CafeMama – A Place For Affordable & Comforting Korean Street Food

Korea has an undeniable appeal – as a travel destination, and with its never-ending supply of tear-jerking television serials, cult-favourite beauty products, and wildly popular music pop groups. But perhaps the most popular of all is still her charming food scene – think army stews, fried chicken, kimchi, and patbingsu. It’s food that you just can’t say ‘no’ to.

Enter CafeMama, a casual Korean eatery that recreates the familiar flavours of Korean comfort street food. You get to enjoy authentic versions of your favourite Korean classics found in CafeMama’s menu, coupled with upbeat tunes from Kpop bands.

Our favourite has got to be the Beef Bulgogi Dosirak ($9.90), which comes with rice, juicy bulgogi beef slices, kimchi, fried egg, and seaweed packed in a golden tiffin box. You can eat it as it is with the separate components, but the flavours come together when you put in some elbow grease to shake everything up in the box. Pro tip: hold the lid firm to prevent the sauces from dripping (trust us, we speak from experience). This is one saucy dish with a runny egg yolk, caramelised bulgogi sauce, and tart kimchi juice – and you wouldn’t want to waste a drip.

Equally impressive is the crispy signature Fried Chicken. We had the Wingettes & Drumettes (6pcs for $7.90), which comes with the soy, spicy, or half-and-half option for the best of both flavours. But either way, you’ll want to forgo the complimentary plastic gloves and dig in with your hands. The twice-fried chicken comes with a crisp addictive batter gloriously coated with sauces which you will want to lick off your fingertips (again, trust us). We liked how the soy coating was not overly salty, while the spicy sauce will delight those looking for a fiery kick.

There’s a place for sushi, and there’s a place for kimbap. And those who think that these two are the same should try the Korean Fishcake Kimbap ($7.90). Each bite comes loaded with textures – the crunch from the vegetables, with a nice bite from the fishcake strips. The seaweed exterior was also laced with some sesame oil before serving, lending the dish some nutty undertones.

While instant noodles are great, there’s just something about ramyeon that makes it taste much better. And CafeMama has a variety of Ramyeon Pots that elevate instant noodles to something special. Take for instance the Rabokki ($9.90), which comes with a mixture of topokki, ramen, and dumpling served in a bowl of vibrant-red sauce. It tasted less spicy than it looks, with spicy-sweet broth that made for a nice savoury slurp.

But the best way to consume ramyeon would have to be in the form of Budae Jjigae or army stew. The sharing option here is good for two to three people, and the individual portion goes for $9.90. It features all the usual suspects: luncheon meat, sausages, sliced onions, kimchi, topokki, tofu, and instant noodles with cheese. Even better is the promotion that CafeMama is running, where this huge serving of piping comfort is going for a promotional price of $23.90 (usual price $29.90). Do look out for additional variants that CafeMama will be releasing as well, from chicken to seafood and more.

Students, listen up. CafeMama is also running four affordable student set meal promotions at The Clementi Mall from Mondays to Fridays, 1pm to 5pm, for all students 18 years and below. They have got the Chicken Set ($6.90) and Burger Set ($6.90) which comes with fries and soft drinks, and the Kimbap Set ($8.90) and Ramyeon Set ($8.90) which comes with a side of small topokki and soft drinks. This is one value-for-money option all students in the area shouldn’t miss (it also had us wishing we could be students again).

They also have a a variety of sweet treats to end your meal on a sweet note. Try their Iced Sikhye ($2.50), which is their signature sweet rice punch reminiscent of a mild barley drink, or the Yuzu Tea ($2.50) that is equal parts sweet, zesty, and refreshing. They also have a selection of patbingsu which includes the Green Tea Bingsu ($5.90), Mango Bingsu ($5.90) or the highly photogenic Specialty Bibimbap Bingsu ($9.90).

Also, exclusive to The Clementi Mall outlet is their Christmas Bingsu 2017 Promotion, happening from 10 Nov to 31 Dec. Simply spend a minimum of $30 to redeem a free Christmas Bingsu, worth ($9.90).

This post was brought to you by CafeMama.