BORNGA, Authentic Korean @ Star Vista

BORNGA probably the biggest chain of Korean BBQ restaurants globally has opened in Singapore. Located at Star Vista, it is joins the 33 outlets in Korea and 12 others in China, US and Indonesia.



This was an invitation to try out their cuisine and we were hosted by their PR folks and a Korean lady in charge of BORNGA. If you have not heard, they have patented recipes here that has been created by Korean celebrity chef Jong Won Paik.


What a big long plate of veggies. You think it's a lot? You will finish it with all the delicious meat that you eat here! Read on to see how to wrap the meats and you know these veggies won't be enough!


One of the interesting banchan that you will try is this 'Water Kimchi'. It's very light kimchi and it's a little cold and quite appetising!


Both my parents and parents-in-law have been to South Korea and they were always talking about all kinds of kimchi. I can't remember if they told me they have tried this before, but this was my first time having cold kimchi soup. It's usually hot and spicy kimchi soups that I had.


Quite a selection of banchans and these were quite good too!
Some of these goes well with other dishes too. It's always good to have Koreans eating with us to tell us exactly how to eat things. We have a habit of finishing everything up don't we?


Jap Chae ($23)
For those who have a liking for chewy korean glass noodles, this has been stir fried with beef and vegetables. Nicely flavoured and fragrant. I thought of my cousin who loves korean jap chae!


It was a lunch for 5 of us that day and this was our tables and mess. The grill that you see in the middle of the table had been designed that uses gas to heat up a layer of stones inside. Interesting eh?

The heated stone radiates an even layer of heat. Wonder is it why the grilled stuff here taste so much better?


Ggot Sal (prime cut and very tender unmarinated beef, $38)

There are those who likes marinated meats and those that prefer unmarinated ones. Which do you prefer? Dining at another place and was hosted once by Koreans too, it seems that many Koreans prefer unmarinated ones.



You just need to cook it just nice and not too long. Look at the marbling. It will all melt away when you grill it. All is left will be the tender pieces of beef.


The meats are unmarinated, so if you prefer, you can dip a little of the 3 types of oils and sauces that you will get depending on your orders. The dark one is the patented signature Woo Samgyup sauce that's imported from Korea to maintain consistency.


Turn it over in a while and it's almost ready!


Just the perfect doneness. It's still a little pink inside. Taste it and you will grow to love Korean food even more.  Don't over cook it or you will regret.


Woo Samgyup (thinly sliced beef with BORNGA's special sauce; $22) 

Their signature dish, with their patented recipe! Everyone that goes to BORNGA around the world will order this. Prepared from nicely marbled beef 'short plate' that has been very thinly sliced, it's only seasoned slightly with BORNGA's secret marinade and ready for us to cook. You don't get dark bulgogi meats, but natural colours of the meat.

The Korean lady showed us how she cooks it. Everyone does it differently, but her family does it this way. Put the nicely stacked meats as you see above. Just let it cook for a while, when it gets a bit cooked, it's really easy to take them apart.


Since it's now easy to take them apart, just move it to the sides and grill it till is sizzles. What a brilliant idea. No need to struggle at the beginning. Just a simpler way of cooking!


How do you eat it? Remember the banchans that has leeks? Roll some leaks in between the sliced beef and dip it in the Woo Samgyup sauce. I tell you, it's so delicious! Does that tempt you?


I love the taste of leeks so this was my kind of food. I know some of you hate it, so just skip it!
Just remember to save some of this from your banchans and eat it with your meats.


Another way to make it taste better and healthier is to grab some lettuce and the other darker leave that I forgot what it was (think it was baby bock choy),  some leeks, some radish kimchi and the warm grilled meat.


To eat it, grab it into a 'ball' and then stuff it in your mouth! Our petite korean lady could actually put it into her mouth! Wow! She said please no photo of her stuffing it in. LOL

It's a wonderful way of having the meats. The veggies were so fresh and crunchy. It really makes you eat your veggies! There's no hard and fast rules, just eat it the way you like it and add your banchans in.


BORNGA Naeng Myun (buckwheat noodles with cold broth, $15)

If you like cold noodles,  try the ones here. The cold broth had slurpee like texture. It's so cold, it's so so refreshing.


Moving the top away to let you see the cold buckwheat noodles.


Served with cold refreshing ingredients, if you are those who enjoy cold noodles, you will like it. I can't imagine my mum liking this though. She's the hot food kind of people.

I like it. I love Cold Vietnamese Noodles, Cold Japanese Noodles, so I have found another new love. Cold Korean Noodles! This is different from my usual Vietnamese and Japanese version. This has ice in it!



Something similar to the previous cold noodles, this is the Bibim Naeng Myun (buckwheat noodles in a spicy chilli sauce, $15)

This version is less wet and has very very spicy chilli sauce. Prepare to cry! It's spicy and delicious. Something about cold and spicy noodles just makes you want to try more of it. This is very subjective. Some of you might just not like it. 



Chadol Duenjang Jjigae (a traditional Korean soybean paste stew with beef, $16)

Another of their signature dishes, this is the Chadol Duenjang Jjigae. When you order this, they will cook it at a stove beside your table. It takes time to cook it. A pot with very watery soybean paste mixture and ingredients will be brought to you. It will be boiled until it becomes around half the liquid is left. A stew that's cooked in front of you.


The stew is then poured over a big bowl of rice. Yes the picture above is quite a big bowl!Another use of the banchans, the kimchi radish strips added into it makes it taste better.


The finger at the side will let you gauge how big the bowl is. ;-)
Give it a super good mix, just like how they do it in Korean dramas!

Can you already imagine the taste as you look at the photo above?
Carbo lovers will love it.


Tteokgalbi (ground rib meat patties mixed with a soy sauce seasoning and then grilled, $20)

Meat eaters, this might be something you might want to order!
I was told this is just ground beef with seasoning. No other fillers.


This thin layer of beef is so tasty! I can easily finish the whole lot!
It's soft and yet firm and have a little crisp layer because of the cooking style.

 

At the end of your meal, this unique tasting drink will be served. Complimentary, this is Omija. It's a 5 flavoured tea, so some might not like it at all. It's combination of taste. I thought it was weird on the first mouth, but I boldly took the 2nd and it became better. I did drink a few more mouths but did not finish it.  ;-)

Note: Like all Korean BBQ places, expect to smell (good) with all the food being grilled. So do not plan to have meetings after this meal. 


BORNGA
1 Vista Exchange Green
#02-24, The Star Vista
Singapore 138617

Tel: 6694 4696
Hours: 11:30am to 10pm daily