Fresh twist on Korean BBQ at Seoul & So

NEW RESTAURANT

#05-03 National Gallery 1 St Andrew’s Road Singapore 178957 Tel: 6423-2807 Open daily for lunch and dinner: 12pm to 3pm; 6pm to 10.30pm

[SINGAPORE] If you have a fear of Korean BBQ-itis – the tell-tale cue to colleagues that you did not go to SaladStop! for lunch like you said you would (and did not invite them) – you might want to give Seoul & So a second thought.

Even before you step into this yet another new K-BBQ at National Gallery, you already smell it. Like the haze from JB – but beef-scented. 

“No, no,” effuses our young server – whom we later realise is one of two siblings running this offshoot of their parents’ Seoul Restaurant in Conrad Singapore. “Your clothes won’t be smelly after this.”

We take her word for it for now.

The source of the smoky air is a central grill station that’s also the showpiece of this spacious, Scandi-inspired, blond-wood-and-glass eatery. It occupies the space vacated by Gemma – the minimalist design taking a welcome weight off the Italian steakhouse’s stodgy opulence.

It also sets the tone for Seoul & So, which has a fresh-faced, almost after-school air about it. It could be the children’s book-like illustrated menu, and staff who look like they need to do homework after their shift.

The food is standard Korean BBQ, with good lunch sets at S$35 for pork, or S$45 for beef. Even without the set deals, it’s well-priced, aimed at the mid-high not premium market. 

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While you might pay upwards of S$100 per 100 g (minimum 200 g) of Hanwoo short rib at Drim Gold, here it’s S$59 for 100 g (minimum 200g) of Korean striploin. For off-cuts, you’re allowed to order just 100 g of Hanwoo inside skirt or point-end brisket (S$39).

This place is ideal for lazy diners who don’t want the hassle of firing up their own meat and calculating its carcinogenic or parasitic levels. We just say “hi” to our 200 g of Korean striploin and pork blade (S$29 per 100g) and they return shortly after in neat, ready-to-eat pieces straight from the central grill.  

It takes the fun out of a la minute cooking and the meat gets cold fast, but it’s fuss-free, efficient and the staff doesn’t have to clean up after you. 

But before that, there are other more-or-less familiar standards to explore. A chilled starter of Doenjang Naeng Chae (S$19) is new to us. It’s a simple salad of shrimp, zucchini and seaweed in a creamy-sweet soybean paste dressing – but artfully presented in overlapping slices on a backdrop of sauce. 

Pretty but monotonous, it’s outdone by buchujeon (S$25) – a mostly floppy chive pancake with crispy bits that you find yourself chasing like Pavlov’s frustrated pup. 

As for Korean beef, the verdict is: indifference. Maybe the hype of finally getting hanwoo in Singapore has died, but an equivalent cut of USDA or Australian wagyu would do just as well. Our striploin does the bare minimum but doesn’t seem very ambitious – it’s on the lean side, and slightly powdery. 

Korean pork is a different matter. We like it more than its Japanese cousin for its better marbling, sweetness and bite. Pork blade is said to be a rare cut – chewy but juicy, with a long finish. 

You can’t have Korean food without something spicy or stewy, but we skip the common kimchi jjigae for naengi doenjang jjigae (S$19). Mellow, earthy soybean paste broth is half-broth, half-stew – a comforting brew that you don’t need a hangover to enjoy. Tofu and bits of beef, leeks, zucchini and other nice things make this a satisfying finale, especially with rice. 

As can be expected from a newish restaurant, not everything on the menu is available. So there’s only a passable melon yoghurt that tastes more like green apple for dessert. Service is also haphazard, with the two owners doing the heavy lifting of serving and supervising at the same time. 

But teething problems aside, Seoul & So brings a fresh perspective to a predictable formula with its youthful energy and modern outlook. Yes, it could do something about that smokiness even though – surprisingly – we don’t notice much of it clinging to our clothes after our meal. 

Looks like you can still lie to your colleagues about where you really go for lunch. But as they say, “good things must share” – so get them together for a meal that’s decent in quality and price. Just maybe don’t invite your boss.

Rating: 6.5