POCHA! Korean Street Dining @ Compass One - Launches 1-Metre Korean Street Food Platter

POCHA! Korean Street Dining has always been a go-to spot for those seeking authentic and flavourful Korean street food. This time, they've taken it up a notch with the launch of their 1-Metre Korean Street Food Platter - a feast of eight different items, designed to transport you to the bustling street markets of Korea.

Seafood Pancake and Krispy Chunks 3.5/5

Sindang Tteokbokki 3/5, Eomuk 3/5 and Kimari 3.5/5

Kimchi Mandu, Corn Dog and Rice Balls 2.8/5

The 1-Metre Korean Street Food Platter ($34.90) presents a mix of hits and misses. While the Kimari, Seafood Pancake, and Krispy Chunks stood out with their rich flavours and delightful textures, some items could have been more enjoyable if served hotter. Despite this, the platter remains an excellent option for sharing between 2 to 3 people, offering a satisfying variety of street food favourites.

Fried Chicken Stir Fry Spicy Shin Ramyeon 3/5

Cheese & Bacon Stir Fry Spicy Shin Ramyeon 4/5

The Fried Chicken Stir Fry Spicy Shin Ramyeon ($13.90) pairs a crispy chicken cutlet with stir-fried Shin Ramyeon, delivering a satisfying kick of spice. While the heat is spot on, the dish falls short in creativity, tasting more ordinary than expected.

The Cheese & Bacon Stir Fry Spicy Shin Ramyeon ($13.90) stands out with its rich, creamy texture, thanks to the addition of bacon, mushrooms, and cheese. Though the spice level is mild, the flavour profile is incredibly satisfying, making it our favourite.

Sindang-Dong Tteokbokki 4/5

With the added cheese topping, their signature Sindang-Dong Tteokbokki ($11.90) comes highly recommended. The sauce is packed with flavour, and the tteokbokki has just the right amount of chewiness, making it a comforting dish for any Korean street food lover.

Ganjang-Gejang 3/5

We ventured to try the Ganjang-Gejang ($15.90 per piece, 2 for $26.90, 3 for $33.90), a raw marinated crab dish. The crabs are soaked in a homemade soy sauce, giving them a jelly-like, unique texture. While slightly salty, the dish offers an intriguing flavour experience.

The new dishes are available at all POCHA! outlets.

Photos and words by Jaslyn. An avid cook who lives to eat and travel for food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


POCHA! Korean Street Dining
Compass One
#02-42
1 Sengkang Square
Singapore 545078
Tel: +65 98516240
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Nearest MRT: Sengkang (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Sengkang MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Jam at Siri House @ Dempsey Hill - Monthly Tasting Table Feast

I am back at Jam at Siri House for the monthly Tasting Table. It is a monthly feast event whereby a sumptuous spread of over 20 small plates is offered tableside from roving trolleys. Similar to those traditional dim sum house, you just need to pick the dishes you want to try from the trolleys.

Osmanthus Jelly 4/5

Mee Sua 2.8/5

During my visit which falls in the Chinese New Year period, the Tasting Table incorporates a few Chinese New Year inspired dishes such as the Osmanthus Jelly ($6) and Mee Sua ($12). Osmanthus jelly is an interesting take of the Chinese dessert, making it into a savoury dish. The jelly block is actually made with osmanthus and bonito and then topped with smoked trout roe and Siberian caviar. As for the mee sua kueh, I thought it was a bit disappointing. This fell short of Swee Choon's version, which comes with a layer of crispy vermicelli.

Bufala 4/5

A light starter is the Bufala ($8). I enjoyed the addition of tangerine and yuzu dressing which gives the milky ciligini di bufala a lift in enjoyment, with the toasted watermelon seeds for texture.

Chawanmushi 4.2/5

At a glance, the Chawanmushi ($8) looks rather ordinary with the kani. It is not until I took a mouthful of it and my eyes brightened by the sharp flavours of Thai cuisine. The egg custard is steamed in tom yum broth and topped with fried lime leaf, injecting the bright flavours of Thai cuisine into the traditional Japanese chawanmushi.

Chicken 4.2/5

A hearty and delicious dish is the Grilled Chicken Oysters ($12) that is fragrant by the crab fat garlic butter. The char on the chicken gives it a further smoky bitterness, giving it an aromatic finishing. I like the touch of adding diced water chestnut for the extra textural bite.

Kingfish 4.5/5

For something clean and tasty, go for the Hiramasa Kingfish Carpaccio ($12) which is cleverly paired with umeboshi vinaigrette, pickled green chilli and lumpfish roe. It complemented the clean flavour of the fish while not stealing the limelight of the main ingredients.

Beef 3/5

I can understand what the chef is trying to do with the Wagyu Tri Tip MB 6/7 ($12), it is a twist to the local satay. It comes in the form of grilled wagyu skewer, pickled shallot and a glutinous rice ball, elevating the components of the traditional satay. Unfortunately, I thought the meat was a bit tough for my liking, but I adore the other support items on the dish.

Tiger Prawns 4.2/5

Grilled to perfection with crunchy texture is the Tiger Prawns ($12). It is paired with laksa anchovy emulsion to complement the sweetness of the deep sea tiger prawns.

Corn Dog 3.5/5

I find the Corn Dog ($6) is a fun and playful dish, bringing out the childhood in me. Instead of the usual sausage with cornmeal batter, it uses Taiwanese pork sausage coated with cornflake. It is best to enjoy with the accompanying Sriracha mustard sauce.

