Chef Louis Han of NAE:UM has fond memories of his days in Seoul, where vibrantly coloured tents are commonly seen by the pavement, each a little sanctuary of its own. These street stalls, affectionately known as “pochas”(short for “pojangmacha” or “covered wagon”), keep their lights on late into the night, offering respite to those working till late or just a space to get together. In colder seasons, they also become a warm oasis for those seeking shelter and a comforting warm bite from the cold.
The inviting warmth of the “pochas” and the simple joy they bring inspire Han’s latest menu. Titled “Episode 6: After Work Hideaway”, Han’s reinterpretation of some street food dishes marries traditional and modern cooking techniques. Each dish perfectly embodies the culinary vibrancy of Seoul — a city that stands at the crossroads of Korean traditions and global influences.
From now till the end of winter, journey through Chef Han’s rendition of the flavours of Korean street stalls through a thoughtfully crafted six-course Classic (198++) menu or eight-course Signature ($258++) tasting menu.
The episodic menu starts with snacks inspired by popular Korean treats. The Gamja Jeon is a stack of two crisp, savoury Korean-style potato pancakes with pickled daikon and Oscietra caviar. This is topped with yukhoe, a Korean-style beef tartare. The next snack was the Oksusu, a personal favourite — corn puree with cream, butter and honey on a pastry dome, then topped with corn kernels sauteed with brown butter over a binchotan. The third snack was the Yeoneo Mari, which features a trout and zucchini roulade in a tangy and slightly spicy gojuchang mignonette.
Those who opt for the Signature menu get an additional snack, Duckgalbi — a grilled minced duck with a rice cake centre served on a Makgeoli toast and topped with herb salad. In line with Han’s inspiration, where makgeolli is often one of the beverages available at the pochas, the Duckgalbi rests atop a makgeolli toast.
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The course moves on to the sashimi dish, Bangeo. Hamachi is rolled with Korean water parsley and laid on a bed of leeks, onions, and Korean cucumbers mixed with gojuchang sauce. This is topped with a thin sheet of cured daikon, edible flowers, Oscietra caviar and some gold flakes.
The Gwanja Memilmyeon (only in the Signature menu) was another favourite of the night. This cold noodle dish is inspired by Han’s family tradition of his mother making such noodles on Sundays. The flavours of sesame oil and kimchi come through the noodles, served with a nicely charred grilled Hokkaido scallop.
Next is another scallop dish, Wando Jeonbok, featuring scallops from Wando, an island in southern South Korea. This is served with Australian Sanchoku Wagyu rump, pine nut cream, mung bean jelly, seaweed sauce, nasturtium and coriander flower.
This is followed by the Nobchi — a piece of turbot brined in kombu, coated in a light batter and deep fried to a light crisp. It comes with parsnip puree, roasted bell pepper puree, grilled sweet cabbage and a savoury sauce.
Chef Han shares his memory of his first pocha visit with the Mechuri, a grilled quail dish with Jerusalem artichoke puree, grilled asparagus, confit onions, soy-pickled spring onion, a herb bouquet, as well as a black garlic and shallot sauce.
The Dubu Kimchi is a tribute to Han’s favourite pocha dish. Homemade dubu (tofu) takes centre stage here and is served with grilled Duroc pork jowl and braised kimchi topped with multigrain rice. It is accompanied by a side of comforting Bizi stew.
Signalling the end of the savoury dishes is the Sagwa pre-dessert to cleanse the palate. A refreshing green apple and shiso sorbet with poached apple, citrus-pickled winter melon, honeycomb, fuji apple slices, lime fromage blanc, and ginger snow sets the stage for the main dessert (only in the Signature menu).
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The Jeonbyung is a NAE:UM signature presented in different iterations throughout the episodes. Here, charcoal crackers with jujube truffle cream and date cream are topped with a quenelle of white chocolate ice cream and a charcoal tuile branch, then finished with a shaved black truffle from France.
Finally, the petit four ends the meal with small sweet bites, including Jeongpyeon, a torched makgeolli-fermented rice cake; Gwapyeon, a pineapple jelly topped with popping candy; Angeum Gwaja, a red bean paste pastry; and Omija, a kombucha of pomegranate juice and cranberry vinegar.
To complete this episode’s gastronomic experience is an array of beverage pairings, spanning alcoholic tipples including hand-picked selections from Korea ($188++ for a full experience, or $108++ for a half pairing), to a curated list of non-alcoholic beverages ($108++ for a full pairing).
NAE:UM
161 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068615
Tel: +65 8830 5016
Email: [email protected]
