If you search for Korean food in Singapore, you’ll most likely get websites recommending you Korean BBQ or Korean fried chicken. While popular choices such as grilled marinated meats and army stews are delicious, there are well-known dishes, such as Gukbap, to be explored as well!
One of our favourite dishes in Korea is Gukbap, which literally translates to soup and rice. The most common versions of the dish are Dwaeji Gukbap (a must eat when in Busan!) and Sundae Gukbap. The former being served with slices of pork, while the latter is served with sundae (blood sausage).
So, when we came across Kim’s Family Korean Food and saw that they serve Gukbap, we knew we had to try it.
Kim’s Family Korean Food (Lorong Kilat)
Stepping in on a weekday afternoon, the place is relatively packed with customers getting their fix of Korean food.
The first thing you’ll probably notice are the walls filled with scribbles from previous customers, as well as the usual soju promotional posters that add to the Korean restaurant vibe.
An Array Of Banchan
Once we placed our orders, the banchan was served almost immediately. The total number of side dishes? 12. You can probably make your own Bibimbap with this amount of banchan.
They included some commonly seen ones such as kimchi and anchovies. We didn’t really like the fish cake side dish as the texture of the fish cake was on the mushy side.
They also gave everyone a Korean yoghurt drink (aka Korean version of Yakult) before the meal. Would have preferred this to be given after our meal though.
Sundae Gukbap
Before the actual dish was served, we were handed over an array of condiments – Seasoned Red Pepper Sauce (다대기), Salted Shrimp (새우젓) and Perilla Seed Powder (들깨가루).
These three condiments are usually served alongside Gukbap dishes in Korea, so you can season the soup to your liking. Nice to know that can get an authentic Gukbap experience in Singapore as well.
The Sundae Gukbap ($17) was served piping hot (still boiling!) in a Ttukbaegi bowl, with a generous serving of chives. Inside the bowl were pieces of Sundae, some slices of pork belly, stomach and intestines.
Before adding any condiments, the soup had a clean and refreshing taste to it, like a white canvas before you paint anything on it. We like our Gukbap with a little salted shrimp and red pepper sauce, but feel free to experiment your own concoction.
The Sundae itself was nice and chewy, but we did find the intestines in the soup slightly on the gamey side.
It’s a very comforting dish to have on cold rainy days, and definitely a great hangover cure.
Kkori Gomtang
Another dish we tried was the Kkori Gomtang ($17), also known as Oxtail Soup.
It was also served piping hot in a Ttukbaegi bowl with the soup in a shade of cloudy white. Taste-wise, the soup was flavourful and rich, with a creamy and milky aftertaste.
The oxtail was full of meat (and collagen) and had a nice chewy texture.
Unlike the Sundae Gukbap, we would say the Kkori Gomtang was deeper in terms of flavour, while the Sundae Gukbap was lighter and more refreshing.
Authentic Gukbap In Singapore
If you’re missing Busan and craving for Gukbap, Kim’s Family Korean Food is one of the places in Singapore to satisfy your craving. If you’re looking for a more central location, there’s a second outlet in Telok Ayer.
Experience Korea in Singapore
- Authentic Korean Rice Cake Shop With Mugwort Injeolmi In Everton Park
- On Dol: Korean BBQ Restaurant Offering Ssambap Lunch Set At $18
- Myung Ga II: Authentic Giant-Sized Korean Style Tonkatsu
- Kreams Maxwell: Korean Cafe Decorated In Autumn Foliage
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