Food Review - Yoogane

Thursday, June 05, 2014

When I was in Korea last summer, I fell in love with the Korean food and culture. BBQ meats, soju, tteokbokki, pakbingsoo, and DAK GALBI.

There are a handful of Korean restaurants that sell Dak Galbi in Singapore, but the taste is never the same as the awesome ones I had in Korea. If you are wondering what is Dak Galbi, or have never heard of it before, it is actually 닭갈비 in Hangul characters. 

Oh, I guess that didn't help you much to understand what is Dak Galbi. That's my purpose. So you will read MORE BAHAHAHA. 
(Okay I can see some of you has started flipping tables (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻)

Yoogane Mascot

Yoogane (Yoo-GAH-NEH) is actually a franchise and one of the more popular chicken galbi restaurants in Korea. I had Yoogane in their Myyeongdong and Hongdae outlets when I was in Korea, and I usually eat 3 portions of their rice because IT IS JUST THAT AWESOME. If you compare the amount of rice I have in Singapore, which is usually half a bowl, 3 bowls of rice is.. scary. SCARILY GOOD. That cute little chicken that you see is actually their mascot, and you will get this little cardboard origami pieces to play with while you wait to queue. Yes, you have to queue. Just look at the amount of people queuing:

Queue at Yoogane

Queue at Yoogane

Be prepared to queue for at least an hour on weekends during peak hours. But I tell you, the queue is gonna be worth it. 

Korean Rice Wine (Makgeolli) ($7.90)

Makgeolli

I screamed in delight when we were finally seated, and your appetite is whet up immensely by two factors:

1. The long queue, which means the mentality of "I MUST EAT MORE TO MAKE MY TIME WORTH THE QUEUE" #kiasu

2. The ever-familiar smell of Korean food that whiffed in the air

If you immersed in the Korean culture, you know that they always pair their meats with Soju. As no one else on the table loves Soju as much as I do :(, I ordered the Makgeolli to pair with my meal. That cold rice wine served in that bowl makes me feel that I am back in Korea! And you definitely have to make that "SSSSSS AHHHHHH!" sound that Korean makes when they drink alcohol. Act yi ge Korean ma.

Japchae ($11.90)

Japchae

While waiting for them to prepare our Dak Galbi, we ordered the Japchae to start. Japchae is bean vermicelli stir fried with assorted vegetables and tender chicken strips. Besides Dak Galbi, Japchae is another FAVOURITE KOREAN DISH OF MINE. It is wonderfully tasty and the vermicelli is so springy! It will definitely open up your palettes for the main dish.

Chicken Galbi with Chukkumi Octopus ($19.90)

Dak Galbi with Cheese 02

Dak Galbi with Cheese

We went for the seasonal special of chicken galbi with octopus. As valued readers of Talkingevilbean, the Evilbean shall impart you the secret, authentic, Korean way of eating Dak Galbi with Cheese. You don't order the cheese fried rice, the taste will be never be the same as Dak Galbi with Cheese.

Firstly, you order the main dish/meat. Let the friendly staff stir-fry the meat to perfection.

Second, you order PLAIN WHITE RICE ($1.90), as well as the Cheese toppings.

Third, watch the staff mix the rice with the meat together with the CHEESEEEEEE. The rice will absorb all the wonderful ingredients and the flavourful meat.

This is an important last step - watch with your eagle eyes to see whether the staff FLATTENS the rice. It compacts the cheese and the rice, giving it a sticky, chewy texture. You don't want the rice to be too fluffy and airy between each rice grains, it just taste different. 

Put a scoop of rice and some meat into your mouth and enjoy that sensation.. OH MY GODDDDDD.. JINJJA MASSISEOYO! DAK GALBI JJANG!

As you all can see, I am extremely biased towards Dak Galbi. Also, the staff at Yoogane is really friendly and you are literally served like a king. They get angry if you even touch the wok while it is cooking. Yes, as much as you are hungry, that extra few stir frying that you are doing will not help make the meat cook faster. So, just sit back, eat the side dishes like the FREE-FLOW KIMCHI and SALADS, watch them cook with skills, and then enjoy that hot, piping delicious wok of Dak galbi over a beer or soju or Makgeolli while bobbing your head to the latest k-pop hits in the background. 

"Dae... Han Min Guk!" *clap clap clap clap clap*

"Dae... Han Min Guk!" *clap clap clap clap clap*


Restaurant Rating (out of 5 Evilbeans):

  (5! DAEBAK!)

Evilbean's last words/recommendation:
- If you've been to Korea and loved it there, Yoogane will make you reminiscent the awesome times you spent in Hongdae or Myeongdeong.
- MUST-ORDER: Soju, Japchae, Dak Galbi


Yoogane

Bugis Junction #02-47/48
Phone: +65 6337 7337
Opening Hours:

Mon - Sun: 11am - 10pm

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