Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant Review: Popular K-BBQ With Live Seafood In Telok Ayer

Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant has a revamped menu at Telok Ayer

When we reviewed Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant at Telok Ayer last year, we were impressed with their high-quality cuts of beef and pork and general Korean barbecue experience. Recently, we were invited to try their fare yet again, this time with a revamped menu and a special promotion for the June holidays.

From now till 30 June 2024, each table can send one representative to take part in the Moo-ve & Tail challenge to earn prizes such as 30% discount off your total dining bill, free complimentary dishes and more!

This challenge requires you to get blindfolded, spin around three times, and try to stick the cow’s tail to a picture of a cow. Where you end up sticking the tail decides which prize you get!

Food at Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant

We started with the Truffle Steamed Egg ($16++), a comforting starter infused with truffle oil. Regrettably, the steamed egg was a little dry, but its savoury notes, combined with the aromatic ground black pepper and fragrant truffle oil, earned a few points in my book.

Our other starter, a new menu item, fared better. The Black Trumpette Angus Beef Tataki ($32++), which offered slices of Angus beef paired with summer truffle, a dash of yuzu, ponzu pearls, and ponzu dressing, quickly whetted my appetite with its tenderness, tart flavour, and earthy aroma.

Now, moving on to the barbecue portion of our meal. We were served the US Prime 2mm Beef Short Plate ($31++) and 2mm Pork Belly ($28++), both of which were solid cuts of meat. The beef in particular was packed with flavour and literally melted in my mouth—I didn’t even need to chew much.

The pork belly was good, too—tender pork belly slices with just the right fat-to-meat ratio and the nutty flavour of Iberico pork. We enjoyed savouring this meat with Ajoomma’s spicy chilli sauce, which added a piquant, zesty kick.

We also tried some new seafood dishes that you can sizzle up, too. The Pan-Seared Scallops ($38++) was sizeable and juicy even after barbecuing, while the new South Africa Live Abalone ($18++ per piece)—which remains alive right till it is on the grill—was wonderfully fresh and tender.

As for main dishes, we were pleased with the new addition Korean Beef Tartare Bibimbap ($35++).

Raw beef strips, soy sauce, sesame oil, pear and cheddar cheese, and a raw egg yolk make up this rice dish, and the result was quite something. Its harmonious blend of sweet, salty, and umami flavours, along with the tender and fatty ground beef, made this a hearty and moreish dish.

Ambience at Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant

Ajoomma offers intimate dining spaces across three spacious levels, with some housing private rooms equipped with karaoke systems. If karaoke isn’t your jam, retreat to the cosy dining booths instead and immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere enhanced by bussin’ K-pop tunes.

Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant is a three-minute walk from Telok Ayer MRT Station.

The verdict

My visit to Ajoomma’s undoubtedly marked one of my more memorable Korean BBQ experiences. Their meat quality, particularly the beef, was top-notch, and I enjoyed every single dish, from their mains and appetizers down to their free-flow side dishes.

Without a doubt, I’ll be returning to Ajoomma the next time my Korean food cravings hit. But this time, I’ll make sure to arrive with an empty stomach and, perhaps, don a pair of more forgiving jeans to accommodate the feast that awaits.

For more Korean food in the area, check out our list of best Korean restaurants in the CBD. If you’re craving a savoury bowl of jjajangmyeon, read our Itaewon Jjajang review instead.

Address: No 2 & 4 Gemmill Lane, Singapore 069247
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 11pm
Tel: 8789 8650
Website
Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Maisie Chong.
This was a media tasting at Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant.