BORNGA, Korea’s leading chain of authentic BBQ restaurants recently opened in Singapore at The Star Vista, riding on the tide of the K-pop wave, making all things Korean, hip and trendy here.
Established in 2002 in Korea, BORNGA is the brainchild of Jong Won Paik, a successful celebrity chef in Korea. BORNGA has 33 branches in Korea. The restaurant in Star Vista is it’s first in Singapore and the 13th in addition to its worldwide outlets out of Korea ‐ after China (9 restaurants), United States (1 restaurant) and Indonesia (2 restaurants).
“For Koreans living in Singapore, BORNGA will offer a taste of home; for Singaporeans who are curious about our food, the restaurant will offer an authentic Korean dining experience that is akin to dining in any of our restaurants around the world.” shares chef Paik.
Does BORNGA lives up to its fanfare then?
Rachel and I went to eat at BORNGA a few weeks back:
We especially like their patented Woo Samgyup (thinly sliced beef with BORNGA’s special sauce; $22). This is the star attraction on the menu created by Chef Paik.
The meat is flavourful, tender and leaves you wanting for more after each bite.
Unlike the typical Korean BBQ dish of bulgogi which usually appears dull after marinating for at least half a day in a dark-colored sauce, BORNGA’s Woo Samgyup is served shortly after being doused in a unique BORNGA dressing that retains the meat’s natural colour, while enhancing the traditional ‘bulgogi’ taste.
Prepared from beef short plate (brisket) that is hand‐picked for its marbling, Woo Samgyup is best enjoyed when dipped in the signature Woo Samgyup sauce, another of Chef Paik’s patented creations. The Woo Samgyup sauce is imported from Korea to BORNGA restaurants internationally for assurance on consistency.
In addition to the patented Woo Samgyup, BORNGA also offers a variety of other BBQ dishes.
Another signature on the menu is the Chadol Duenjang Jjigae (a traditional Korean soybean paste stew with beef; $16). The stew is best reduced for a few minutes over the table-top stove before being enjoyed as a bibimbap, mixed in with a bowl of rice and assorted vegetables. For other non-grill options, try the delightful Haemul Pajeon (pancake made from scallions and a variety of seafood; $22).
If you order any BBQ dishes at BORNGA, the restaurant will serve up a long tray of fresh raw vegetables for diners to wrap your BBQ meats or in‐house made kimchi for a refreshing bite. Consisting of ten varieties of vegetables, the patented‐design tray is another of Chef Paik’s creation.
I am not a Korean food connoisseur, so I cannot really verify if the menu at BORNGA is really very authentic Korean. Nonetheless, I do know good food when I taste it and I enjoyed my meal at BORNGA.
I am sure most others will enjoy it too. This is about as good as it gets for BBQ food. 🙂
Here is the address and details if you are interested to visit:
Address: #02-‐24, The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green Singapore 138617
Tel: (65) 6694 4696
Korean website: www.bornga.co.kr
Opening Hours: 11:30am to 10pm daily
Seating: 74 indoors; 52 outdoors
