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http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/05/seorae-singapore.htmlSeorae Galmaegi is a leading brand of Korean Charcoal BBQ for skirt meat (known in Korean as Galmaegisai). A fully-grown pig or cow produces only 250 grams of such meat, where the meat has the perfect combination of tenderness, juiciness and minimum fat. In the ancient times, this meat was serves only for the palate of monarchs and royal families.

Seorae Galmaegi open its first shop in Korea in 2007, expanded in Korea and Asia with more than 260 outlets. Seorae open its first outlet Singapore in December 2015. As it is only LD and I for this dinner, we decided to try their Pork Set ($79). It has three type of pork, Galmaegisal (US Pork Skirt); Hangari Samgyeobsal (Seorae Marinated Pork Belly); and Hangjeongsal (US Pork Jowl). Once you completed your order, the service staff will prepare the charcoal for BBQ. The cast iron base plate for the bbq has different compartments where you can cook you egg and melt your cheese as well. First to the grill as the Galmaegisal. Cooked on round bbq mesh, where the meat has more exposure to the charcoal. We grilled it until it has a nice charred on the outside. The meat was slightly crisp on the outside while it retain it tender and succulent. It was delicious but does now really give me WOW. Followed with Hangjeongsal and Hangari Samgyeobsal. This time the bbq was changed to a more covered grill, with less exposure to the charcoal. My first encounter with Hangjeongsal (US Pork Jowl), was not a pleasant one. It was not cut properly, resulting in 80% fats, left with 20% meat. At Seorae, they trim off most of the fats, while the rest of the fats just melt during the bbq. Resulting in a super moist and succulent meat. Meanwhile the Hangari Samgyeobsal (Seorae Marinated Pork Belly with special soy-sauce) was just sublime. Each slice of the pork belly is about 5mm in thickness. As it was marinated already, you can actually eat this without any sauce or salt. Came with the pork set, Japchae (Glass Noodle stirfried with US Pork) and Sundubu Jjigae (All time favourite spicy tofu, clams and mince pork stew). We both think that the glass noodle and stew is very ordinary. The same thing can be said about the side dish, not much of variety and the portion looks small. Luckily, you can always ask for refill if needed. The pork set suppose to come with Strawberry Makkoli (Rice wine with Strawberry Fruits ), however, as we don't really take alcohol, they allow us to replace it with two servings of fruit tea.

One item that catches our eyes when we go through the menu is Seorae Samgyeobsal ($24.90) - High quality pork belly in special Seorae cutting. The thick pork belly was cut to about the size of your pinky finger. One of the manager help us to grill it. It was just amazing. Ok, I have to say, Porkgasm. It was so juicy and succulent and it basically melts in your mouth. Surprisingly, the thin part of the skin does not even feel chewy.We wanted to order the Woosamgyeob (Thinly sliced beef belly) however they run out of it and we have to settle for So Galbi ($42.90) - Succulent US Prime beef short-ribs cut across the bones. Marinated overnight and grilled well done with sweet / juicy texture. The beef ribs is well marinated, though the meat looks like it has a very good marbling, it was slightly chewy. Definitely not as good as the pork here. Dessert was none other than the Bibim Patbingsoo ($12.90) Fruits + Jelly + Pat (Red bean) + Strawberry sauce + Vanilla Ice Cream. This Korean version of ice kacang, basically has everything in it. Love the presentation where the jelly looks like fried egg. It was a good ending to the meal. The place is bright and spacious. Service here is very good. When we ordered the Seorae Samgyeobsal, the manager grilled it for us and he explain to use on the method of grilling it. In case you were wondering, there was no Korean service staff here. Please note, Seorae only take limited reservations, so if the reservations are all taken up, it is at a first come first serve basis. It seems to be the trend in most of the new restaurants in Plaza Singapura. Overall, definitely a place to go for your Porkgasm experience. Most cut of the pork are just sublime and enjoyable. Price is very reasonable compare to some of the older Korean restaurant in Singapore. We will definitely go back for more in the future. Cheers!!

For the full review, click / copy the link below:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/05/seorae-singapore.htmlSeorae Galmaegi is a leading brand of Korean Charcoal BBQ for skirt meat (known in Korean as Galmaegisai). A fully-grown pig or cow produces only 250 grams of such meat, where the meat has the perfect combination of tenderness, juiciness and minimum fat. In the ancient times, this meat was serves only for the palate of monarchs and royal families.

