Kim Dae Mun Review: Korean Restaurant In Orchard With Mains Under $16 Nett

Kim Dae Mun on Orchard Road has affordable Korean food

Despite living in Singapore for so long, there’s one thing I still can’t get used to: the steep prices of Korean food. Stew, Korean pancake, and stir-fried meat are what I grew up eating, so having to fork out so much just to enjoy these dishes doesn’t make sense to me. But with the reality of costly Korean fare here, I started to have more appreciation for restaurants that maintain wallet-friendly prices, especially in this economy of inflation and GST hikes. Kim Dae Mun, with their nett prices, is an example of one such eatery, and I was hoping their offerings would be good enough for a second visit.

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Food at Kim Dae Mun

The menu sees a variety of appetisers and mains, which means there’s bound to be something for everyone here. I thought it would be a good idea to order a stew, a meat dish, and an appetiser to get a fair gauge of their food, so I decided on the Beancurd Soup ($10.50), Chives Pancake ($5), and Spicy Pork ($11.50).

My favourite of the lot was the Beancurd Soup, better known as sundubu jjigae. The piping hot stew came with a serving of rice in the iconic stainless steel rice bowl and kimchi on the side—a banchan of my choice.

Seafood lovers will enjoy the sundubu jjigae here: you get clams, squid, prawns, and mussels all in a single stone pot. I also liked that there was a good amount of tofu which wasn’t too firm or soft, along with a beaten egg, shiitake mushrooms, and green onions. As you can tell from the vibrant shade of red, the stew was flavourful and mildly spicy. Also, there was a prominent note of sesame oil, which I thought added more dimension to the refreshing soup.

For $10.50, there’s really not much to complain about. This was a three-in-one kind of meal: tasty, comforting, and affordable. It might even be one of my go-to lunch options if I were working around the area!

Before moving on to the last main, I gave their Chives Pancake a shot. NGL, I was a little confused when the appetiser was served. At first glance, I couldn’t tell if it was a kimchi pancake or a chives pancake—it looked like a mix of both.

A good jeon, or pancake, is typically crispy on the outside and well-seasoned throughout. With that said, the pancake here wasn’t exactly my cup of tea as it was a tad too thick and doughy. But it was my first time seeing a Korean pancake priced as low as $5, and so to really bring home this wow factor, I think their pancake could use less batter.

I looked forward to trying their Spicy Pork as I’m a huge fan of stir-fried meat. As I was placing my order, I came across a sign that said something along the lines about how water, instead of oil, is used to cook the meat here. 

Maybe it’s the lack of cooking oil, but I found the pork to be dry and a little plain. That’s not to say it was all bad as the meat was lean with almost no gristle! On hindsight, I would have enjoyed this dish more if the marinade made up for the texture—it could use more garlic, ginger, soya sauce, and gochujang to bring out the flavours a little more.

It’s the little things that matter when it comes to Korean food, such as the banchan that comes with every main you order. You can choose one of three different side dishes: anchovies, cabbage kimchi, and cucumber kimchi. I liked the cucumber kimchi the best—it was crunchy, tangy, and spicy all at once. If you’d like more of their banchan, simply pay an additional $1! 

Ambience at Kim Dae Mun

Kim Dae Mun can easily house more than 100 diners at once, which means you don’t really have to worry about securing a seat even when the lunch and dinner crowds thicken. I also liked the casual and relaxed atmosphere of this eatery as it reminded me of a food court in Korea! 

If you, like me, enjoy having me-time by dining alone, consider heading to Kim Dae Mun when you’re in the area. I really appreciated that there was a row of seats for solo diners to eat at their own pace and comfort. Here’s another point worth mentioning: Kim Dae Mun is a quick four-minute walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station.

The verdict

Eateries with nett prices are hard to come by in today’s economy, and I’m ever so thankful for businesses that remain adamant about keeping prices low for their customers. Kim Dae Mun is a great example; the most expensive dishes here are the Ginseng Chicken and Beef Rib Stew that cost $16 each, which is still half the price of what you pay in most Korean restaurants.

For legit Korean food in Singapore, read our D’RIM Korean Steak House review, where we tried premium K-BBQ, perilla soba noodles and more in Orchard. Alternatively, read our guide to the best Korean restaurants in Singapore. 

Address: 100 Orchard Road, #01-03D, Concorde Shopping Mall, Singapore 238840
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11am to 8pm
Website
Kim Dae Mun is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Casandra Nicholas.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg