It seems like we’re at K11 MUSEA every week to try a new restaurant. This past week, we ventured to Baekmidang to try the Korean brand’s “restaurant within a restaurant” concept. This eatery is rather like a Russian doll, with the flagship Chul Grill hidden behind a wooden-panelled wall wrapped within the popular artisanal dessert outlet. Push open the cleverly disguised door and you will find yourself inside a rather darkly decorated restaurant with an open-grill kitchen that is in stark contrast to the airy, bright dessert shop just steps away.
The Chul Grill restaurant serves up the same menu as its Korean cousin, focusing on premium Korean beef. Our meal started with cold glasses of jeju matcha milkshake ($68) and 17-grain iced tea ($45) from the general Baekmidang menu. The milkshake was thick and frothy, while the 17-grain tea reminded us of the roasted grain tea popular at Japanese restaurants.
Most of the grilled dishes are served in Korean cast-iron pans for heat retention. The Minsok Hanwoo beef 1+ strip loin steak with grilled vegetables and sizzling rice ($398) comes with seasoning two options: soy sauce marinade or salt and pepper. We opted for the simple salt and pepper to fully taste the flavour of the beef, which was deliciously juicy although a tad overdone. It could also have benefited from a dash more seasoning. The rice had crisp charred bits thanks to the hotplate, reminding us of our favourite part of claypot rice and paella.
The spicy seafood hotpot ($168) is filled with prawns, abalone, clams, scallops and fish and topped with a dollop of mozzarella cheese. It reminded us of a refined version of the classic Korean “army stew”. The chewy hand-pulled dough (sujebi) soaked up all the flavours of the hotpot stock.
Our meal finished with a caramel coffee shaved ice ($128) that’s exclusive to the K11 MUSEA branch. The silky-smooth espresso made for a refreshing combination with the soft-serve ice cream and shaved ice.
Verdict
We’re fans of Korean beef, and the strip loin at Chul Grill had plenty of robust flavour but was underseasoned and a bit overcooked. We would come back for Baekmidang’s delicious ice cream and desserts.
Shop B111 and B225A, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 5205 1327
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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