Samgyetang, a.k.a Korean ginseng chicken soup, is among the most iconic Korean dishes! You can enjoy it at MODU, a restaurant in Mandarin Gallery specialising in this humble but hearty Korean soup.
Stylish But Intimate
MODU is founded by the same team behind D’RIM Steakhouse, so you can look forward to the same sleek and comfortable interior.
The space can only sit about 40 pax with 3 VIP rooms. It’s hanok-inspired with full wooden finishes, raw white edges and even wooden benches.
There are Korean motifs in every corner from the decor to the menu, which we found a nice touch!
MODU Menu
MODU offers 6 variations of samgyetang, some of which we haven’t seen before! Samgyetang is a health food, so the soups are jam-packed with herbs with a whole range of benefits. The classic Collagen Herbal Samgyetang ($35) features the classic milky white soup with a whole chicken stuffed with glutinous rice. All their herbs are sourced from Korea!
If you prefer spicy, they even have a Spicy Hangover Samgyetang ($37).
The Perilla Seed Samgyetang ($38) and Black Sesame Samgyetang ($38) caught our attention for their unique flavours.
Both grains are power foods, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and anti-ageing effects respectively.
For an extra boost of wellness, opt for the Black Chicken Samgyetang ($37) or Beauty Samgyetang ($37), with an extra boost like goji berries and various anti-ageing herbs.
They also have an array of unique sides like Minari Watersnail Salad ($18) featuring Korean water celery and Tofu Samhap ($18); plus desserts like Got Gam Mari (Dried Persimmon and Cheese Roll) ($12) and Gaeseong Juak ($12), a traditional Korean sweet rice cake.
We tried the 2-gether Set ($98++) that feeds two! It includes an appetizer, two samgyetang of your choice, a sharing side and a tea.
2-Gether Set
The set includes an appetizer of Hwang Tae Chae ($20 a la carte), grilled dried pollack strips!
These were crispy but not fishy. Super addictive with the side of mayo-soy sauce dip and perfect for alcohol!
For the sharing side, we tried the Tofu Sam Hap ($18 a la carte). It’s tofu strips served with gamtae, a special type of seaweed.
You enjoy it together with dashi-stewed cabbage, spicy fish roe and a citrus-infused dipping sauce. This had an enjoyable combination of textures but was not memorable flavour-wise.
For our samgyetang, we chose the Collagen Herbal Samgyetang and Hangover Samgyetang.
To be honest, the Collagen Herbal fell flat for us.
It had the familiar ginseng taste but tasted diluted, probably needing a significant amount of salt.
However, we liked the Hangover version! It can get quite spicy but it was flavourful with a nice richness.
The chicken was tender without any gameiness, plus a sweetness in the meat. It was a good size too, just nice for one person to finish.
This is not an authentic Korean flavour but if you enjoy spicy food you’ll like this!
Other Samgyetang Flavours
We also tried the 3 other soup flavours: Black Sesame, Perilla Seed and Beauty Samgyetang.
The one that stood out the most was the Black Sesame Samgyetang.
It had a rich and nutty flavour that wasn’t overbearing, complimenting the sweetness of the broth!
We usually associate black sesame with dessert, but it’s a different flavour profile.
Perilla seed is usually an acquired taste but the unique fragrance stands out in the samgyetang.
It made the broth thicker too which created a creamy, satisfying texture.
The Beauty Samgyetang reminded us of a warm Chinese soup, tasting more outwardly herbal than the others.
This soup version has 3 additional herbs that are beneficial for women!
We got to try the Ogol-gye Black chicken too. It had the same tender texture with a special silkiness and sweetness.
Black Sesame Ice Cream
For dessert, we got to try the Black Sesame Ice Cream ($8 a la carte).
It was served with a black sesame crumble and savoury white powder-like topping.
This was indulgent with a strong black sesame flavour, though it leaned on the milky side. The black sesame crumble added a pleasant crunch!
Samgyetang In Singapore
We left MODU satisfied from their samgyetang offerings alongside the cosy ambience. Admittedly, the price point is high and so we’d recommend this to curb your cravings.
Check out more Korean eateries in Orchard!
- D’RIM Korean Steak House: Korean Charcoal BBQ With Freshmade Buckwheat Noodles in Orchard
- Doran Chicken: Korean Fried Chicken Restaurant in Orchardgateway With 7-Day Aged Sauces
- Seoul Restaurant: Charcoal Grilled K-BBQ Buffet In Orchard With Galbi & More
MODU
#02-37 Mandarin Gallery
333A Orchard Rd, Singapore 238897
Open daily: 11.30am to 10pm
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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