Korean premium produce gaining popularity in Singapore

A greater variety of high-end fruits and seafood give their Japanese equivalents a run for their money

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Jaime Ee

Published Thu, Sep 7, 2023 · 10:31 PM

Geumtae or black-throat perch from South Korea. PHOTO: SOGOODK
Red claret grapes boast high levels of sweetness. PHOTO: SOGOODK
Chilled wando abalone and sweet shrimp in mustard dressing. PHOTO: JAIME EE
A cocktail created by Uno Jang using soju and red claret grapes. PHOTO: SOGOODK
Olivia Lee, founder of SoGoodK. PHOTO: SOGOODK

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MATSUTAKE mushrooms. Shine Muscat grapes. Black-throat perch or nodoguro. Musk melons. Sakura ebi. Awabi or abalone.

They all sound like a typical shopping list a high-end restaurant in Singapore might be sending to its suppliers in Japan, but increasingly, that shopping list – with the necessary language adjustments – is being sent somewhere else. Specifically, South Korea.

Besides fine-dining Korean restaurants such as Meta and Naeum, the likes of Cloudstreet, Labyrinth, Zen, Odette and Tarte by Cheryl Koh have warmed to the idea of using premium Korean versions of the same products. Abalone from the Korean province of Wando, for example, is becoming commonplace on menus (also for its friendlier pricing), while Korean songi or pine (matsutake) mushrooms are known to be equal to their Japanese counterparts (and just as expensive).

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