Seorae – First Galmaegisal Restaurant in Singapore Opens a New Outlet in JEM

Everyone loves Korean dramas, me included. My favourite dramas are usually the historical ones, and my favourite scenes would be those of the the emperor holding imperial household feasts. The dishes are always so colourful, and the meats so very appetising.

You can now get your fix of premium pork cuts, that were reserved only for the royals and the affluent, at Seorae’s newest outlet at Jem!

Known as Galmaegisal in Korea, this cut of ‘skirt meat’ is found in tiny portions in every pig. In fact, a fully grown adult pig only has 250g of Galmaegisal in its body. So rare!

Seorae is the first restaurant in Singapore to import this exclusive cut of meat, and diners can now enjoy it freshly barbecued right in front of your eyes!

The Galmaegisal meat ($21.90) is painstakingly massaged and marinated for over 3 hours to ensure that the pork is flavourful and tender. Choose from three different marinades – original Korean spice mix, garlic or spicy. We liked all three as each complemented the juicy, tender and flavourful meats really well. If we had to pick one, the spicy version stood out for us the most as we enjoyed that extra heat. Shiok!

Now’s the best time to try the Galmaegisal meat! If you are a POSB or DBS card holder, you’re entitled to a 20% discount off your purchase of BBQ Pork!

Other meats include the Seorae Samgyeobsal ($24.90), which is Kurobuta pork belly sliced into a special Seorae flower pattern. The flower pattern isn’t created just because it’s pretty. The chef shared that cutting the pork belly into such a peculiar shape allows the meat to retain its juices when grilled. The grilled pork belly is mouth-watering, and irresistible. Don’t forget to dip the thin slices of pork into the homemade onion sauce!

Grilled beef lovers will be delighted to know that Seorae offers Woosamgyeob ($22.90) – thinly sliced U.S. beef short plate marinated with a special juicy sauce that is concocted from Korean pears.

All grilled meat orders come with eggs and cheese, which diners can cook in the side pockets on the grill. That means more flavour combinations for the same price!

Some other must-tries include the Cheese Mandu Tteokbokki ($28.90 when purchased with 2 grill meats, or $38 for a la carte) which is good for two. Served in a hotplate, the centre is a sweet, spicy and savoury volcanic-red pot of tteokbokki stew with fried fish cakes, veggies and gooey melted cheese. The accompanying sides – corn-cheese dumplings, Korean ramen, hard boiled eggs and corn kernels are served in the side pockets around the hot plate.

If you are coming in groups of 2 or 3, you might want to order the Seorae grill sets, with a choice of Ultimate Pork Set ($79), Ultimate Beef Set ($99) or Ultimate Mix Set ($89).

The Hameul Pajeon ($17.90) is a traditional Korean pancake, that is full of seafood and spring onions, served with a sour and spicy sauce. Fried till the edges are nice and crispy, and the centre still moist and chewy, it’s a great dish to have with the ever-so-adorable Pineapple Cocktail ($22.90). Served in an actual pineapple, this fruity blend of pineapple and soju is a great drink to have after a long day of work, or to celebrate a night out.

If you’re looking for a quick one-dish meal, opt for a piping hot jjigae (Korean stew) that comes with a bowl of steamy hot rice. I liked the Sundubu Jjiggae ($14.90) which is, coincidentally, also the chef’s recommendation. The stew is served, still bubbling, in a traditional Korean ddukbaegi (hot pot), which has excellent thermal properties that keep its contents hot even after being taken off the fire.

The bright-red stew is laden with tofu, minced pork, fresh clams and vegetables, before being topped with a raw egg yolk. Poke the yolk and capture that flowing goodness! This dish is definitely a great choice for a quick meal or on rainy days where all you need is a warm and hearty bowl of stew.

Jjigaes are tastier when they’re shared with loved ones. The 2 in 1 Jjigae set ($35.90 with at least 2 grilled meat purchased at regular price, $45.90 if ala carte) is perfect for sharing. Choose from a variety of broths – kimchi, spicy doenjang (bean paste), non-spicy doenjang, gochujang (red chilli) and non spicy bulgogi sauce. The set comes with fresh vegetables and a choice of 150g of pork collar or beef belly meat.

If that’s not enough, top up an additional $28 for two BBQ meats! Choose from the Samgyeobsal (pork belly), Yangnyeom Mokksal (marinated pork collar), Woosamgyeob or Spicy Dakgalbi (marinated chicken thigh) and get grilling!

Right now, Seorae is having a weekday fiesta promotion. Enjoy the 2-in-1 jjigae with 2 BBQ meats for only $69! Free side dishes, 4 rounds of steamed egg on grill and barley tea, are also part of the package.

The premium barbecue meats offered at Seorae are so exclusive that you can’t get them anywhere else. Seorae is the first Korean BBQ restaurant in Singapore that serves Galmaegisal. If you’re not a fan of grilled meats, the restaurant also has tasty traditional Korean dishes such as Japchae ($14.90) and a variety of jjigaes that will definitely tickle your fancy.

On top of the wide variety of Korean dishes, Seorae @ Jem also has a salad bar where diners can get an unlimited flow of ban chan (side dishes) such as kimchi, beansprouts and potatoes, with any order of grilled meat.

In light of the festivities, Seorae is rolling out two different promotions that you absolutely can’t miss!

Seorae is offering a 50% discount on weekdays (2pm to 5pm). Simply order 2 grilled meats, or more, or rack up a minimum spending of $35, to be eligible for the promotion.

Seorae also has discounts even if you’re not dining in on a weekday for lunch. Spend $88 on ala carte purchases in a single receipt per table, and get $20 off your total bill!

This post was brought to you by Seorae.