What comes to mind when you think of Korean food? Probably Korean BBQ, Korean fried chicken, street food items like tteokbokki, or even bunsik items like kimbap. However, have you heard of modern/contemporary Korean cuisine? Usually, these places serve items with modern renditions of Korean food or have menu items that are infused with Korean elements. Here are our Top 3 spots for Modern Korean Dining in Singapore!
Naeum
Opened by Chef Louis Han, Naeum, which means ‘a fragrance that evokes memories’ serves an episodic menu showcasing different stories and ingredients. For example, Episode 1 was based on Chef Louis’ favourite ingredients while Episode 2, which we tried, was a Mountain Lodge-themed menu.
Currently, the restaurant is at Episode 3, which features lots of seafood to fit the Seaside Dreams theme, which will be served till the end of Summer 2022.
Naeum’s execution of each dish deserves praise, with some of the items leaving a lasting impression till today. For example, the Somyeon had a burst of umami, with savoury and nutty notes from the perilla oil & sesame complementing the fresh scallops.
The course meal makes a great celebratory meal for birthdays or anniversaries, but we heard the waiting list for a slot at the restaurant still stands at 3 months. Do plan ahead!
Read our review of Naeum here.
ANJU
ANJU is a modern Korean bar/restaurant in Tanjong Pagar, serving a range of exquisite drinks and food items. Forget about your usual green bottles here, and dig into the likes of organic Chungju, to naturally carbonated Champagne Makgeolli.
The food items also go extremely well with alcohol, with snacks like Black Bean Mascarpone and cold plates like Yuk Hoe, a beef tartare dish with crispy seaweed, Korean pear and gochujang.
For mains, ANJU serves their rendition of Bossam and Galbi Jjim, which provides an explosion of flavours when it melts in your mouth.
Read our review of ANJU here.
Meta
Meta Restaurant was established in 2016 by Chef Sun Kim before Facebook changed its company name to Meta. The restaurant has several well-known accolades, such as 1 Michelin Star, and most recently, ranking No. 20 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022.
This made Meta Restaurant the 2nd highest-ranking restaurant from Singapore on that list, coming after Odette.
Meta has both lunch and dinner service, and it’s a course meal decided by the restaurant, with some supplementary items available.
Make sure to get their signature oyster which features a fresh, plump oyster with gochujang, lemon ginger dressing, and chive oil. You’ll enter the course meal with a zesty, refreshing start!
You can read the full review of Meta here.
Modern Korean Restaurants in Singapore
These 3 Modern Korean Dining spots in Singapore offer up a different kind of Korean dining experience that’s not just limited to KBBQ and Fried Chicken. While they might be on the pricier end, we think they make amazing spots for special occasions and that once-in-a-while splurge.
*All restaurants featured in this article are independent reviews by MiddleClass.sg
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