Think about this for a second — how do you elevate campfire cooking? Simply swap the natural wilderness with a bustling commercial restaurant and you’ve got Namu Bulgogi, serving up drool-worthy smoky meats cooked over wood.
The secret? Oakwood, and nothing less. Highly sought after for its gentle smokiness, this special wood enhances rather than overpowers the natural flavour of the meat.
Namu Bulgogi introduces Korea‘s age-old oakwood grilling tradition to Singapore, keeping the flames of heritage alive and burning. It also keeps up with trends to stay current and relate with the younger generation.
Its first outlet was born in the basement of Tampines 1, and over the years has expanded to include 2 more branches at Hillion Mall and Northpoint City.
Good news for our Muslim friends: the Tampines 1 and Hillion Mall outlets have already attained Halal certification, with Northpoint City soon to follow. Now, everyone can enjoy the offerings of Namu Bulgogi with peace of mind.
What I tried at Namu Bulgogi
I headed to Namu Bulgogi at Hillion Mall, where this outlet (along with Northpoint City) boasts an exclusive star dish — the signature Tongdak–Gui (roasted chicken). Just like a modern rotisserie, the special wood-fired oven can roast up to 20 whole chickens at once.
The best oakwood is handpicked by the chefs, who meticulously control the fire and temperature. As the chicken rotates, sizzles, and cooks slowly over the flaming embers, it absorbs the aromatic oak smoke.
What you’ll get is chicken with crisp, golden-brown skin, tender meat, and infused with a rich depth of flavour. Since Blackpink is coming to our shores to perform in November, Namu Bulgogi kicks off bright and early by launching its BLACK & PINK menu, running for a limited time only.
This special menu echoes the exuberance of K-pop, featuring dishes that are vibrant and full of main character energy.
We started things off with the Whole Jjajang–Rosé Tongdak Gui Set (S$25.90), just S$6 more than the Half Chicken (S$19.90) — what a steal! The luscious golden bird sits on dual-coloured sauces — the jjajang represents black while the rosé portrays the pink. Delightful grilled kimchi and crispy nurungji are the partners in crime.
For the uninitiated, nurungji is actually scorched rice that forms a crispy crust at the bottom of the cooking pot. Just think of it as the equivalent of the crispy ‘guo ba‘ in local claypot rice.
You don’t have to possess mad knife skills or spend the effort to carve up the chicken. To make things easy and convenient, simply get the assistance of the friendly staff, and they will cut the chicken into pieces with scissors — score!
Without relying on the sauces, I dived straight into the chicken. I wasn’t disappointed at all; in fact, I was impressed by the smoky fragrance and the incredibly juicy meat. What a brilliant kickoff!
With 2 sauces, I got to enjoy the best of both worlds, and one thing’s for sure — I loved how different each one was. The jjajang gravy was savoury and the umami-ness of the black beans paired flawlessly with the sweet onion cubes. I switched over to the ‘pink’ side of things, and was treated to a creamy and tangy rosé sauce that lifted my appetite.
For those who dislike the hassle of eating around the bone, you can head over to the Tampines 1 branch for the Oakwood Smoked-Grill Chicken Chop with Jjajang–Rosé Cream ($15.90) instead.
No themed menu is complete without a special drink. The Grass Jelly Hwachae graced us with its beautiful coloured layers, concocted from rose syrup, 7UP and chin chow. When you purchase any main dish from the Black & Pink menu, , you’ll be able to indulge in this drink for just S$3.90 (O.P. S$5.50).
You might be wondering — sure, I see the black, but where’s the pink? That’s where you’ll need to put in a little work. Just pour in the small saucer of evaporated milk, give it a gentle stir, and voila: a picture-perfect black and pink masterpiece.
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To complement your meal, why not explore the other options that Namu Bulgogi has to offer? Since the weather has been unbelievably hot recently, the perfect remedy would be a bowl of cold Bibimguksu (S$12.90).
Thin somen noodles are paired with spicy gochujang, flying fish roe, slices of egg, Japanese cucumber and pickled red cabbage.
Now, just toss everything until the rich red hues of the gochujang coat every single strand of noodle. With each slurp, my senses were refreshed due to the coldness. The mildly-spiced gochujang paired really well with the zesty pickled cabbage, along with crunchy cucumber strips, creamy egg, and the addictive pops coming from the roe. This dish will make you return for more!
Die-hard seafood fans will love the Haemul Pancake (S$14.90), which has shrimp, sotong, sliced chilli and chives loaded onto every piece. It was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
To take the experience up to the next level, remember to dunk each piece of crispy pancake into the savoury and spicy dip — you won’t regret it!
Meat enthusiasts should go for the Oxtail (S$23.90), which comes with grilled kimchi and 2 random toppings. For our set, we received the spinach salad and sweet potato mash.
Each unctuous morsel had the perfect balance of soft meat and fat, melting in my mouth like butter. The gravy was slightly spicy, which helped to mellow down the richness of the oxtail. The addition of sesame seeds also infused hints of nuttiness, which took me on a separate flavour journey.
Final thoughts
Calling all K-pop fans and lovers of Korean food! Swing by Namu Bulgogi and experience the limited-time BLACK & PINK menu before it’s gone for good. With their motto, ‘’Nothing Served Until It’s Perfect’’, you don’t have to worry about a disappointing meal.
Expected damage: S$7.90 – S$25 per pax
* This post is brought to you in partnership with Namu Bulgogi.
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