Was really excited to try Beok after months of booking ahead and we finally made it down for their Winter menu before it ends. Beok is a Korean private dining experience catered to 4-10 pax. We went in a group of 6, priced at $128 per guest and it’s BYOB. The host told us usually people stay longer for the dinner service cos they drink more during dinner. In the back of my head, I went – you haven’t seen us drink. lol

It’s a very cozy, pretty set up with traces of Korean tradition

And that’s our menu for lunch

Beok stands for soil in Korean and they wanna showcase the cuisine in terms of how the season changes in Korea and that’s where their inspiration comes from

Makgeolli Bread, Burdock Jorim Butter

Bread shaped so cutely, simmered in savoury sauce to bring out the delicate flavour of the makgeolli. The bread was really good. It kinda reminded us of the traditional 鸡蛋糕 we used to eat as kids. I thought the butter was amazing too. Like the combination really worked well. I’m not a fan of butter. I usually like to eat my bread plain so for me to like this butter so much, it meant alot

Sondubu, Korean Seaweed, Perilla Oil

Not your usual sundubu but abit rough on the edges. Yet I thought the nuttiness goes well with the plain, mild flavour of the tofu. A modern take on Gosari which usually goes with rice. They replaced traditional rice with crispy rice paper instead so that it is served in the form of finger food. I have to say, this was really delicious, like you will say yes to another bite of this

Smoked Salmon & Gamgyul

Haricot Vert, Yellow Frisee, Jalapeño

A simple yet thoughtful salad dish. The salmon was smoked with cherry wood to elevate the smokiness so you can enjoy the sweetness but the overall lingering smoky taste. And if it’s too much to handle, wash it off with the sweet tangerine that is only seasonal in winter which they had preserved more than a year

Hobak Beombeok

Kabocha, Beef infused Sweet Potato, Beans, Brown Rice Puff

Inspired from traditional Pumpkin porridge, they served it in the form of a soup, which was also so pretty. Served with wild herbs, the pumpkin puree was really smooth and (sooo) sweet and you could taste all the grains in it which made me feel rather healthy. lol. I see the friends really enjoyed this dish

Oyster Sujebi

Oyster Confit, Maesaengi, Pork Broth

Hand-pulled traditional Korean noodles served in a light yet flavourful pork and seaweed soup. The noodles were soft and chewy, Irish oysters delicious and the fried mushrooms were just icing on the cake. Yum yum

Cos we brought a bottle of whisky there, they decided to make cocktails for us. lol

Pork Jowl Suyuk

Duroc Pork Jowl, Avocado Ssamjang

This pork was cooked for 4 hours. This pork tasted soft and flavourful. This pork was really good. It was just pork served with vegetables and a side of ssamjang but it left enough impression on us

Galbijjim

USA Beef Short Ribs, Red Wine

Smoked Cheese Potato

I have to say the smoked cheese potato went really well with the sauce

Cooked with red wine and pine needle, the short ribs were one of the best I’ve tasted. The beef was so tender and it really soaked up the liquid it was braised with

I liked the short ribs for its hearty flavour but some of the friends thought the pork jowl was better for its cleaner taste. And oh, the ribs deserved a bowl of rice to go along too (which was next on the menu)

Myeongran & Pollack Jangajji Sotbap

Korean Multigrain Rice, Soy Pulp Soup

The flavour of this dish comes mainly from the mentaiko and polluck which was fermented more than 2 months and drizzled with the fragrant sesame oil that gave the entire dish its kick. Served a with a bowl of seaweed soup which was lighter in taste, the combination worked as such since they didn’t want to overpower the taste of the rice dish

Sujeongwa Creme Brûlée

Cinnamon, Jujube, Ginger, Milk Puff

And finally ending the meal with desserts. I really enjoyed the creme brûlée with the thin layer of cinnamon and the spicy candied macadamia that added texture to the dish

Overall, it was a good meal. I thought the course was well thought of and we really enjoyed the dishes they served. The host was also very hospitable and it made us feel dining at a friend’s place. Would definitely love a return here if there’s an opportunity for it again