with salt and doenjang-banga (Korean raw fish dipping sauce, thick). On the table, there is also a bottle of cho-jang (the lighter sweet and spicy sauce).

The Sauces - Cho-Jang, Sesame Oil with Salt
Soy Sauce with Wasabi and Doenjang Banga
Next up will be the WOW and IG moment. San-nakji (LIVE Octopus seasoned with sesame oil). Yes, you can see the chopped tentacles still moving. Taste-wise, it is almost tasteless but the bouncy texture is intriguing. The texture of the tentacles part tasted a bit rough because of the suction cups, while the head or upper part tasted smooth and velvety. Not a spicy lover, I decided to create my own sauce, using soy sauce and lemon juice (there are lemon wedges served with the seafood). The combination of salty and tanginess, extract the natural sweetness from the octopus. Yum!!


LIVE Octopus
Now is the turn for the Tuna sashimi, served with perilla leaves and seaweed. The portion is huge, there were about 30 slices on the plate. From the colour of the tuna, you can see it consist of different part of the fish. The darker colour is the leanest and the lighter colour is fattier. There are two premium cuts on top, looks like the fattiest version as it is covered in fats. We thought the two pieces will melt in your mouth, instead, a tendon-like chewiness paired with the fatty texture. An interesting surprise.

Fresh Tuna with Perilla Leaves and Seaweed
Fresh Tuna
The Premium Slice
The flatfish sashimi also comes in the same size. It offers a meaty and resilient texture. The regular cuts offer a very subtle sweetness, almost like a blank canvas, where you can dip it in any sauces that you like. The premium cuts (the creamy colour) have a stronger flavour; however, it is chewier.

Flatfish Sashimi
I find the portion of the sashimi is very generous, to the point of overwhelming. My secret weapon here is the lemon. Not only it helps to cuts through the fats of the protein, but it also helps to extract the natural sweetness of the seafood. I use the lemon to mix with soy sauce or the sesame oil salt dip; while LD uses it together with the doenjang and cho-jang.

Tuna with Seaweed and Perilla Leaf
Since there are a lot of slices of tuna and flatfish, you should experiment with different ways to eat the sashimi. I tried one with just the seaweed and another with just perilla leaf, it delivers a unique, yet delicious flavour.

Flatfish with Seaweed
For those who never tried Korean Sashimi, please take note that the sashimi is served at ROOM TEMPERATURE. Just like the sashimi served in a high-end Japanese restaurant. The seafood here is likely still swimming in one of the aquariums when you walk into the restaurant and prepared after they got your order. Therefore, this is probably one of the freshest sashimi you can get in Singapore.

Once you almost complete your sashimi, they serve fish roe hand roll. It has an earthy vegetable taste, followed by bursting fish roe flavour. On your second bite, you can taste the pickle vegetables hidden below that helps to cuts through the rice the richness of the fish roe.

Fish Roe Handroll
The finale is fish hotpot. It uses the leftover cuts from the flatfish and the head, cooked with potato noodles, radish, vegetables and zucchinis. The soup tastes clean and the red pepper helps to cleanse the overwhelming flavour from the heavy meal. We were stuffed before we start the fish hotpot, so after the first bowl, we ask them to pack the balance of the hotpot for LD’s dinner the next day.

Fish Hotpot
Flatfish
The décor of the restaurant is very simple and bare minimum. It feels like you are dining in a takeaway Korean sashimi joint, where the dining area a simply furnished with foldable chairs, DIY tables and transparent disposable plastic table cloth. The service is prompt and friendly. During our diner there, we notice the majority of their customers are Koreans and most of them order for takeaway. When they are talking, you can easily feel that you are in Korea.

The Interior Decor
Overall, having experienced a few Korean sashimi meals in Jeju and Singapore, I like Pohang Seafood SG the most. The seafood is fresh, the portion is generous and we can experience this wonderful food without leaving our shore. Awesome and we look forward to our return visit with our “makan kakis”. Geonbae!! Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 8.5/10
Value: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and Above

Pohang Seafood
182 Jalan Jurong Kechil
#01-52, The Hillford
Singapore 596152

T: +65 6365 0309
OH:
Tue - Sat: 12.00 – 14.30; 17.30 – 22.20
Sun: 12.00 – 14.30; 17.30 – 21.30
Closed on Monday.

Saturday 23 October 2021

Tapas Club – Spanish Dining Experience

Arroz Negro - Squid Ink Paella
It has been a while since LD & I had a taste of Spanish food. Therefore, prior to the group dining restriction enforce in September 2021, we decided to have a lunch gathering with our foodie friends at Tapas Club at Jewel. The restaurant presents a very focused food menu with less than 50 items from cold cuts to desserts.

Tapas Club - Dining Area Right
Tapas Club - Dining Area Left
We started with Jamon Iberico ($32). One of the most popular cold cuts from Spain, Iberico Ham served with Bread and Tomato. The bread is light and crispy, providing a good vessel for the sweet and tangy tomato sauce. The Jamon Iberico is sliced nicely allowing us to savour the delicious saltish and meaty texture of the ham. Yumz!

Jamon Iberico

Bread and Tomato

Bread and Tomato
Ensalada De Burrata ($18). This burrata salad can easily be mistaken for the Italian version. I notice the version here is creamy, yet lighter compare to the Italian burrata. The cheese is simply drizzled with olive oil and served on the bed of salads and tomatoes. Simplicity at its best.

Ensalada De Burrata 
Arroz Negro ($30 - Squid Ink Paella). Cooked and served on a shallow pan. I find the paella version at Tapas Bar is a blend of risotto with our claypot rice. It uses short-grain rice similar to risotto, which absorbs a substantial amount of stock and squid ink. For the top part, the rice is al-dente, plump and packed with flavour. The little drops of sour cream cuts through the richness of the squid ink and kind of reset your palate to enjoy more of the paella. Meanwhile, for those who like crispy rice, you should scoop the bottom part and enjoy the scorched rice. The mussels are tasty, though I find it a bit overcooked.

Arroz Negro - Squid Ink Paella
Calamares A La Romana ($16 – Battered Squid Rings). It has a crispy exterior followed by light and bouncy squid. The lemon and mayonnaise accompanied the squid rings nicely. It will be a better dish if the batter is evenly spread and it has a more consistent crispy texture.

Calamares A La Romana – Battered Squid Rings
Cojonudos ($16 – Chorizo & Quail Egg). These mini bites represent the essence of tapas. It served up different texture and flavours in one bite. The chorizo is chewy, smokey and spicy, followed with creamy and delicious quail egg on top of crispy toast. It like a party in your mouth.

Cojonudos - Chorizo & Quail Egg

Cojonudos - Chorizo & Quail Egg
We end our meal with Churros Con Chocolate ($9 -Churros with Chocolate sauce). It looks promising; however, I find the churros a bit doughy. The chocolate sauce is thick and solid.

Churros Con Chocolate - Churros with Chocolate sauce
Of course, Spanish dining is not complete without Sangria, Spanish sweet wine served cold.

Sangria

The décor of the restaurant is a blend of modern and traditional with a Spanish flair. You can’t miss the signature clay flowerpot, the flamenco logo and the robust passionate red colour representing Spain. The service is friendly and efficient.

Tapas Club - The Bar
Overall, it was a good Spanish dining experience at the Tapas Bar. The food, drink and dining companion making it a great dining experience. We’ll definitely return to try the rest of the menu. Salud!! Cheers!!

Tapas Club Menu
Image Credit: Tapas Club
If you are here for lunch, check out their lunch set offering. (See menu)

Tapas Club - Lunch Set Menu
Image Credit: Tapas Club
Food & Drink: 7.5/10
Value: 7.5/10
Service: 7/10
Ambiance: 7.75 /10
Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Tapas Club
78 Airport Blvd.
#03-220/221/222
Jewel Changi Airport
Singapore 819666

T: +65 6602 8081
IG: @Tapasclubsg
OH:
Mon – Fri: 12.00 – 15.00; 17.00 – 23.00
Sat & Sun: 12.00 – 23.00

Wednesday 13 October 2021

The Gyu Co – Seriously Awesome Gyudon [MEDIA INVITE]

Classic Gyudon plus Meal Set
The Gyu Co present to you their humble Gyudonya. Located at Vision Exchange, Jurong East, The Gyu Co focused on everything about Gyu (beef). Currently, The Gyu Co focused on churning out Gyudonya before adding new creations for their dinner service menu at a later stage.

The Gyu Co
Classic Gyudon ($9.90 for reg, $15.90 for double meat). I was scratching my head at first when I saw the price. I was not sure what to expect as most premium Gyudonya is usually priced from $16 and above.

Classic Gyudon plus Meal Set
The plating is neat, showcasing all the toppings blanketing the rice completely. You can see the sliced beef, onsen egg, the homemade sauce with its root vegetables, pickled ginger and spring onion.

Australian Wagyu Beef
The beef has a good marbling, it is juicy and succulent. The onsen egg is cooked to perfection, the yolk gently flows into the toppings when you poke it. Meanwhile, the homemade sauce is thick, sweet yet mellow perfectly bind all the ingredients together. You can also see the sliced burdock root spread all over the topping. It is comforting, very delicious gyudon and worth every cent.

Burdock Root
Truffle Foie Gras Gyudon ($17.90 for reg, $23.90 for double meat). While the basic ingredients are the same as the classic gyudon, the shaved truffle and pan-fried foie gras are added to this bowl. If you serve this bowl in a high-end Japanese restaurant, you are looking at a substantial dent in your pocket.

Truffle Foie Gras Gyudon
There is one thick cut of foie gras served on top, plus a few smaller pieces hidden below the toppings. LD and I notice that the truffle aroma is very delicate, unlike those stinkers from artificial truffle oils. The use of shave truffle enhances the overall flavour of the gyudon. After you mixed all the ingredients evenly, you can taste the foie gras in each scoop of the rice. Yummy!!

Truffle Foie Gras Gyudon
The hidden Foie Gras
You can complete each gyudon / don with Make it a set! Miso + Chawanmushi + Drink ($3.50). The chawanmushi is filled with extra ingredients, such as Japanese fish cake, bits of prawns and sliced mushrooms. The flavour of the chawanmushi is on the lighter side and the same can be expected with their miso soup. According to Wilson, the owner, this is to cater “health-conscious” lunch crowd from in the building.

Make it a Set! Drink
He also highlighted that most of the ingredients like the sauces and even slicing of the beef are made in house and from scratch. Therefore, their gyudon has its own unique flavour and tasted delicious.

Chicken Karaage
Chicken Karaage ($5). It is crisp externally, followed by juicy and succulent flesh. It is served with generous dollops of mayonnaise, furikake plus healthy cabbage and lettuce at the bottom. Missing from this side dish is a slice of lemon, which might further enhance the taste.

Chicken Karaage
The Chicken
The décor is simple. Due to the size of the shop, most of the seats will be located outside the shop. Service is limited but friendly. You grab a seat, place your order at the cashier, play with your handphone and wait till your food comes.

CBK Verdict: A very nice Gyudon and value for money. Definitely worth a visit. If I work nearby or stay in the West, I will have the gyudon regularly. Cheers!!

Menu 1
Menu 2
Thank you very much Protegie Consultancy and The Gyu Co team for hosting us.

Food & Drinks: 8/10
Value: 8.5/10
Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)
Ambiance: 6/10
Budget per Person: $11 - $25

The Gyu Co
2 Venture Dr
#02-35 Vision Exchange
Singapore 608526

T: +65 8233 9138
IG: @Thegyuco
OH:
Mon – Sat: 11.30 – 14.00; 17.00 - 21.00
*Limited to 100 portions per meal service

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