Seorae Galmaegi open its first shop in Korea in 2007, expanded in Korea and Asia with more than 260 outlets. Seorae open its first outlet Singapore in December 2015. As it is only LD and I for this dinner, we decided to try their Pork Set ($79). It has three type of pork, Galmaegisal (US Pork Skirt); Hangari Samgyeobsal (Seorae Marinated Pork Belly); and Hangjeongsal (US Pork Jowl). Once you completed your order, the service staff will prepare the charcoal for BBQ. The cast iron base plate for the bbq has different compartments where you can cook you egg and melt your cheese as well. First to the grill as the Galmaegisal. Cooked on round bbq mesh, where the meat has more exposure to the charcoal. We grilled it until it has a nice charred on the outside. The meat was slightly crisp on the outside while it retain it tender and succulent. It was delicious but does now really give me WOW. Followed with Hangjeongsal and Hangari Samgyeobsal. This time the bbq was changed to a more covered grill, with less exposure to the charcoal. My first encounter with Hangjeongsal (US Pork Jowl), was not a pleasant one. It was not cut properly, resulting in 80% fats, left with 20% meat. At Seorae, they trim off most of the fats, while the rest of the fats just melt during the bbq. Resulting in a super moist and succulent meat. Meanwhile the Hangari Samgyeobsal (Seorae Marinated Pork Belly with special soy-sauce) was just sublime. Each slice of the pork belly is about 5mm in thickness. As it was marinated already, you can actually eat this without any sauce or salt. Came with the pork set, Japchae (Glass Noodle stirfried with US Pork) and Sundubu Jjigae (All time favourite spicy tofu, clams and mince pork stew). We both think that the glass noodle and stew is very ordinary. The same thing can be said about the side dish, not much of variety and the portion looks small. Luckily, you can always ask for refill if needed. The pork set suppose to come with Strawberry Makkoli (Rice wine with Strawberry Fruits ), however, as we don't really take alcohol, they allow us to replace it with two servings of fruit tea.

One item that catches our eyes when we go through the menu is Seorae Samgyeobsal ($24.90) - High quality pork belly in special Seorae cutting. The thick pork belly was cut to about the size of your pinky finger. One of the manager help us to grill it. It was just amazing. Ok, I have to say, Porkgasm. It was so juicy and succulent and it basically melts in your mouth. Surprisingly, the thin part of the skin does not even feel chewy.We wanted to order the Woosamgyeob (Thinly sliced beef belly) however they run out of it and we have to settle for So Galbi ($42.90) - Succulent US Prime beef short-ribs cut across the bones. Marinated overnight and grilled well done with sweet / juicy texture. The beef ribs is well marinated, though the meat looks like it has a very good marbling, it was slightly chewy. Definitely not as good as the pork here. Dessert was none other than the Bibim Patbingsoo ($12.90) Fruits + Jelly + Pat (Red bean) + Strawberry sauce + Vanilla Ice Cream. This Korean version of ice kacang, basically has everything in it. Love the presentation where the jelly looks like fried egg. It was a good ending to the meal. The place is bright and spacious. Service here is very good. When we ordered the Seorae Samgyeobsal, the manager grilled it for us and he explain to use on the method of grilling it. In case you were wondering, there was no Korean service staff here. Please note, Seorae only take limited reservations, so if the reservations are all taken up, it is at a first come first serve basis. It seems to be the trend in most of the new restaurants in Plaza Singapura. Overall, definitely a place to go for your Porkgasm experience. Most cut of the pork are just sublime and enjoyable. Price is very reasonable compare to some of the older Korean restaurant in Singapore. We will definitely go back for more in the future. Cheers!!

For the full review, click / copy the link below:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/05/seorae-singapore.htmlSeorae Galmaegi is a leading brand of Korean Charcoal BBQ for skirt meat (known in Korean as Galmaegisai). A fully-grown pig or cow produces only 250 grams of such meat, where the meat has the perfect combination of tenderness, juiciness and minimum fat. In the ancient times, this meat was serves only for the palate of monarchs and royal families.

Seorae Galmaegi open its first shop in Korea in 2007, expanded in Korea and Asia with more than 260 outlets. Seorae open its first outlet Singapore in December 2015. As it is only LD and I for this dinner, we decided to try their Pork Set ($79). It has three type of pork, Galmaegisal (US Pork Skirt); Hangari Samgyeobsal (Seorae Marinated Pork Belly); and Hangjeongsal (US Pork Jowl). Once you completed your order, the service staff will prepare the charcoal for BBQ. The cast iron base plate for the bbq has different compartments where you can cook you egg and melt your cheese as well. First to the grill as the Galmaegisal. Cooked on round bbq mesh, where the meat has more exposure to the charcoal. We grilled it until it has a nice charred on the outside. The meat was slightly crisp on the outside while it retain it tender and succulent. It was delicious but does now really give me WOW. Followed with Hangjeongsal and Hangari Samgyeobsal. This time the bbq was changed to a more covered grill, with less exposure to the charcoal. My first encounter with Hangjeongsal (US Pork Jowl), was not a pleasant one. It was not cut properly, resulting in 80% fats, left with 20% meat. At Seorae, they trim off most of the fats, while the rest of the fats just melt during the bbq. Resulting in a super moist and succulent meat. Meanwhile the Hangari Samgyeobsal (Seorae Marinated Pork Belly with special soy-sauce) was just sublime. Each slice of the pork belly is about 5mm in thickness. As it was marinated already, you can actually eat this without any sauce or salt. Came with the pork set, Japchae (Glass Noodle stirfried with US Pork) and Sundubu Jjigae (All time favourite spicy tofu, clams and mince pork stew). We both think that the glass noodle and stew is very ordinary. The same thing can be said about the side dish, not much of variety and the portion looks small. Luckily, you can always ask for refill if needed. The pork set suppose to come with Strawberry Makkoli (Rice wine with Strawberry Fruits ), however, as we don't really take alcohol, they allow us to replace it with two servings of fruit tea.

One item that catches our eyes when we go through the menu is Seorae Samgyeobsal ($24.90) - High quality pork belly in special Seorae cutting. The thick pork belly was cut to about the size of your pinky finger. One of the manager help us to grill it. It was just amazing. Ok, I have to say, Porkgasm. It was so juicy and succulent and it basically melts in your mouth. Surprisingly, the thin part of the skin does not even feel chewy.We wanted to order the Woosamgyeob (Thinly sliced beef belly) however they run out of it and we have to settle for So Galbi ($42.90) - Succulent US Prime beef short-ribs cut across the bones. Marinated overnight and grilled well done with sweet / juicy texture. The beef ribs is well marinated, though the meat looks like it has a very good marbling, it was slightly chewy. Definitely not as good as the pork here. Dessert was none other than the Bibim Patbingsoo ($12.90) Fruits + Jelly + Pat (Red bean) + Strawberry sauce + Vanilla Ice Cream. This Korean version of ice kacang, basically has everything in it. Love the presentation where the jelly looks like fried egg. It was a good ending to the meal. The place is bright and spacious. Service here is very good. When we ordered the Seorae Samgyeobsal, the manager grilled it for us and he explain to use on the method of grilling it. In case you were wondering, there was no Korean service staff here. Please note, Seorae only take limited reservations, so if the reservations are all taken up, it is at a first come first serve basis. It seems to be the trend in most of the new restaurants in Plaza Singapura. Overall, definitely a place to go for your Porkgasm experience. Most cut of the pork are just sublime and enjoyable. Price is very reasonable compare to some of the older Korean restaurant in Singapore. We will definitely go back for more in the future. Cheers!!

For the complete review, click / copy the URL below:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/05/tenkaichi-japanese-bbq-restaurant.htmlTenkaichi is a Japanese BBQ Buffet restaurant specialising in Wagyu Beef. At the end of 2015, Tenkaichi has moved to a new location in Marina Square Shopping Mall from the dingy outdated location in Keypoint before.

Considering our spoilt appetite for a premium cut of meat, we decided to go for Premium Wagyu Beef Buffet Dinner at $69.80++ instead of the deluxe buffet dinner at $44.80++. Basically LD has cravings for meat tonight and she is laser targeting the premium wagyu beef. Our appetizer was Wagyu Beef Sashimi and Wagyu Beef Yukke (Marinated Wagyu Beef with Egg Yolk). The marbling on the wagyu beef is just beautiful. For simple ratio, it was about 60% - 70% meat and 30% - 40% fats. You consume the beef sashimi the same way as fish sashimi, dip it in a soy sauce and wasabi, then put it in your tongue. The different is that, the icy cold beef will slowly melts in your mouth and slip down your tongue. Meanwhile, the Wagyu Beef Yukke might look very common as you can see this dish in some Korean restaurants in Singapore. The presentation is similar, thinly cut and topped with raw egg. Korean normally like to add pear into the dish but not the Japanese. The raw egg create a silky velvety texture that just accentuate the flavour of the beef. The beef tataki, has a different version compare to those we commonly find in Japanese restaurant. The cut is thinner, round and missing the familiar sauce. At the end you actually need to add your own sauce. We started the BBQ with Wagyu Tan (Wagyu Beef Ox Tongue). The tongue was thinly sliced and seasoned with yuzu sauce. It only take a short while to cook, resulting in springy and succulent texture. We also tried the normal version, it took us double the time to chew the tongue. The Wagyu Karubi (Wagyu Beef Short Rib Marbling Score 7+, AUS) and Wagyu Rosu (Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Cap Marbling Score 7+, AUS) are just beautiful. It has thicker cut, but not much different in grilling time. Resulting in melt in your mouth sensation. Just like eating mini wagyu steak. Yum Yum. It was so good, I ate it with sprinkle of salt only without any dipping sauce. If you prefer something more meaty and chewy, Wagyu Nakaochi Karubi (Wagyu Beef Rib Intercostal Marbling Score 7+, AUS) will be the best pick. It has almost cube size cutting, which allow deeper meaty flavours in the wagyu. In the end, we order three rounds of the Wagyu Tan, Wagyu Karubi, Wagyu Rosu and Wagyu Nakaochi Karubi. Make sure that when you ate the wagyu, you have it with Japanese pickles, to balance the fat with some acidity. In par with the marbling of the wagyu beef is Ton Toro (Pork Cheek Fillet / Pork Jowl). One of the fattest part of the pork, where the fat content is almost the same as the meat. Through slow grilling it, the fats will melt and become crispy. The Hotate (Giant Scallops) is thick and juicy, provide value to the meal. As pork intestines is one of our favourite item in Korean BBQ, we decided to try Horumon (Beef Large Intestines). Unlike the pork version, it is chewy, but it has more fatty texture to it. Lets just say that it is an acquired taste. Though LD and I focused solely on the BBQ, other diners can also enjoy other dishes such as chawanmushi, sushi, sashimi, deep-fried prawns and potato, vegetables, soba, rice, pickles and fruits. All sashimi and raw meat / seafood items need to be ordered from the service staff, while the rest are self service. We topped up $5 per pax to get free flow of drinks and Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream as well. Service was efficient, while the décor of the place is simple and modern. Overall it was a good Japanese BBQ restaurant, especially to enjoy the Wagyu Beef Marbling Score 7+ standard. Though you might think that you can go on after a few rounds, the fatty beef just overwhelm you at the end. Definitely a place to go for your Japanese BBQ fix, especially if you are willing to splurge a bit more. Kanpai!! Cheers!!

