Fans of Dwaeji Gukbap 돼지국밥 (also known as Pork Soup Rice) can now rejoice!
The famous Busan Pork Soup Rice, Um Yong Baek (엄용백) has finally opened its very first outlet in Singapore near the start of the Korean restaurant stretch in Telok Ayer!
In case you’re wondering, Dwaeji Gukbap( 돼지국밥) is a popular comfort soup dish for the Koreans. The origin history of the food started from the Korean War, when food was scarce and people have to seek ways not to waste any food that is available; so they boil the pork bones for a long time in order to get the rich white broth, where they would mix it with rice and chives and season the soup dish by adding salt or salted baby shrimp.
As Um Yong-baek’s broth emphasizes the importance of the original taste of the broth, the boss mentioned that the broth takes at least 24hours to boil in order to maximize the original taste, no artificial seasoning is being added during the cooking process.
We tried both the normal and thick broth versions of the Gukbap and I got to say that both of them were good in their own ways!
If you’re somebody who prefers a lighter taste bud, Busan Style Gukbap is definitely the dish for you. The clear broth is rich and has a hint of sweetness that blends in well with the rice! For those who love the Japanese Donkocheu ramen, I guess the milky strong taste broth of the Milyang style would be a better choice for you.
The other special item that is available on the menu would be Suyuk (수육).
Many people have often mistaken Suyuk and Bossam as the same as both of them are translated as Boiled Meat in English. For Suyuk, the meat would be processed via steaming while the process for Bossam is via boiling.
I was totally mind-blown by the tenderness of the suyuk! The meat is really tender and the fats totally melt in your mouth! If it’s your first time eating Suyuk, the waiter would advise you on 3 different ways to enjoy the meat.
1st method – dip a slice of suyuk with sea salt
2nd method – wrap a slice of suyuk with some chives and steam garlic
3rd method – wrap a slice of suyuk with the salted hairtail fish (갈치)
As some people might feel greasy eating suyuk due to the fats, the restaurant does provide a small block of the tofu to clear your palate as well.
To be honest, Dwaeji Gukbap restaurant was always my to-go decision whenever I couldn’t decide what to eat while living in ROK. I am glad that now there is an authentic Gukbap restaurant that is available in Singapore. The only downside I had eating at Um Yong Baek is that the rice soup tends to get cold pretty fast, thus I guess it would be good if they could heat up the bowl in advance before serving. (In case you need a little more broth, you can ask for a small portion from the waiter!)
Please do note that they only serve 80 bowls per day and are only available during lunch hours, thus it is advisable to make a reservation before making your way down to the restaurant!
Um Yong Baek Pork Rice Soup & BBQ 엄용백 돼지국
27 Boon Tat St, #01, Singapore 069623
Operating Hours: Daily
11:30 am ~ 3:00 pm
5:30 pm ~ 10:30 pm (last order at 10pm)
Contact: (+65) 8843 5968
* This is a personal review by Yellowsing Editor.
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