Yoogane Dinner Date

I believe this restaurant (Yoogane) needs no further introduction. The hype was already created in the market before it was making its entry to Singaporeans' tummies, and the sensation lasted weeks even after its official opening. I didn't know much about this restaurant, except that it is very popular in Korea and it's a must-eat in Korea. 

I last paid Korea a visit when I was in Sec 4, and honestly, all I remember was playing with the snow. Haha. I don't know whether our tour guide brought us there when we were in Korea so I really have no inkling about the standard of this popular chain in Korea.

Me and Loverboy were so curious why the Yoogane chain was so popular in Korea and wondered whether the food justified the incessant snake of queue at its Bugis branch in Singapore. So one evening, when I managed to get an early break from work, we had to check this place out. We reached the restaurant at around 6pm and had to queue for approx 20min, which was not much of a big deal compared to my friend who queued for 1hr+ when she reached at 7pm on a weekday evening. 

Yoogane Singapore

Bugis Junction #02-47/48

Singapore 188021

Operating Hours: 11am - 10pm

We ordered two portions of the Chicken Galbi with Chukkumi Octopus ($19.90/portion) 

and added a bowl of rice.

 

Free flow greens from the salad bar. Only the kimchi was nice.

The bill totalled up to ~S$48, and to be honest, I felt that prices don't justify the serving size because as you might have observed from the pictures above, the serving is so small! And that's already considering we ordered two portions. I can't picture, in my mind, how a one man portion will turn out to be like. Maybe it will be similar to those foodcourt pan-fried korean food?

You might argue that with inflation, serving sizes are bound to be small. We couldn't disagree and would have been willing to pay a similar or even higher price for it, if not for the fact that the food wasn't exactly fantastic. Overall, it tasted like normal foodcourt korean food, except a bit spicier. I'm not sure whether is it the huge crowd that led to the substandard food or that the franchise in Singapore still needs to work a bit harder in its culinary skills to make it taste even similar to Korea's Yoogane. 

If I do visit Korea one day, I will be sure to try out the Yoogane chain there. But if you ask whether I will be returning to Bugis Junction again and queue for the local franchise branch, I don't think so.