Nolboo Hangari Galbi

Finally I managed to have a chance to visit the new shopping mall in Katong. I have never been there but judging from the crowd I see when the bus passes by, I figured it might be good if I had the opportunity to visit it. So the time came and I was there for dinner.

Initially, we wanted to have a Japanese Shabu Shabu buffet but the queue was long and the service was seriously terrible. Feeling frustrated, we decided to move on to another restaurant which was several doors down... We settled at a Korean restuarant, Nolboo.

As we were being led through the dining area, I was actually feeling quite skeptical about Korean food. For one, Korean restaurants are not as popular as Japanese restaurants and I suppose I have never eaten from one that was good. Nonetheless, I decided to leave these skeptical attitude behind and just wait to see how well this restaurant does. I must say that the decor of this restaurant appeals to me. Simplicity with style.

As we settled at the table, we looked through the menu and was surprised at the wide variety of meats and seafood available for barbeque. There were also a wide variety of main dishes for us to choose from. We decided to leave the barbeque for our next visit if the whole dining experience was good so we ordered four main dishes. While we were waiting...

And here comes something interesting. I have never eaten it before and wondered what the taste would be like.

Alright, this is was what was served first. Pumpkin porridge. The texture is thick and kinda sticky and it tastes sweet. I didn't really like it not because it was not nice but because I do not really know how to appreciate pumpkins, except for the grilled ones. My mum actually enjoyed it and said it was good. So yeah, the verdict depends on your preference.

As we waited for the food, we were served barley tea. It is refillable and costs $0.90. It was actually quite an interesting drink. I was afraid that it would taste really wierd but it was nice. Mild and light.

So here are the sides that is complimentary. Just ask them for a refill when you have finished. Since we were not having the barbeque, we were given six complimentary sides. From the top left clockwise, there were radish kimchi, peanut with anchovies, beansprouts, cabbage kimchi, pickled vegetables and the last side is below... fishcake kimchi.

The sides were ok though I really enjoyed the peanut and anchovies one. I must say that the sides were really appetizing. The fishcake above is mild in tast and I felt the texture of the paste was not smooth. So the overall texture of this side was just ok for me. An overall pic of the sides served.

Here comes our Leek Pancake that we ordered.

Generous serving of leeks mixed with a pamcake mixture and pan-fried. The sliced chillies actually gives the pancake a refreshing spicy taste and the prawns gives the pancake a nice texture when you eat it. A sauce is served with the pancake and use it to lightly drizzle your slice before munching on it.

Here comes the first main dish served. Cod Fish Bibimbap. The serving was of a good portion. Two thick slices of cod fish served in this dish. Coming along with the dish was the spicy pepper paste for mixing in as you mix the ingredients with the rice. The cod fish is not only very tasty, it is not overcooked. It's smooth and flaky texture of the fish brings out the flavour of this dish. Furthermore, I was quite impressed that the stone bowl was still very warm as we left the restaurant. Although I have never been keen about Bibimbap, this one has really made me change my opinion. My verdict for this is MUST TRY!

Next up, one of my favourite Korean dish. Korean spicy stew with pork. It is not as spicy as its appearance and I must say that the portion of meat in it is quite generous. Tender pieces of pork belly was served in the soup or stew. The stew is tasty and perfect for the rainy weather. MUST TRY! I don't know if you can ask them to change the meat in it so if you are not a pork belly lover, then you may want to check with the service staff before ordering.

Another Bibimbap dish. The slices of beef is tasty and tender. Not chewy or overcooked. As with the cod fish one, the rice is tasty though they do not have the same ingredients in them. My personal preference is that the cod fish one is nicer though.

Last but not least, the Beef Short Ribs in Ginseng Soup. The soup carries a distinct yet not overpowering taste of Ginseng. In the soup, you will find dangmyeon which is glass noodles made from sweet potato starch, tender slices of beef, greens and shredded egg. For those who are not aware, beef short ribs is one of the most popular cut of beef. This is because it is between the chuck and short loin, which explains why the meat is tender and a good mix of lean meat, fat and muscle. My verdict is MUST TRY! Really good.

The overall dining experience was good. On a scale of 10, the food rates at 8.0, service at 7.0 and ambience at 7.0 so do try this place out at 112 Katong if you are in the area. One thing I can definitely be sure of is that I will be back to try their BBQ!

Info:

181 Orchard Road #08-04, Orchard Central, S238896        Tel: 6884 9151

391A Orchard Road #05-29, Ngee Ann City, S238873        Tel: 6733 9151

112 East Coast Road #03-06, 112 Katong, S428802           Tel: 6636 3119