EIGHT Korean BBQ

Located at The Central, Eight adds to the slew of Korean barbecue restaurants, which continue to enjoy immense popularity in Singapore. Chandel Lim puts her tastebuds to the test.

The 8 Colours Set features 8 different flavours of meat, to be grilled, and also includes a Seafood Bean Paste Stew to end off the meal.

The husband-and-wife team that brought in Australian candy craze Sticky in 2008 are back in the local food scene with a sizzling new Korean barbecue dining concept.

Unlike most popular barbecue eateries where diners choose and grill meat over pans, Eight is a full-service restaurant. The entire process — from the preparation to the cooking — is done by the staff. While this might take the fun away in DIY cooking, it leaves the diners to focus on the meal and its array of flavours instead.

The star of the menu is the 8 Colours Set ($98). This dish is enough for three to four people and features thick cuts of 100 per cent Berkshire pork belly imported from the US in eight marinades — wine, original, ginseng, garlic, herb, curry, miso and red pepper paste. The pork, usually marinated for six to eight hours, is then rolled and served on a wooden tray, which comes carved with the names of the respective flavours.

The pink-hued Berkshire pork has a 50/50 balance of lean and fatty meat, which ensures that the texture is tender and juicy. The layers of pork fat sizzle as they hit the grill.

The must-try marinades are wine and garlic, which enhance the natural taste of the savoury Berkshire pork. The meat with the wine marinade was mild initially and then bitter, ending on a lingering sweet aftertaste. Meanwhile, the ginseng marinade was so bland that I even mistook it for the original cut.

Once cooked on the grill, the edges of the marinated meat (from top: ginseng, curry, miso, red pepper paste) are slightly charred yet crisp, while still managing to retain its juices and flavour.

On the other hand, the bolder flavours like miso and red pepper paste pack a punch without overwhelming the freshness of the Berkshire pork. They also pair well with the refreshing and crunchy sangchu, or lettuce wraps.

In order to best enjoy the meat’s full range of flavours, cook the more robustly marinated cuts after trying lighter ones like wine and garlic.

The 8 Colours Set is accompanied by banchan (Korean appetisers), which are made in-house, as well as the Seafood Bean Paste Stew — a pot of hearty stock filled with fresh mussels, clams and prawns. The rich flavour of the stock complements the sweetness of the seafood.

If you are a carb lover, fill up on the Fried Rice ($8), which is fried on the grill pan with kimchi and a sweet Korean chilli paste. A staple in Korean cuisine, this dish will satisfy your craving for something sweet, salty, sour and spicy all in one mouthful.

Customers of Eight can also expect a comfortable and convenient experience with the restaurant’s diner-friendly features. Where oily grill pans and oil splatters are common in other Korean barbecue restaurants I have visited, Eight put me at ease with their seats that double up as storage areas, specially designed to protect diners’ belongings and thereby sparing my bag from any possible damage from oil splatters. I also didn’t have to worry about oily grill pans because they are placed at a slight angle on the stove so that the excess oil flows into a small waste trap.

If you don’t want to smell of barbecue fumes at the end of your meal, you may also opt for alfresco dining at the breezy 32-seater balcony, which overlooks Clarke Quay and the Singapore River.

Eight Korean BBQ sheds the traditional image of barbecue restaurants where diners cook meat over a grill at the centre of the table in a smoky environment. Instead, enjoy a cosy gathering with friends and family in a frills-free modernised setting.