Three Meals A Day

Three Meals A Day
12 Chun Tin Road

138 Robinson Road
#01-07 Oxley Tower

https://www.facebook.com/ThreeMealsaDaySG/

Gwangeohoe Hoimuchim / Raw Halibut Seasoned Salad (SGD $35)

Hearty, Authentic Korean Dishes

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $54 per person.


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Established in May 2015, Three Meals A Day is a Korean family restaurant that has no relation to the popular Korean reality cooking show of the same name. Often frequented by Korean families, Three Meals A Day is almost always crowded, even though the COVID-19 circuit breaker measures in Singapore have eased off slightly. Reservations here are a must, else, the waiting time for a seat can be 30 minutes or more.

Ambience at Three Meals A Day is homely, comfortable, and casual. With safe distancing measures in place, the sturdy wooden tables are spaced far apart, yet, the place still looks crowded, a testament to how spacious it is. The comfortable cushioned chairs are great for lingering meals, while the bright lights overhead cast a defused glow. I note there isn't much cooking odour in the air, seems like they have good ventilation.

Service at Three Meals A Day is efficient but transactional. Staff are Korean, and can converse in English, but tend to keep to themselves. Orders are taken and fulfilled smoothly, and I note staff clean up quickly when diners are finished. They assume some familiarity with traditional Korean dishes, as their product knowledge of the menu is fairly basic. I also wish they topped up water jugs proactively.

Food at Three Meals A Day is focused on traditional Korean cuisine, with the menu having a wide range of options. As a family restaurant operating for a few years now, dishes are hearty and consistently well executed, bold in taste and visually satisfying on the plate. Portions are sized for communal group dining. Prices are affordable to mid-range, with a shared meal costing around SGD $54 per person.


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Three Meals A Day Signage

Three Meals A Day Exterior

Three Meals A Day Interior

Banchan / Side Dishes (SGD $Complimentary)

The Soju Chamisul Jinro Green Grape (SGD $18) is a type of soju, similar to a vodka as it's a distilled liqueur made from rice. Unlike vodka though, soju has a natural hint of botanicals which results in a smoother taste, and is flavoured with fruit to make it pleasant to drink. The green grape soju is lovely with fruity sweet flavour; the addictive taste masking the high alcohol content of 13%. So refreshing and easy to drink.

Soju Chamisul Jinro Green Grape (SGD $18)

Soju Chamisul Jinro Green Grape

The Kimchi Baechu / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage (SGD $Complimentary) has a fresh crunchy texture to the pickled napa cabbage, with sharp vegetal sour spicy sweet flavour. Highly recommended!

Kimchi Baechu / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage (SGD $Complimentary)

The Eomuk Bokkeum / Stir-Fried Fish Cake (SGD $Complimentary) features tender bouncy fish cake strips in a light sesame oil, with mild savoury sweet nutty flavour. Good!

Eomuk Bokkeum / Stir-Fried Fish Cake (SGD $Complimentary)

The Myeolchi Bokkeum / Fried Anchovies (SGD $Complimentary) features crisp anchovy fishes, fried till it crunches gently in the mouth, seasoned with salt and sugar. Has a lovely sweet savoury salty flavour that lingers on the palate. Good!

Myeolchi Bokkeum / Fried Anchovies (SGD $Complimentary)

The Kongnamul / Cold Soy Bean Sprouts (SGD $Complimentary) has chilled bean sprouts with a refreshing crunchy texture, and sharp vegetal sweet spice earthy flavour. This had a slight bitter note as well though, didn't quite enjoy it. Could be improved.

Kongnamul / Cold Soy Bean Sprouts (SGD $Complimentary)

The Gamja Jorim / Braised Potatoes (SGD $Complimentary) features tender cubes of braised potatoes and soft braised white onions, having mellow earthy starchy sweet flavour. Pretty alright. Worth ordering!

Gamja Jorim / Braised Potatoes (SGD $Complimentary)

The fusion Makaloni Saelleodeu / Chilled Macaroni Salad (SGD $Complimentary) has soft bouncy macaroni paste tubes coated in a light mayonnaise sauce, tossed with tender carrots. Has a mild milky vegetal sweet flavour. Didn't appeal to me.

Makaloni Saelleodeu / Chilled Macaroni Salad (SGD $Complimentary)

Surprised to see they have Soondae / Blood Sausage (SGD $10) on the menu, it's a rarity in Singapore. These feature blood-infused glutinous rice stuffed in pig's intestine sausage casings, resulting in a crunchy snappy texture on the exterior, with a soft chewy interior. I like that the blood sausage is mild on the mineral notes, being more sweet savoury in taste. Quite pleasant, but purists might disagree. Worth ordering!

