We were sceptical when we saw the beef brisket stir fry in Seoul exploding all over social media. Sure, it looked good, but how good could it be? We got to try it (or a variation of it) at Gangnam Ok, a newly opened Korean restaurant in Telok Ayer specialising in K-BBQ.
Modern Korean Interior
The restaurant had a classy and inviting space. It had a polished modern hanok design, contrasted with a small greenery section at the front.
There’s even a skylight at the top, which elevates the space! Private VIP rooms are also available at the second floor.
Gangnam Ok Menu
The menu focuses on stir-fry sets and K-BBQ.
The basic Gangnam Ok sets start from $129. This includes the Platter of Nine Delicacies, the full griddle experience with beef brisket.
It also includes Doejang Bab, a spicy seafood beanpaste stew with rice cooked in the pot after you’re done with the beef. The medium size feeds 2 people while the large can feed 4.
Other set menus include Wagyu A5 (from $139) with steamed egg and grilled vegetables and Pork Sets (from $82) with Japanese black pork belly kimchi.
There are also sides like Kimchi Pancake ($17), Spicy Cold Noodles ($17) and even Fried Chicken ($20)!
Gangnam Ok Set
We tried a premium Gangnam Ok Set ($239) which included the beef brisket Stir Fry, Doejang Stew Rice and A5 Wagyu BBQ.
Beef Brisket Stir Fry
The stir fry starts with thinly-sliced beef brisket, which is theatrically torched till cooked.
The meat quality is premium and we could smell the rich beefiness the moment the flames touched it.
Afterwards, vegetables and prawns were sequentially cooked and arranged in a tantalising circle along the pot edge.
This is where it differs from the version in Seoul. The vegetables featured included gosari (a fern), Chinese parsley or minari and even pineapple.
It’s not done yet though. The last step is egg poured into the center and torched to a nice brown.
The recommended eating method is to stack a little bit of everything and consume it in one bite.
It’s best described as satisfying. The fatty beef, egg and combination of oil-coated vegetables made every bite hearty. It’s also not overly seasoned.
The flavours come mostly from the beef and fresh vegetables, which was impressive! We’d say it met our expectations.
Deonjang Stew Rice
The deonjang stew rice also took us by surprise. It had a strong seafood flavour and a spicy kick, making it a comforting end to the fatty meats.
There are clams, tofu and zucchini to bulk up the stew but the rice was enough to leave you stuffed.
A5 Wagyu
The quality of their beef continued to impress with the A5 Wagyu ($65 a la carte).
This was extremely rich and beefy, almost buttery! It did feel overbearing, especially after a whole serving of the beef stir fry.
For the price of the set, this did feel like a steal. It was about $20 cheaper than a la carte for the quality.
We also tried a Beef Sushi, which was torched tableside. The strong peppery notes reminded us of lor mai gai (steamed glutinous rice with chicken), so we were a bit confused by this as well.
Sides
We tried the Flying Fish Roe Rice Ball ($12) and Kimchi Cold Noodles ($18). Both were tasty!
The riceballs were savoury and almost addictive, thanks to the sesame oil and seaweed.
The Kimchi Noodles are also a must-order. It had a refreshing and umami broth that kept the meal light. We kept going back for mouthfuls of the soup between bites of meat!
Cheese Potato Pancake
The Cheese Potato Pancake ($21) confused us. It had a nice crunchy exterior, but tasted like it was having an identity crisis.
There was a thin drizzle of condensed milk, which we think meant to create a sweet-salty combo. But it tasted neither savoury nor sweet and ended up falling flat flavour-wise. We think more cheese or a saltier cheese might be better.
Korean Restaurant In Telok Ayer
We’re going to be candid and say the price point at Gangnam Ok is high. It’s best shared amongst a group of 3 or more. However, their beef quality is premium and makes for a satisfying meal with friends!
Check out more Korean barbecue restaurants in Singapore:
- Singkoba: Charcoal K-BBQ In Telok Ayer With King Galbi, Samgyeopsal & Kimchi And More
- Jeonpo Meat Shop: This KBBQ Restaurant in Telok Ayer Transports You To Korea With Its Food & Interior
- SOT Korean Restaurant (솥): Dakdoritang & K-BBQ On Giant Metal Griddles In Telok Ayer
Gangnam Ok
75 Amoy St, Postal 069894
Mon-Sat: 11.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-12am (Last food order 10.50pm)
Sun: 5.30pm-12.30am
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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