Grilled Pineapple 4/5

For dessert, I decided to go for the Grilled Pineapple ($8) since the dish sort of reminds me of the popular pineapple tart snack eaten during Chinese New Year period. Grilled pineapple is served on top sugee shortbread and paired with pineapple tarragon ice cream. A deconstructed form of the pineapple tart.

While I enjoyed the food at Jam in my previous visit, I mentioned that the price is on the steep side. The tasting table, on the contrary, is more reasonable with price ranging from $6 to $12 per dish. I also like the concept of roving trolleys, which injected charm and interaction into the whole experience. Their next Tasting Table is on 19 March 2020, you can Book via http://bit.ly/tastingtablemarch or call +65 96670533. Do check the website regularly for the next upcoming Tasting Table.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jam at Siri House
Dempsey Hill
8D Dempsey Road
#01-02
Singapore 249672
Tel: +65 96670533
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Holland Village (CC Line), Farrer Road (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard (Stop ID 09022). Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 7 stops later. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Journey time 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Block 12 (Stop ID 11401). Take bus 106. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Farrer Road MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Farrer Road MRT station (Stop ID 11119). Take bus number 174 or 564. Alight 5 stops later. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

B Burger @ Orchard Cathay Cineleisure - The Local Version Of Shake Shack?

Gourmet burgers in a quick service restaurant format, The Benjamin Barker Group newest burger joint – B Burger at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard is set to go satisfy your burger craving with its juicy, handmade patties, alongside with pretty sinful desserts. Inspired by American burger joints such as Shake Shack and In-N-Out, B Burger carries similar laid-back vibe with American rock music playing in the background. My favourite feature of this colourful place is the Scrabble-like menu board, that allows you to play the labels around.

Baller Burger 3.8/5

Though infused with a Japanese twist, the burgers here are inherently American. Each order is made ala minute, hence expect 6 to 10 minutes of waiting time. First up on the menu is B Burger, a basic burger for customers who simply just want to enjoy the meat. You can even triple up the beef patty if a single 100g patty is insatiable. Umami burger is a meatless version, with a Buttermilk Fried Portobello replacing your meat. Combining these two gets me a Baller Burger ($10.90), which I feel is really the best of both worlds - a large piece of fried Portobello which has a firm bite to it, supplementing the juicy beef patty which has a slightly loose texture. Then it comes the secret sauce - B Sauce, which elevates the burger with a sweet and tangy zing. I really love the home pickled daikon found in some of the burgers here - sweet and a little acidic but not vinegary.

B Supreme 4/5

Sliding in an aged cheddar, B Supreme ($9.90) gains a savoury height and flavour that are brought to balance with sweet notes from caramelised onions. The smell of the warm truffle aroma greets my nose even before I get to hold the burger in my hand. The sautéed mushrooms are chunky, with flavour and aroma accentuated by truffle mayo. The bun does get a little soggy after a while, which I think the team needs to address this abit. Still, this burger is finger-licking good.

Bomchika Wow Wow 3/5

Although I feel burgers should be experienced with beef patty, Bomchika Wow Wow ($10.90) is a satisfying burger in its own right. Big chunks of kaarage chicken topped with fried egg, its physique beckons you to reach out for it. It may sound greasy but the crunchy wafu slaw and piquant daikon pickles bring it to a balance. Sweet with a tinge of spiciness, the sticky sriracha honey that glazed the fried chicken gives this burger a new identity that differentiate itself from other fried chicken burgers.

Osaka Corn Dog 2.5/5

A interesting snack to try would be Osaka Corn Dog ($6.90) which is a cheese corndog topped with tobiko, teriyaki, mayo and nori. When the sausage itself is already salty, I feel there are too much savoury condiments dressing it.

Sides 2.8/5

Complete your meal by topping up $3.50 with every main order and get a side of wafu ramen slaw, nacho soup or fries and drink (soft drinks, add $1 for other drinks, excluding milkshakes). If you have always loved nacho cheese dip, you get your wish with this Nacho Soup ($3). It is a tone-down version with a tinge of spiciness but nonetheless, it is still as rich. Curry Beef Fries ($5) is similar to Carl's Jr beef chilli cheese fries but a much more scaled down version with a Japanese flavour.

S’mores 2.8/5

Not easy to find milkshakes these day, so do try one of its creation. S’mores ($6.90) is a simple concoction of vanilla ice-cream mixed with Nutella which I thought makes a good grab & go as well. Freshly Cut Coconut ($5.90) is available if you want something a lot healthier but at this price, maybe not.

Death By Chocolate 3.2/5 and Peanut Butter Jelly 2.5/5

Still have room for more? Another noteworthy item from B Burger is its Homemade Concretes ($7.50 – two scoops of concretes with toppings), made from adding egg yolk to ice cream to achieve a denser and creamier body. We tried Peanut Butter Jelly (Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Horlicks, Granola, Peanut Butter Cups, Toasted Bread Cracker) and Death By Chocolate (Chocolate, Oreos, Hersheys, Chocolate Wafers, Sea Salt). Death By Chocolate won me over with its sticky, rich chocolaty texture. It's sweet but with hints of bitterness. The sprinkle of sea salt adds burst of intensity that I really enjoy.

In terms of pricing, quality and taste, B Burger has a balance of all 3 factors, making it a notch higher than a few other brands of similar concept. Yes, it's a burger place that I would return to.

Words and photos by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


B Burger
Orchard Cathay Cineleisure
8 Grange Road
#01-01A
Singapore 239695
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Take the escalator to the ground level. Turn left and walk to the junction of Orchard Road and Grange Road. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.