8 E!ght Korean BBQ

8 E!ght Korean BBQ
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#02-79 The Central

http://8koreanbbq.com/

Grilling

Of Woolly Pigs And Fatty Pork

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Ambience & Setting: 4
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 9
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $51 per person.

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Named for their signature dish, 8 E!ght Korean BBQ is a Korean barbecue restaurant, specialising in premium barbecue meats. Their speciality is Mangalica pork belly in 8 different flavours, sourced from the 'wagyu kobe beef' equivalent of pigs, the woolly Hungarian Mangalica / Mangalitza hog / pig, which is a considered a national treasure in Hungary. Established by husband and wife team Jamie and Kristin Lim in September 2013, 8 E!ght Korean BBQ is also known for their beef (USDA Prime & Kagoshima Wagyu), and excellent tableside service.

Ambience at 8 E!ght Korean BBQ is industrial chic, think rough brick walls and bare concrete floors. I didn't like the dim lighting and poor ventilation indoors, as the smell of barbecue meats hang heavily in the air, but at least it's not smoky. I preferred the breezy outdoor seating, with its partial view of Clarke Quay and the Singapore River. The modern cushioned stools are semi-comfortable, and the sturdy black tables sufficiently large, with an electric stove built into the center.

Service at 8 E!ght Korean BBQ is fantastic. Staff are friendly and polite, and I observed them to be rather proficient at service recovery, as well as quick to clear empty / dirty tables. They're able to answer questions about the dishes with detailed descriptions, great product knowledge! Staff even help to prepare and cook your orders at the table! The only self-service part is making payment, which you have to do at the cashier counter. Still, very memorable service, love the interaction!

Food at 8 E!ght Korean BBQ is about premium, barbecued meats (pork and beef), with a small selection of other Korean dishes to complement. In particular, the Mangalica pork belly in 8 different flavours, the Mangalica pork neck & jowl, the USDA prime beef short rib, the Kagoshima Joshu wagyu beef ribeye, and the Argentinean grass-fed beef ribeye, are the highlights here. Potions are designed for sharing, between 2 - 5 people. Due to the premium nature of the meats, prices are higher than other barbecue / BBQ restaurants, budget about SGD $51 per person for a meal here.

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8 E!ght Korean BBQ Signage

8 E!ght Korean BBQ Logo

Hot Stove

8 E!ght Korean BBQ Table Grill

Mangalica Pig Soft Toy

Loved the refreshing Yuzu Makgeolli / Yuzu Rice Wine (SGD $35), with its sweet sour zesty citrus flavour! This house brewed beverage is thick and creamy with a yoghurt-like texture. The Makgeolli / Rice Wine infused with yuzu fruit makes for a great pairing with the more heavy, savoury barbecued meats.

Yuzu Makgeolli / Yuzu Rice Wine (SGD $35)

Yuzu Makgeolli / Yuzu Rice Wine

In true Korean fashion, they offer a series of complimentary banchan / side dishes with your meal, some of which changes daily. Mostly clean, fresh, light, or sharp flavours here, be it Kkakdugi / Pickled Daikon Radish, Kkakdugi Ganjang Jjalishan / Pickled Daikon Radish In Soy Sauce & Chili, Kongnamul / Cold Soy Bean Sprouts, Kimchi Baechu / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage, Sigeumchi Namul / Boiled Spinach, Kimchi Oi Sobaegi / Kimchi Pickled Cucumber, Gamja Saelleodeu / Potato Egg Salad, or Macaroni & Cheese, all of which contrast nicely with the heavy, savoury barbecued meats. They do offer fresh, crunchy Sangchu / Lettuce, for wrapping the meat! And some orders are served with Onions & Trumpet Mushrooms, which lends flavour to the meat!

Kkakdugi / Pickled Daikon Radish

Kkakdugi Ganjang Jjalishan / Pickled Daikon Radish In Soy Sauce & Chili

Kongnamul / Cold Soy Bean Sprouts

Kimchi Baechu / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage

Sigeumchi Namul / Boiled Spinach

Kimchi Oi Sobaegi / Kimchi Pickled Cucumber

Gamja Saelleodeu / Potato Egg Salad

Macaroni & Cheese

Sangchu / Lettuce

Onions & Trumpet Mushrooms

Tried the Mangalica Pork Belly 4 Flavours (SGD $58 Set), where we choose 4 of the 8 types of flavoured Mangalica / Mangalitza pork belly available. So cute, it's served in a roll on a wooden board! This set meal is just sufficient for 2 people, and comes with a Korean style, Seafood Soft Tofu Stew (SGD $24) on the side.

Mangalica Pork Belly 4 Flavours (SGD $58 Set)

The Mangalica / Mangalitza Pork Belly - Gochujang / Red Pepper Paste has a light coating of the savoury spicy paste, a Korean signature. This infuses the pork belly with a nice flavour, but also causes the meat to brown more quickly. Pretty good, worth ordering!

Mangalica Pork Belly - Gochujang / Red Pepper Paste

Felt the Mangalica / Mangalitza Pork Belly - Galbi Ganjang / Barbecue Soy Sauce, with its light coating of savoury salty sauce on the pork belly, was the most ordinary tasting of the lot. Decent enough, but not outstanding or memorable, I would only order this for completion's sake.

Mangalica Pork Belly - Galbi Ganjang / Barbecue Soy Sauce

The Mangalica / Mangalitza Pork Belly - Mogcho / Herb was my personal favourite. Infused with fragrant herbal rosemary, the pork belly takes on a wonderfully fresh taste. Highly recommended!

Mangalica Pork Belly - Mogcho / Herb

The Mangalica / Mangalitza Pork Belly - Maneul / Garlic has that sharp, tangy, spicy flavour of garlic. Loved how tasty it made the pork belly, would order this again!

Mangalica Pork Belly - Maneul / Garlic

The Mangalica / Mangalitza Pork Belly - Doenjang / Miso has a salty savoury flavour from the marinade, and along with the fatty pork belly, the flavours coat the palate delightfully. Pretty nice, and it pairs well with white rice.

Mangalica Pork Belly - Doenjang / Miso

The Mangalica / Mangalitza Pork Belly - Kaleyoli / Curry has a slightly fragrant, floral savoury spice taste of the curry marinade on the pork belly, though it wasn't as intense as I would like. Rather average at best.

Mangalica Pork Belly - Kaleyoli / Curry

Absolutely loved the USDA Prime Beef Short Rib (SGD $38), with its moist, tender, savoury salty, meaty flavour! The beef sizzles satisfiyingly on the grill, and is wonderfully tender, almost melting away in the mouth. Each ala-carte order is 200 grams. Lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, the marbling is beautiful. Highly recommended!

USDA Prime Beef Short Rib (SGD $38)

I feel the Seafood Soft Tofu Stew (SGD $24) here is weak, the thin soup / broth is nearly plain, lacking the rich flavour of Korean spices. The generous amount of cabbage within lacks the kimchi marinade, and the tofu is firm, flying in the face of the description. At least the seafood is fresh and decently portioned, with bouncy squid rings, plump mussels, plump clams, and a large prawn. Not worth ordering on its own, but it's served as part of a set meal.