New food places were explored with my colleagues and friends. If not for them, I couldn't be bothered to go even if I knew of their existence. Okay, keep dragging me to new places. I will appreciate it, for my blog and my tummy. Here are 2 places for Korean and Japanese food lovers.
OVEN & FRIED CHICKEN
182 Telok Ayer Street,
Singapore 068630
#02-48 Bugis Junction,
Singapore 068630
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer
Average Spending per pax: $27+
Opened in October 2014, the popular Korean chicken restaurant combines OKKUDAK (oven-baked without oil) and SSALDAK (coated with rice flour and fried) to bring you healthy and tasty chicken in Singapore. If it isn't because my colleague craving Korean fried chicken, I won't have known of this place that is so near our workplace.
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| Cass Beer |
Their staff recommended us Cass Beer, a popular Korean beer brand known for its smooth and refreshing taste. Best enjoyed with fried chicken. What a right timing! Shared just a bottle between us. We still need to work. Haha...
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| Fried Mixture (left) and Sauced Jambalaya (right) |
We ordered 3 types of chicken in half-sized mixed portions: Fried Mixture, Sauced Jambalaya, and Crunch Yang Nyeom. Just enough to fill 4 ladies full for lunch, along with a small glass of beer. If you order a mixture, please make sure you don't mind the parts of the chicken they give because it is mixed with wings, breast meat, and drumlets.
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| Fried Mixture |
At first look, I thought of it as KFC Original Recipe. A little crispy on the skin with tender meat but lacked flavor, unlike KFC Original Recipe which taste savory. But if you are not a heavy-taste person, this is for you. I don't really favor this.
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| Sauced Jambalaya |
This plate of chicken is coated with sweet, sour, and spicy sauces. Flavorful and spicy but manageable for me. Not too dry for the meat.
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| Crunch Yang Nyeom (Mild) |
It looks redder than Sauced Jambalaya but for me, it didn't taste spicier than the former. But my colleagues think otherwise. The sauce combination usually consists of gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar or honey, sesame oil, and sometimes vinegar or another seasoning. That explains the redder appearance. Lastly, where is that crunch? Not crunchy at all.
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| Credit: Michelle Mathew |
This place has other dishes on the menu which you might want to try, like Army Stew, Kimchi Stew, Assorted Fish Cake Soup, and so on. I look around the restaurant; only our table ordered all chicken and no other dishes. Haha. Meat eaters we are. But I love to try their stews and a plate of Crunch Yang Nyeom the next time I go with friends.
Singapore 188021
Nearest MRT: Bugis
Average Spending per pax: $18+
Thanks to Instagram and my bestie, we get to visit this new Japanese Izakaya 居酒屋 that opened on 19 April 2023. A place to hang out with friends after a day at work or over the weekend and sufficient seating capacity to cater to 20 pax or more.
We were there around 6pm and it was empty so come early and have all their attention on your table before the crowd creeps in.
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| Origini Salmon Mentaiko $4 Shio Belly $1.99 |
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| Origini Salmon Mentaiko |
The origini was drizzled with so much teriyaki sauce that my bestie couldn't stand the taste. Sweet and savory with the crisps on the outside. Overall, it was bigger than usual but the salmon wasn't a lot on the inside.
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| Shio Belly |
The Shio Belly had a good mix of fats and meat texture. We are looking at that for Char Siew and Roasted Meat outside. A little taste of charred from the grill but the flavour could be a little stronger.
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| (Left to Right) Crispy Gyoza $5.50, Squid Ring $6.50 |
The similarity for both would be their crispiness on the outside. I hoped the gyoza fillings could be more flavourful, but it wasn't. As for the plate of squid rings, it was decent and not too rubbery.
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| (Left to Right) Teriyaki Loin, Shio Belly, Shio Collar, and Mentai Mayo Collar $1.99 each |
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| Mentai Mayo Collar |
I made the right choice to get this Mentai Mayo Collar. So tender and not much fat. Plus, I loved the taste of Mentai Mayo which has that umami flavor. What a perfect match!
Overall, my bestie will skip anything with Teriyaki (I'm fine with that taste actually). I find their skewers quite generous with the portion, unlike some places that give you stingy portions with a high price tag. Will still come back again for their $1.99 skewers.
Disclaimer: All the above were paid by the writer and friends. Not sponsored post. All reviews are based on the writer's preference and taste buds and do not represent anyone else other than herself and her friends.