Stomach rumbling after hours of shopping at Orchard Road but not sure where to eat? If you have a penchant for Korean fare, take a stroll to Taste Orchard (formerly Orchard OG), walk past the shelves of Eccellente by HAO mart, and you’ll be greeted by Taste Myeongdong.
This Korean food hall is home to 7 stalls selling a variety of crowd favourites. Unlike a conventional food court, you place your order at the cashier right smack in the middle.
No buzzers here — just a good old-fashioned receipt with your order number, which will be flashed when your food is ready.
Even before I placed my order, the air was alive with K-POP beats, including the iconic Gangnam Style by PSY, the very song that gave me my first taste of Korean music. But hey, enough reminiscing! Let’s explore what each stall has to offer.
Since I didn’t eat breakfast, I wanted something filling and my eyes were drawn to O’Bok BI BIM BAB. Besides the classic Bibimbab (S$8.90), the menu also features Tuna Bibimbab (S$10.90), Spicy Pork Bibimbab (S$11.90), and Bulgogi Bibimbab (S$13.90).
Though the Raw Beef Bibimbab (S$16.90) was the priciest item, I succumbed to my cravings (bye-bye budget!) because I had my first-ever taste of yukhoe (Korean seasoned raw beef) in Seoul last November, and it was nothing short of phenomenal.
The Raw Beef Bibimbab had raw beef slices sprinkled with sesame seeds, resting atop a perfectly fried egg. Beneath it lay a colourful mix of spinach, soy bean sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots and radish kimchi — all piled neatly over a bed of rice.
After incorporating the gochujang on the side, I gave everything a good mix. The raw beef was tender, and its texture was almost on par with the one I had in Korea. My only gripe? A drizzle of sesame oil would’ve enhanced its fragrance.
As for the gochujang, a little more would’ve been nice — but other than that, it totally hit the spot. Oh, I later found out that you can request for more sauce, so that’s on me!
Next on my list was Red Cup. Although the stall mainly serves fried chicken, the Shrimp Kangjeong (S$19/S$24) got my attention — because, let’s be real, I’ve had my fill of Korean fried chicken. I went for the S$19 option and ended up with about 10 pieces.
The plump pieces of shrimp were coated with a sweet and spicy glace, then topped with grounded nuts. Served with the shell on, these shrimp were fried just right, making it easy to polish off every last bit.
Breaders, with 7 outlets in Korea, has opened their very first overseas venture at Taste Myeongdong. Sweeten your day with 8 flavours such as the Earl Grey Tart (S$4.50), Pecan Walnut Tart (S$4.90) and Cream Cheese Tart (S$3.90).
For die-hard fans of Korean kalguksu (knife-cut noodles). Hoho Noodles has about 8 different options including Seafood Kalguksu (S$10.90) and Ganjang Guksu (S$6.90). You can also get Jjajangmyeon (S$8.90) or a hearty bowl of Tteokguk (rice cake soup) at S$8.90.
Gamtan Express dishes out signature rice bowls like Beef Belly (from S$5.90) and Pork Belly (from S$4.90) and curry rice. For large groups, there’s even a massive Chicken Tower (S$11.90).
Last but not least, Sindang Bul Dakbal offers tteokbokki, hot spicy chicken feet, Korean soju and beer.
From 15 to 16 Feb 2025, Taste Myeongdong will be having a 2-day Grand Opening promotion where there will be a 50% discount for all food items (why did I come here 1 day earlier?).
Do note their operating hours:
- From now till 20 Feb —Â 11.30am – 8.30pm
- 21 Feb onwards — 11.30am – 10.30pm
There’s even a possibility that they might extend till 12am in future. Do lookout for updates on their Instagram!
This Korean spot specialises in 12 varieties of handcrafted springy knife-cut noodles
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