Hoodadak Korean Restaurant has pork soup and rice in One-north
As a Korean native, personally, thereโs nothing a warm bowl of gukbap AKA Korean pork soup and rice canโt fix. This dish is treasured as one of my comfort foods to have at the end of an exhausting day, so Iโve embarked on a personal journey to look for restaurants in Singapore that would momentarily bring me back home. My attempt has been like finding a needle in a haystackโuntil Hoodadak Korean Restaurant in One-north came through.ย
A plethora of dishes is served here, including crowd favourites such as sundubu-jjigae and jajangmyeon. But my personal pick is undoubtedly the Dwaeji Gukbap, the classic Korean pork soup and rice dish, as this alone has made me a returning customer in a short span of two months.ย
Food at Hoodadak Korean Restaurant
While conversing with the restaurant i-mo (aunt), it came to my knowledge that soup dishes sell like hotcakes here. There are two types of gukbap to choose from: Sundae Gukbap and Dwaeji Gukbap. The only difference between these two dishes is that the former includes both pork and sundae (Korean blood sausage), while the latter only features pork.
If Dwaeji Gukbap sounds familiar, thatโs because the dish rose to fame when famous Korean restaurant Um Yong Baek landed on our shores last year. Iโve yet to try the uber-popular restaurant due to their long queues, but my dining companion had the privilege to when they first opened.ย
Back to Hoodadak: starting on a high note, their signature Dwaeji Gukbap ($17++) boasts a rich broth, generous portions of pork, and strands of chives.ย
Those who prefer a cleaner-tasting broth are good to go without the additional condiments served on the side. But for those with a penchant for heavier flavours, I highly recommend adding two huge scoops of the salted fermented shrimp as well as three scoops of their house-made seasoning sauce. Donโt let the red colour of the latter scare youโitโs barely spicy.
According to my dining companion, when compared to Um Yong Baekโs version, this pork soup tasted more homemade, though less polished. Hoodadakโs dish is also slightly cheaper than its counterpart, plus you donโt have to face the insanely long line, so itโs a big win in her books.
Every gukbap restaurant has a different take on the types of meat used, but pork leg and cheek are the most common parts you can find, and that was what we were served here. Though not the most tender, the gukbap meat was tasty with the right amount of porky flavour. Also, you get a generous portion of pork slices in each bowl for the price youโre paying.
If thereโs one thing you must know about gukbap, itโs the unalterable fact that the dish is best paired with kkakdugi AKA diced radish kimchi. Trust me when I say youโll find your fingers reaching out for the radish kimchi more than the regular cabbage version.ย
An elevated version of the Dwaeji Gukbap is Sundae Gukbap ($19++), which features a glorious combination of pork, chives, and sundae (blood sausage). Donโt let the label โblood sausageโ give you the impression that sundae is rather bizarre and unpleasantโyouโd be surprised to find out that itโs not meant to taste funky or strange.
The Sundae Gukbap features two types of sundae: one is packed with Korean glass noodles, while the other comprises more ingredients, such as pork and chives. According to the restaurant i-mo, the former is store-bought whereas the latter is hand-made. Appearance aside, the taste between the two is distinctly differentโI preferred the hand-made sundae as it was generously packed with filling.
While weโre here, we couldnโt possibly pass on their signature Seafood Pancake ($19++), which was sliced into eight triangles for a mess-free eating experience.ย
Packed with a variety of vegetables and seafood, the Seafood Pancake makes for a great dish to share with your friends and family. These Korean pancakes are best paired with the dipping sauce, which is mainly a combination of soya sauce and chilli powder.ย
There are two other pancakes, namely the Kimchi Pancake ($18++) and Seafood Pajeon ($20++), but the Seafood Pancake is said to be the most popular among the three.
At most restaurants, the mains often steal the limelight, but the best way to judge a Korean restaurant is by taking a bite of their side dishes. The banchan at Hoodadak Korean restaurant are not only hand-made with love, they are also switched up every now and then, which means you might get to try a new side each time you visit.
There were four different side dishes during our visit: kongnamul-muchim (soybean sprout), gaji-bokkeum (stir-fried eggplant), aehobak-bokkeum (stir-fried zucchini), and kimchi. Itโd be helpful to note that side dishes here are not free-flow, and they can only be refilled once.ย
A quick shout-out to my fellow Koreans residing in Singapore: donโt forget to make yourself known as a Korean to the staff as youโll be given an additional side dish! Koreans get free ojingeo-jeot, which is also known as salted fermented squid side dish. This special treatment is quite the tearjerker for those living away from home.ย
Ambience at Hoodadak Korean Restaurant
We were the first to set foot into the restaurant when it opened its doors at 11.30am. In less than 30 minutes, the busy footsteps of those working in the vicinity made their way over, and the restaurant was completely occupied in no time. There were a few Korean customers in sight, which I believe sets a benchmark for how bona fide the restaurant is.
Since this area is recognised as a business park brimming with startups and research institutions, itโs not the most frequented area for food. While Hoodadak Korean restaurant is not the most centrally located, itโs only a one-minute walk from One-north MRT Station. So if youโre in the area, you can consider dropping by the restaurant for a satisfying meal.
Another note to all Korean patrons: you donโt need to pay service charge hereโjust take it as the i-moโs fondness for her people.ย
The verdict
Hoodadak is helmed by three Korean chefs, so itโs not difficult to see why Koreans flock here for their authentic Korean pork soup and rice. Rewarding myself with a piping hot bowl of gukbap after getting through a long day always hits the spot, so Iโll be back for more!
If youโd like to try Singaporeโs first duck KBBQ at Telok Ayer, you can head down to SODENG Korean Restaurant. Otherwise, check out Bulgogi Syo, a Korean hotplate restaurant with a unique three-step grilling process.
Address: 1 Fusionopolis Place, #01-10 Galaxis, Singapore 138522
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm
Tel: 6254 8650
Hoodadak Korean Restaurant is not a halal-certified eatery.ย
SODENG Korean Restaurant Review: Unique K-BBQ Duck, Duck Mandu And More In Telok Ayer
Photos were taken by Zi Hui Tan and edited by John Lery Villanueva.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.
Hoodadak Korean Restaurant Review: Legit Korean Pork Soup And Rice In One-northย
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8/10
Summary
Pros
– Offers a variety of Korean dishes other than Gukbap
– Soup was rich and delicious
– Gukbap is reasonably priced
Cons
– Lunch and dinner crowd can get overwhelming
– Not the most centrally located
Recommended dishes: Gwaeji Gukbap ($17++), Sundae Gukbap ($19++) and Seafood Pancake ($19++)
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm
Address: 1 Fusionopolis Place, #01-10 Galaxis, Singapore 138522
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