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http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/04/lin-rooftop-bar.htmlLin is a contemporary Asian Alfresco Rooftop bar located in the heart of Tiong Bahru. From the top of the Link Hotel rooftop, you will have a very good view one of the oldest estates in Singapore. A neighbourhood with its own characters while the rest of the area has given way to the modern developments. The name Lin <林> short for 'Shu Lin' which means forest in Mandarin. Align with the name, the bar is decorated in forest theme like. Surrounded with trees, complementing the Asian theme seating and statues. The standout item on the menu are Authentic Asian infused cocktails, delicious Asian bar snacks on top of the range of whiskeys and other drinks. My pre-dinner drink started with Mocktail, off the menu. Tea infused with pandan leaves and lemongrass. Served with a dash of gula melaka and mint leaves. The sweetness is very subtle allowing the Asian flavours of pandan leave and lemongrass to shine. The refreshing mint leaves really give you a wow feel to the drink. Kudos to Roy (LIN's Manager).For Cocktail, my dinner companion for the night Ai Ling Rustic Sky ($18) – Rum, Sour Plum and Lime Juice. Quoting her, “I like sour plum, so quite liked the Rustic Sky Cocktails... Not strong on the onset, but gradually hits you when it was almost towards the end of the glass”. Following the drinks are the Asian inspired Tapas. Lin"林" Dynasty ($10.80) & Wu Xiang Pop ($9.80). Lin Dynasty is Luncheon meat covered with cheese and coated with beer batter. The result is irresistible and leaving spam fries in the dust. Crispy batter, chewy cheese and neutralised the salty flavour of the spam is truly a must try tapas here. Wu Xiang Pop is Lin version of pop corn chicken. Seasoned with wu xiang (five spice powder) and fried to point of crispiness. It was left a bit too long in the fryer, resulting a darker texture. The siracha sauce provided a spicy kick to the dish. The staple food in a bar, burger. Juicy Lucy Beef Burger ($18.80). The size of the homemade burger is very decent. Served with a plate full coleslaw and fries spiced with five spice powder. The burger size is pretty decent, the meat is juicy and well-combined with caramelized onions and streaky bacon. Unfortunately, I find the burger missing the meaty and beefy taste due to too much salt, while the fries is crispy, I can hardly detect the five spice powder seasoning. It can easily be mistaken for cajun fries instead. Asian Smoked Duck Pasta ($14.80). An Asian style pasta that can be mistaken for fried noodle. The spaghetti is al-dente, coated with black pepper and mushrooms. The sliced smoked duck proportion is very generous, however I do not feel the marriage between the duck and the pasta. There was an interesting dish on the menu called “Babe”. Unfortunately, this marinated pork belly has gone “POOF” for the day, so hopefully I get to taste when I am here next time. Overall, Lin provide a unique chill out experience. The tapas and drinks are the highlights here, especially those with Asian Inspired theme. Definitely a good place to hang out. My pick for the food here is the Lin"林" Dynasty and their Asian tea mocktails. So if you around Tiong Bahru, drop by at LIN. Cheers!!

Thanks to the team at Insurgence and Lin"林" Rooftop Bar for the tasting invitation.