Must Try

Since Burpple is featuring Chinese restaurants this month and I'm stuck in the library studying/on a restcricted diet (thanks doc), here's a picture of a hidden gem in Marina Bay Sands. While the picture looks far from appealing, this is probably the best 香酥鸭 that I've had in Singapore thus far. Crispy skin, juicy and tender meat that has been well seasoned, this is like an Asian duck confit that has been given a major upsize. To top it off, the pricing at Yú Cuisine is not exorbitant despite its location. The prices here are probably on par with most other Chinese restaurants out there. Also, unless you're okay with paying $5 per pax for 小菜, skip the crispy fried salmon skin they serve to you upon arrival.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Regent is Seoul Restaurant, my current favourite spot in Singapore for Korean BBQ. Run by a Korean family, they have been around for around 5 years and were previously located at CHIJMES. Given the quality of food I experienced during my numerous visits, I still remain surprised at the lack of coverage for this place. What irks me even more is that when you do a search on "Best places for Korean BBQ in Singapore", you get abysmal results.

Regent? CHIJMES? The Ala Carte Buffet here is surprisingly affordable despite being located in a premium location like Regent. $32.90 for weekday lunches, $37.90 for weekend lunches and $49.90 for dinner everyday. Of course, Seoul Restaurant is comparatively more expensive to most KBBQ places most of us are accustomed to, but for a good reason.

Just take a look at the marbling of this boneless short rib (Galbisal) and you should know what I mean. For the price you are paying, I doubt that you can get unlimited servings of this elsewhere. Other non-marinated meats in the buffet include thinly sliced beef brisket (Chadolbagi), sliced pork jowl steak (Hangjeongsal) and the all time favourite sliced pork belly (Samgyeopsal). They even use a special grade of charcoal, imported from Korea, elevating the taste of the meats.

For those who are bigger fans of marinated meats, Seoul Restaurant has a decent selection of marinated beef, pork and chicken. As far as possible, I never get marinated meats at BBQ buffets because the meats that are marinated are usually of an inferior quality (How else do you think most BBQ places offer you those prices?).

Apart from the meat selection, diners can also order a variety of cooked dishes as part of the buffet. Also included in the buffet, I highly recommend ordering a bowl of chilled buckwheat noodles soup (Mul-naengmyeon) or spicy mixed buckwheat noodles (Bibim-naengmyeon) after you're done with the BBQ to "cool" your body down.

Admittedly, the name of the restaurant doesn't inspire excitement but what they lack in naming creativity, they make up for with the quality of their food. I'd rather better food than a nicer sounding restaurant name, how about you?

Protip: Quality meat will not taste good if you're bad at cooking, so don't be afraid to ask for guidance or help from the staff.

Not your typical bone marrow bun, the Burnt Ends version is on my list of sinful treats that one must definitely try. It tasted like a slightly more toasted version of the brioche bun from the sanger, generously smeared with garlic butter and bone marrow. I'm not a fan of bone marrow by itself but this was a combination that left me wanting more.

As the dish is brought towards you, you hear it sizzling and crackling on the hoba leaf against the lava stone. The dish is now on the table, right in front of you and you marvel at the marbling of the meat. The bright red tender flesh and the strips of white fat spread evenly across each slice. The waiter was quick to inform me that i could use my chopsticks to help cook the meat to my desired level of doneness. This is pepper lunch, but on a much higher level. I kid. Having seen pictures of this multiple times on Burpple and Instagram, I knew that I was in for a real treat and true enough, the beef short ribs did not disappoint. This is definitely one of the dishes to order at The Clan. If not for the taste, then at least for a visual treat. I would also highly recommend the Green Lobster Crustacean Oil Pasta and the 48 degree Poached Salmon. Unfortunately, I was too busy wolfing down my food that I totally forgot to grab pictures of the other dishes. One thing for sure, I will definitely be back at The Clan some time soon so if you see me, feel free to say hi!

My hunt for the best pancakes in Singapore ended here. Two thick yet lightly fluffy pancakes are so generously filled with blueberries and ricotta cheese bits, every mouthful is absolute heaven. As if that is not enough, three pieces of crisp bacon add a savory dimension to what is already wow. Get ready for your tastebuds to do a Mexican Wave.

This week, Cugini has a special off-the-menu handmade pasta infused w beetroot juice (the same stuff that goes into red velvet cakes—yum!) w a most tasty lemon an bottarga sauce. We're loving it so much we hope they decide to add it to the regular menu! 😍😍 #handmade #italian #pastas #cugini #foodporn #food

Lobster rice. Concentrated stock broth giving very strong flavours, with rice texture resembling risotto.