Food Picks: Sharing plates and other new offerings at Korean steakhouse Gu:um

SINGAPORE – Korean restaurant Gu:um has lots of steak and smoke – just don’t call it K-BBQ. It differentiates itself from the plethora of such places in Tanjong Pagar with premium cuts and thoughtful flavours drawn from founder Louis Han’s Korean heritage. 

The chef, who also runs one-Michelin-starred Nae:um in Telok Ayer Street, was inspired by his family cookouts back home. Gu:um started out with a purely a la carte menu, but has since grown to include combination slabs, brunch deals and even a signature set menu. 

One of the new offerings is the Surf & Turf platter ($328) that feeds two to three people. This rotating selection comprises cuts such as the tajima wagyu ribeye, black angus hanging tender, red grouper, Boston lobster tail and Jeju abalone. 

A smattering of grilled vegetables accompanies the mound of meat and seafood, which is dressed in a variety of seasonings and marinades. One standout is the Jeju abalone, fork-tender and doused in an umami-laden brown butter liver sauce that makes me wish I had a bigger serving of rice vermicelli to mop it all up. 

The mulhwae ($28), traditionally a spicy raw fish soup, is also new and will prove a godsend when the weather inevitably veers back to unrelenting heat. This version puts a modern spin on the soupy dish, transforming it into a cold salad with springy noodles, fresh sashimi and a refreshingly zesty dressing. 

It complements Gu:um’s signature starters, in particular the smoky and savoury seafood pajeon ($30), which is the restaurant’s superior pancake dish.

The Yukhwae Jeon ($32), on the other hand, is a classic combination – raw meat on a crispy base – that should work better than it does. The beef tartare unfortunately turns the pancake soggy and its delicacy is, in turn, overpowered by the potato’s firmer texture. 

Still, with the restaurant’s devotion to constant reinvention, I’m curious to see how this dish, as well as the rest of the menu, continues to evolve. 

Where: 29 Keong Saik Road
MRT: Maxwell 
Open: 11.30am to 2.30pm, Fridays to Sundays; 6 to 11pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays
Info: www.guum.sg