We’re all pretty familiar with the standard Japanese sashimi, and we definitely know about the live seafood we see so often in Singapore (Jumbo, No Signboard etc) but have you ever tried Korean sashimi (hwe) and live seafood? More specifically, have you tried something called the penis fish before?
Located at Tanjong Pagar, Badam is a Korean sashimi and seafood restaurant that serves authentic dishes that’ll take you straight to Jagalchi Fish Market in Busan (seriously, many Korean expats love this place).
How authentic you ask? Well, the owner of the restaurant is Korean and the ingredients are flown in directly from South Korea regularly, so you’re really tasting true blue Korean flavours here.
Other than the Korean live seafood favourite sannakji (S$50) (live octopus), another interesting menu item I noticed is the gaebul (S$50) (live spoonworm, or penis fish).
This phallic creature might look a little intimidating, but it’s actually a favourite for many Koreans. It has a springy texture and the more you chew it, the more the flavour grows. Sort of like a salty, seafood-y chewing gum maybe?
If you’re looking for something less daunting, they also have other ala carte menu items like jeonbuk (S$60) (live abalone), monggae (S$50) (live sea squirt, or sea pineapple), ganjjang gejang (S$50) (soy sauce marinated crab) and more.
Of course, we can’t miss the star of the show—the Badam sets for assorted Korean sashimi (from S$150).
Served beautifully in a platter alongside a huge myriad of side dishes, the sashimi sets consist of Korean sashimi favourites like flatfish, snapper, flounder and more depending on which set you get.
You even get a warm and comforting bowl of abalone porridge to start off your meal.
Unlike Japanese sashimi, many of the the cuts here have more of a chewy bite and instead of soy sauce, you dip it in gochujang (red pepper paste). You can also opt to wrap them up in lettuce or perilla leaves with sauces and side dishes just like how you would during KBBQ.
My favourite way is to wrap it in a perilla leave as it has a really fresh taste (almost like a minty licorice) that goes really well with the fish and gochujang.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also try asking about the spicy bondaegi (silkworm pupae) stew, which I’ve heard is one of the best ways to end off your Korean sashimi and live seafood experience.
If not, they also serve a standard maeeuntang (spicy fish stew) to help you end off the meal on a warm, hearty and refreshing note.
Running out of places to eat and new experiences to try out in Singapore? I think you might have just found a really good one to add to your list!
Badam
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???? 22 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088445
???? 3pm–10.30pm (Mon to Fri, closed on Tue), 12pm–10.30pm (Sat and Sun)
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