Soondae / Blood Sausage (SGD $10)

Soondae / Blood Sausage

The Gimbap Gyeran / Seaweed Rice Roll Egg (SGD $10) is an uncommon dish. I like the rendition here; with crisp dried seaweed wrapped around sticky vinegared rice, stuffed with diced cubes of juicy cucumber, crunchy pickled daikon radish, tender pork luncheon meat / spam, soft crab stick meat, and fluffy rolled egg omelette. Bite into the seaweed rice roll egg, and you get a complex combination of vegetal grainy sweet eggy savoury sour flavours all at once. Yummy. Good!

Gimbap Gyeran / Seaweed Rice Roll Egg (SGD $10)

Gimbap Gyeran / Seaweed Rice Roll Egg

Gimbap Gyeran / Seaweed Rice Roll Egg

The Soondubu Jjigae / Silken Tofu Stew (SGD $12) or Sundubu Jjigae has a warm bubbling stew of soft silken tofu beancurd, wispy egg, crunchy golden mushrooms, soft white onions, crisp leeks, and tender minced pork. They're generous with the ingredients, but I wish they gave more soup / broth, which was delicious with spicy savoury eggy sweet flavour. This hearty stew is accompanied by a bowl of sticky Ssalbap / Steamed White Rice, where the white rice holds bright grainy sweet flavour. There's also an option to replace the pork with seafood. Highly recommended!

Soondubu Jjigae / Silken Tofu Stew (SGD $12)

Soondubu Jjigae / Silken Tofu Stew

Ssalbap / Steamed White Rice

The Gwangeohoe Hoimuchim / Raw Halibut Seasoned Salad (SGD $35) is a unique dish. The base is a spicy vegetal sweet salad of crunchy shredded vegetables (including cucumber, carrots, cabbage, white onions, red chili, green chili) topped with crisp dried seaweed and tender chunks of raw halibut fish. Served with Gim / Dried Seaweed, you're supposed to plate some of the salad and fish into the dried seaweed, then wrap and eat it. The result is a sharp burst of flavour, predominantly a fiery kick that lingers and builds in the mouth. Not for the faint of heart. So shiok. Highly recommended!

Gwangeohoe Hoimuchim / Raw Halibut Seasoned Salad (SGD $35)

Gwangeohoe Hoimuchim / Raw Halibut Seasoned Salad

Gim / Dried Seaweed

Gwangeohoe Hoimuchim / Raw Halibut Seasoned Salad

The hotplate Bulgogi / Marinated Beef (SGD $13) is served while still gently sizzling. The tender strips of marinated beef and soft white onions have a bold savoury salty sweet meaty flavour, which I really like. Good!

Bulgogi / Marinated Beef (SGD $13)

Bulgogi / Marinated Beef

The hotplate Samgyeopsal Gui / Grilled Pork Belly (SGD $15) is served with a loud sizzle. The crunchy slabs of thick sliced pork belly burst with a juicy meaty savoury salty flavour when bit. Served with crisp fresh Sangchu / Lettuce which has bright vegetal sweet flavour. Paired with a thick gochujang / fermented red chili paste sauce which lends bold spicy sweet notes. I like wrapping the pork belly with the lettuce, dressed with some sauce. Highly recommended!

Samgyeopsal Gui / Grilled Pork Belly (SGD $15)

Samgyeopsal Gui / Grilled Pork Belly

Sangchu / Lettuce

We ordered the Half & Half Chicken (SGD $35) in order to sample both flavours. The Maneul Dak Ganjang / Garlic Soy Sauce Chicken Wings (SGD $17.50 Half) has chicken drumlets coated in a crisp and light batter, dressed in a reduction of garlic and light soy sauce, alongside roasted peanuts, red chili, and green chili. The chicken is tender, with bold sweet sour salty spicy flavours, yum. The Huraideu Chikin / Fried Chicken Wings (SGD $17.50 Half) has chicken drumlets coated in a crisp and light batter, and here, you taste the natural seasoning of the batter itself, which is delicately salty spice savoury in flavour. Both versions are above average renditions, though I have had better elsewhere. Good!

Maneul Dak Ganjang / Garlic Soy Sauce Chicken Wings (SGD $17.50 Half)

Maneul Dak Ganjang / Garlic Soy Sauce Chicken Wings

Huraideu Chikin / Fried Chicken Wings (SGD $17.50 Half)

Huraideu Chikin / Fried Chicken Wings

The Jjukkumi Bokkeum / Spicy Grilled Baby Octopus (SGD $30) features a large sizzling hotplate piled with ingredients. There's chewy tteokbokki / ddukbokki / rice cakes which take on the spicy savoury sweet gravy and become so flavourful, as well as crunchy cabbage and cucumbers with vegetal sweet notes. But the highlight is the medium-sized chunks of whole baby octopus, bouncy and chewy in texture, literally bursting with juices (which squirts out when bit, splashing everywhere and possibly scalding your mouth). Great spicy savoury sweet flavours here. Highly recommended!

Jjukkumi Bokkeum / Spicy Grilled Baby Octopus (SGD $30)

Jjukkumi Bokkeum / Spicy Grilled Baby Octopus

Jjukkumi Bokkeum / Spicy Grilled Baby Octopus

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