NAE:UM @ Telok Ayer - Episode One, Food Stories in Chef Louis's Personal Journey

The ever-changing restaurant scene in Singapore sees the new opening of NAE:UM at Teloy Ayer by Chef Louis Han from South Korea. At NAE:UM, the cuisine is progressive vibrancy of Seoul, meeting the flavours of folk traditions with flavours of the world, showcasing the chef's food journey.

Nurungji Beef Tart 4/5

The 5-course menu at NAE:UM starts from $148++ with add on available. The current menu focuses on Chef's favourite ingredients. We started with a couple of snack dishes. The Nurungji Beef Tart's base consists of scorched brown rice, topped with beef tartare, cured egg yolk shavings, pickled turnip and spring onion spears.

Bugak 3/5

Shiso and Lotus Root is coated in glutinous rice paste and deep-fried. The Bugak is then seasoned with chilli and kimchi powder.

Duck Galbi Tart 4.5/5

My favourite of the three snacks has to be the Duck Galbi Tart. Sitting on top of the feuille de brick tartlet is grilled minced duck ball with a rice cake centre, garnished with spring onion curls.

Mulhwae 4.8/5

Mulhwae is a cold spicy raw fish soup popular with Koreans in the summer. The chef's interpretation uses aged kampachi. The yuzu chilli sauce brightens the appreciation of the clean-tasting fish, while the garden salad provides the texture contrast.

Uni Somyeon 4.2/5

A popular dish on the menu is the Uni Somyeon. Diners can opt to add on caviar for an additional $10. The Korean made buckwheat noodle is tossed in a dressing of chopped white kimchi, scallions and truffle oil. It is crowned with bafun uni and kaviari oscietra caviar. I was expecting a light and refreshing bowl of noodles, but this version is strong and bold in flavour. Those with a heavy palate will enjoy this.

Jjjim 4.5/5

Resting on top of the beurre blanc sauce with cured fish roe and finely chopped chives is the Steamed Red Grouper. At the side is the Steamed Roulade of Zucchini, Napa Cabbage and Snapper Crab. The star has to be the sauce, bringing the different components together for a beautiful finish.

Duck 4.5/5

The main for the 5-course menu is Duck. The Irish duck is dry-aged in-house for up to 7 days. Then, it is marinated and glazed with gochujang before grilling over binchotan. Not sure whether it is due to the dry-ageing or the gochujang, it seems to intensify the duck's flavour further.

Nuruk-aged Wagyu Striploin

Diners have the option to add the Nuruk-aged Wagyu Striploin as a supplementary dish for an additional $48. The wagyu striploin is glazed with galbi sauce and grilled over binchotan. It has a hint of sweetness and smokiness that is pleasing to the palate. At the side, there are pickled shiitake, kohlrabi salad, grilled spring onions and shiitake puree.

Summer Bingsu 4.2/5

Unfortunately, the Summer Bingsu does not come in a bowl of shaved ice. Instead, fermented fruits are topped with mascarpone snow, fermented grape granita, and makgeolli sorbet. It is a light and refreshing dessert which can also be seconded as a palate cleanser.

Charcoal Jujube 4/5

For an extra $12, you can add a supplementary dish. The Charcoal Jujube comprises of puffed multigrain, jujube ice cream and charcoal tuille.

Petit Fours 4/5

Ending the meal are Fermented Rice Cake and Yakgwa Cookie for Petit Fours. I love the soft and spongy texture of the rice cake, coated with white sugar and torched to brulee.

Overall, NAE:UM is an exciting entry to the food scene in Singapore. I find Chef Louis loves to use heavy and rich flavours for his dishes. The 5-course set meal at $148++ should be sufficient, and I don't think you need to go for the supplementary dishes unless you are a big eater.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


NAE:UM
161 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068615
Tel: +65 88305016
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 6pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Telok Ayer Street. Turn left onto Telok Ayer Street. Walk down destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk down Telok Ayer Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Tai Er Chinese Sauerkraut Fish @ Jewel Changi Airport - Popular Chinese Restaurant In China With Nearly 300 Stores Opens In Singapore

Popular Tai Er Chinese Sauerkraut Fish, with nearly 300 stores in China, has opened its first outlet in Singapore at Changi Jewel Singapore. The restaurant is known for its Chinese Sauerkraut Fish seeing daily queues at the stores to savour the fish fillets in a spicy and sour broth.

Chinese Sauerkraut Fish 4.5/5

The Chinese Sauerkraut Fish ($48/$68/$88) comes in a huge plate with the tender fish slices swimming in a pool of soup, brimming with red chillis, Sichuan peppercorn and pickled cabbage. If I am not wrong, they use tilapia fish for the dish. The combination of mala, spicy and sour flavours is super shiok. I can understand why it is so popular in China now.

Poached Sliced Beef in Hot Chilli Oil 4.8/5

Another crowd favourite is the Poached Sliced Beef in Hot Chilli Oil ($26). The beef slices are incredibly tender. The star has to be the aromatic hot and spicy broth accentuating the full enjoyment. I feel the flavours are well balanced for Singapore's palate, neither too spicy nor mala. The dish is seriously one of the best interpretations of the classic Sichuan dish I have eaten for a long while.

Abalone and Shrimp in Spicy Sauce 4/5

The Abalone and Shrimp in Spicy Sauce ($12) is a delightful starter to whet up your appetite. However, I probably save my calories for the other star dishes on the menu, such as the Chinese Sauerkraut Fish and Poached Sliced Beef in Hot Chilli.

Fried Crispy Prawn Topped with Mustard 4/5

Not everything on the menu is spicy. There are also non-spicy dishes such as the Fried Crispy Prawn Topped with Mustard ($13). Coated in a light batter, it gives the crunchy prawn a crispy exterior coat paired with a sweet mustard sauce.

Seaweed Roll with Salted Egg Yolk 2.5/5

Exclusively for the Singapore outlet is the Seaweed Roll with Salted Egg Yolk ($6). I find it disappointing for an exclusive dish. It felt half-hearted by putting together a few pieces of seaweed cracker and drizzled it with salted egg yolk sauce.

Egg Coated Glutinous Rice Rolls with Brown Sugar 4.8/5

Another beautiful dish we enjoyed is the Egg Coated Glutinous Rice with Brown Sugar ($10). The texture is like mochi, soft and chewy paired with sweet brown sugar dip. It is so good.

Ice Jelly with Coconut Milk 4/5

Sichuan Pepper Milk Tea and Lemon Tea With Passionfruit Juice

If you find the food is too hot to handle, don't worry. You can cool off with some cold beverages and desserts such as the Ice Jelly with Coconut Milk ($3), Sichuan Pepper Milk Tea ($5) and Lemon Tea With Passionfruit Juice ($5).

I have enjoyed the food at Tai Er Chinese Sauerkraut. I will be back again to check out the rest of the menu. Please note that they do not accept walk-in. You have to make reservation via their facebook page or WeChat. For the first-timer, the must-try items are Chinese Sauerkraut Fish, Poached Sliced Beef in Hot Chilli Oil and Egg Coated Glutinous Rice Rolls with Brown Sugar.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Tai Er Chinese Sauerkraut Fish
Jewel Changi Airport
80 Airport Boulevard
#03-208
Singapore 819642
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Changi Airport (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 2pm, 5pm - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Changi Airport MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]