Korean cuisine has undoubtedly found its way into everyone’s heart, with K-dramas and Korean idol groups continuing to fuel the Hallyu wave. But beyond the usual food items like tteokbokki, Korean fried chicken and charcoal KBBQ you see on the small/big screen, there are restaurants in Singapore, such as Meta Restaurant, that offer an elevated Korean dining experience.
Modern Korean Restaurant in Singapore
Meta first opened back in 2016, and soon found its way to its first Michelin Star in 2017. In 2021, Meta was named as the “American Express One To Watch” as part of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants and achieved a ranking of 60th Best Restaurant in Asia.
Jumping up 40 spots in 2022, Meta is No. 20 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, and is the 2nd highest ranked SG-based restaurant in 2022.
The restaurant is located along Keong Saik Road, right beside Heart of Darkness and Coexist Coffee Co.
Greeting us at the door was one of the staff members who ushered us to our table. We opted for a lunch session, which is available only on Fridays and Saturdays. Due to this, we managed to experience Meta in beautiful natural day light.
Food at Meta Restaurant
The lunch menu is a course meal decided by the restaurant, with guests being able to opt for supplementary items such as their Signature Oyster and a dish known as Oriental Chicken.
While one can opt for a Full/Half Wine Pairing, we decided to go for the Asian pairing instead, which featured drinks like sake and soju. We won’t reveal much but do keep a lookout for a type of soju called Kimpoyeaju, one of our favourites from the pairing.
The meal started with Tuna Sandwich and Gimbap, which sounded perfectly normal, but looked nothing like how one would expect. The Gimbap was made with venison and comte cheese, while the Tuna Sandwich was made using fatty tuna (otoro), egg yolk and ikura. We especially loved the tuna sandwich which had crispy textures and a lingering perilla fragrance.
This was followed by a Taco, which had bossam and tteokgalbi with ssamjang, pickled radish and micro herbs. The herbs added a floral and earthy touch which complimented well with the sweetness of the meat.
Next was the supplementary Signature Oyster ($10) we ordered. Served on a bed of seaweed, the fresh, plump oyster was topped with gochujang, lemon ginger dressing as well as some chive oil. This was so good. It’s zesty, refreshing, sweet with a pinch of spice. While we’re not exactly fans of oysters, this left us wanting more!
Following that high was Domi, red seabream together with capsicum, mustard, and coriander. Imagine chewy textures of fish with appetizing flavours – almost like a modern version of sashimi.
The name Gyeran Jjim should ring a bell with most, which is traditionally a steamed egg dish that’s often served at KBBQs. However, Chef Sun Kim’s version of Gyeran Jjim is made with a cabbage custard, with onion infused with some truffle. It gets better, the dish is also topped with fresh uni. What can be described as a lovely medley of land meets sea, the sweet and umami flavours are strong with this one, along with a pinch of ginger aftertaste.
One of our favourite dishes was the Hokkigai, featuring surf clams cooked over binchotan, served together with comforting seaweed porridge, garlic chips and topped with gamtae. The surf clams were executed nicely, chewy, bouncy, and not rubbery at all.
Taking the form of what looks like a chicken wing dumpling was the Oriental Chicken ($22), a supplementary item. Stuffed with glutinous rice, chestnuts and abalone, the chicken wing was smoked with jasmine tea before being served. This was so tender, that there was almost no resistance when we went in for the first bite. Almost izakaya-ish, this dish left quite an impression.
The Kinmedai featured a golden eye snapper with crispy skin finished over binchotan, along with braised daikon, firefly squid and doenjang (fermented bean paste) sauce. The fish itself had beautiful contrasting textures, with firm, tender meat and crispy skin that carried a nice smokiness.
Sharing his version of Korean BBQ, Chef Sun Kim’s take on KBBQ featured a well-grilled A4 kagoshima wagyu, with gobo rice and in-house made white kimchi. Not much to be said with such tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, along with crisp, refreshing kimchi that helped prepare our mouths for each new bite.
Before we ended the meal, Mango, a pre-dessert was served. Featuring fresh mangoes macerated with passionfruit, a scoop of sorbet in the middle, coconut cream, mint oil and some crumble. Oh my, each bite was a harmonious combination of tropical flavours.
The final course for the meal was Memil, which brought together Korean elements like doenjang and injeolmi for a nutty and sweet finish. Finally, sit back and relax while enjoying on the Petit Fours, with some coffee/tea.
A Different Kind of Korean Dining
If you enjoy Korean cuisine, Meta Restaurant is a great way to experience an elevated form of Korean dining, which may be great for those looking for a place to celebrate special occasions.
Meta Restaurant
1 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089109
Tues-Thurs, 6-11pm, Fri-Sat, 12-3pm, 6:30-11pm (Closed on Sun & Mon)
To make a reservation: visit their website
Some Articles You May Like:
- Naeum: Modern Korean Dining in Singapore
- ANJU: A Modern Korean Bar in Tanjong Pagar
- Born & Bred: Best Hanwoo Experience in Korea
- Mingles: 2-Michelin Star Restaurant serving Modern Korean Cuisine
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg.
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