D’RIM Korean Steak House Review: Premium K-BBQ, Perilla Soba Noodles And More In Orchard

D’RIM Korean Steak House has premium K-BBQ in Orchard

In a space that looks somewhere between a traditional hanok house and a swanky upscale restaurant, the recently opened D’RIM Korean Steak House offers a pretty attractive dining experience. The Korean barbecue they offer has their staff grilling premium meats at your tableside, and their mains are presented in a “bansang” manner—a style of table setting designated for kings and nobles.

We recently dropped by this new Mandarin Gallery restaurant to try the fare and found ourselves mostly impressed with the overall experience.

Food at D’RIM Korean Steak House Review

We started with the Korean barbecue, and between the beef or pork set, we opted for the former. Titled D’RIM Beef Cuts ($125++ per person), this set arrived with a few cuts of sirloin steak, marinated short rib, chuck flap, vegetables, kimchi, and soybean tofu stew. Do note that a minimum of two diners is required when you order this.

The staff attending to us promptly began grilling the beef, starting with the cuts of nicely marbled chuck flap. While these slices of beef weren’t the juiciest or thickest, especially when compared to the other two cuts, they nevertheless had a good beefy flavour and were relatively easy to chew.

Then, the sirloin steak was finished with a gloriously pink centre and some grilled vegetables and mushrooms on the side.

Biting into it, the succulent goodness of this cut was readily apparent. The smokiness of the grill was also alluring, especially on parts with a more noticeable sear. Adding a splash of salt or a bit of wasabi or dipping sauce served on the side elevated the flavours as well.

Now on to the most delectable cut, the marinated short ribs. These were the juiciest, most tender pieces of beef yet, and the sweet and savoury marinade paired so well with the meat, I couldn’t stop lapping up piece after piece. On a side note, my colleague loved the sweet and fresh melon pieces that were grilled together with this cut of meat.

But the question is: for $125++, was this barbecue set worth it? As much as I enjoyed some of the cuts, I felt that for that price, every cut of meat should be exquisitely flavourful and melt-in-your-mouth. Sadly, that wasn’t the case, as only the marinated short rib was consistently excellent.

The main dishes we tried, however, were both superb. The first of these was the D’RIM Signature Noodle (from $26++), which I would essentially describe as cold soba drenched in perilla seed sauce.

More specifically, these are 100% buckwheat noodles with a sauce made out of perilla seeds. This sauce is made daily at the restaurant, using a special grinder that you can see in the picture above.

This dish turned out so delicious because of the highly aromatic and nutty sauce. It had a simultaneously refreshing and savoury quality, and the grainy bits of seed in the sauce added a nice little crunch to each bite. The chilled, silky buckwheat noodles and the various vegetables present here made it such a texturally satisfying dish to have.

This bowl of noodles also came with a few slices of beef heel muscle. This lean, chewy cut of meat wasn’t what you’d call luscious or tender, but its beefy flavour and more robust mouthfeel were a nice contrast to the soft and silky noodles.

The Pork Soybean Tofu Stew (from $28++) was the other main dish we tried, and boy did it hit the spot. This dish saw wonderfully soft pieces of pork belly and jowl, enoki mushroom, vegetables, and soft tofu featured in a piquant and savoury fermented soybean-based stew. After all those heavy beef dishes, ending the meal with some comforting stew and a bowl of rice brought balance to the dining experience.

Ambience at D’RIM Korean Steak House

As mentioned in the introduction, D’RIM Korean Steak House’s otherwise modern appearance is enhanced by nods towards traditional hanok-style house—these can be seen with the sliding doors and the gate at the restaurant’s entrance. It’s also quite spacious, capable of hosting several groups in the general dining area as well as in the private rooms.

D’RIM Korean Steak House is a seven-minute walk from Somerset MRT Station.

The verdict

While I wasn’t entirely sold on the premium barbecue set we tried, I was nevertheless impressed with the other dishes as well as the overall service and atmosphere of the restaurant. And so if you’re a fan of Korean food, I would recommend you give D’RIM Korean Steak House a shot.

For Wagyu and Iberico K-BBQ with free-flow sides in Telok Ayer, read our Ajoomma Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant review. For a family-run Korean restaurant with popular jjajangmyeon, tangsuyuk and more, check out our MukJja review.

Address: 333A Orchard Road, #02-14, Mandarin Gallery, Singapore 238897
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 10pm
Tel: 9660 9964
Website
D’RIM Korean Steak House is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Kaedynce Chew.
This was a media tasting at D’RIM Korean Steak House.