Marriott Café Singapore – Exciting Taste of Korea this August

With the ongoing K-pop wave, as well as, the recent craze over “Descendants of the Sun”, “Doctors”, “Uncontrollably Fond” and Korean variety programs such as “Running Man”, there’s no doubt that the popularity of Korean food will increase. Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s Marriott Café will tantalize the tastebuds of foodies with a preference for Korean food between 16 August and 31 August 2016.

Specially curated by guests chefs Choi Dae-hwan and Lee Jae-Bin from JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, you’ll get spoilt for choice with a delectable spread of hearty Korean delicacies. Korean Chef Choi Dae-hwan began his career in Yongsusan, one of the best Korean cuisine restaurants, and he worked his way up the ranks to become the Assistant Chef at just 24 years old. Shortly after joining JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square, Chef Choi brought Seoul’s dining scene to greater heights and received raved reviews when he crafted the Korean menu at the “2015 Cruise Collection” after-party by Chanel at the Seoul Dongdaemun Design Plaza. His passion for cooking stems from the desire to be creative in presenting unique local dishes to the discerning palates of both Korean and international diners.

Soup lovers can find comfort in the beef turnip soup, kimchi stew, dry Pollack soup, as well as, the soup of the day. Looking for something healthier to balance out the filling meal? Go for Korean salads such as bok choy namul, shitake mushroom and bean sprout namul.

Our favourite and the highlight of the buffet has got to be the Beef Bulgogi that is marinated overnight to give the beef its flavourful taste. The beef tasted sweet, juicy and tender. We couldn’t resist going back for second and third helpings.

There are also other meats such as An Dong Style Chicken Stew with Soy Sauce and Roast Chilli Halibut Fillet. The former was fork-tender and we felt that the chicken has soaked up the flavours of the broth just right. The latter, however, tasted a little average and we felt there’s nothing much to shout-out about.

The other Korean meat that’s well-liked by Koreans back in Seoul is Pork Belly Bossam. This thinly sliced pork belly is boiled in spices and the method of eating it is somewhat similar to BBQ pork belly in Korean BBQ restaurants where diners wrap the pork, together with rice, kimchi and some sauces, within a large lettuce leaf.

The ultimate crowd-pleaser is the Kimchi Pancake, primarily made with sliced kimchi, flour and other vegetables. This is normally served as a banchan (side dish) in Korea. We found this savoury and enjoyable. The pancake was fluffy and light yet crisp on the outside. Furthermore, we really loved the glass noodles with sautéed vegetables (japchae).

Your meal isn’t complete without a sweet ending and there is Korean sweet treats such as Sweet Red Bean Soup, Black Raspberry Tea Punch, Yakgwa (Korean pastry), as well as, an array of homemade cake, puddings, crèmes, curds and mousse.

There are also other international cuisines in the buffet that you can try, including sushi, sashimi, pasta, bread, cheese, seafood on ice etc.

The Taste of Korea Buffet lasts from 16 August to 31 August 2016. Korean Lunch Buffet from Monday to Saturday is priced at $59++ (adult) and $35++ (child) while on Sundays, it is priced at at $75++ (adult) and $46++ (child) inclusive of free flow juices and soft drinks and $98++ (adult) inclusive of free flow sparkling wine, beer and soft drinks. Korean Dinner Buffet from Sunday to Thursday is priced at $70++ (adult) and $38++ (child) while on Fridays and Saturdays, it is priced at $80++ (adult) and $40++ (child).