Entree Kibbles: Yoogane - Seafood and Chicken Galbi @ Westgate Shopping Centre [Singapore]

My first experience with Yoogane was actually in South Korea and even though we didn't order their signature dishes then, the marinated chicken bulgogi we had remained etched in my memory, on a positive note!

I endeavored to check out the Singapore branches when i am back to Singapore and finally managed to do so in the middle of last month with ratty Alex and the great Kon!

There was a queue of about twelve to fifteen persons but it was cleared pretty fast and we were brought to a table in like less than fifteen minutes by the friendly service staff. So don't get put off by the queue (i was, on two separate occasions before this); just be patient.

As with its Korean branch in Myeongdong (Seoul), there's a salad bar where you can pile up on the veggies. We are considerate people; from experiences, it's good to just take a minimal amount to sample first before you load up the quantity!

After deliberating on what to have, the hungry souls in us figured that a 3-4 pax serving would be just about right for 3 big men; two of whom are quite well known for their voracious appetite. To fill up the gaps, a few top ups would be necessary though.

In addition to the very good service we encountered throughout our dinner, there were a few touch points that made me wonder why some restaurants would not go the extra mile for their customers despite imposing a service charge. Complimentary ice water was a classic example.

Apron, to ensure your clothes remain unstained by any sauce / meat that might accidentally splatter on you, were also placed neatly at one corner of the table.

Tissues, not wet tissues, were nicely concealed in the cutlery drawer at no extra cost. Compare that to the wet tissues that would likely be added as an item on your bill.

Knowing how badly most of us would smell after the meal, bottles of deodorizer were even placed at the cashier counter where you can give yourselves a few sprays! Do note the type of fragrances; a man should stay away from the pink one known as Sheer Attraction.

Egg Roll

Recollecting the humongous one that i had at a non assuming restaurant in Seoul frequented by the locals, i was disappointed with the size of this. Moreover, it tasted normal and i would be better off asking my mom for a serving of stir fried onion / tomato egg!

Seafood and Chicken Galbi

Galbi means grilled by the way and this will be the main dish of the day. The toppings to enhance our dining experience included the mozarella cheese and additional fried rice (which was still a plate of plain white rice in the picture).

Composition for the Seafood and Chicken Galbi; highlight was obviously on the plate of red hot octopus! As a weak recipient of spicy food, Alex wasn't too pleased with its hot appearance.

Now's cooking time! This is usually the section i am most afraid of; i have a poor grasp of timing when it comes to cooking and i often have food that are either overcooked or under-cooked.

Here in Yoogane, the service staff would helm the wooden spatula! Heng ah! Nothing's better than leaving the cooking to the experts!

Doesn't the finished product look absolutely mouthwatering!? Mussels, prawns, octopus, chicken, vegetables; add in the aroma and i believe you can imagine how badly i wanted to stop taking photographs so that i can finally take a bite!

Okay, one last photo.

The ingredients were fresh, well-marinated with its highly touted "unique blend of sauces and seasoning" although the key to our tummy was actually the addictive spiciness! There were some burning at the lips and tummy but even our dear Alex could not resist taking one after another.

Toppings: Cheese and Rice

Halfway through our meal, we were asked to stop eating. Tsk tsk, so rude right? There was a valid reason of course; the staff required the sauce to fry the rice and cheese!

A master display of her well trained strokes that left us mesmerised; woah! Kon must be observing her every move so that he can work out something similar at his kitchen.

The toppings complemented perfectly with the seafood and chicken galbi and we were greatly satisfied except for one issue; too filling for us and it was a torture to clean up everything since we try not to waste food (Alex is out of the equation).

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