Oh! That moment when you insanely craved for Champong while watching Legend Of The Blue Sea as the mermaid in reel life slurped down a huge bowl! That Korean spicy seafood noodle soup is one thing which looked more delicious than Heo Joon Jae (played by Lee Min Ho). Lol!
Perhaps my gluttonous cries were heard as not long after, we got to know that Daejon House 대전집 has recently opened at Havelock II, specializing in..... Korean noodles!
The casual Korean restaurant is said to be the only place in Singapore where you can have beef bone soup base Champong!
Almost wondered if I had went to the wrong location as the relatively new Havelock II (retail and office mall) along Havelock Road appears to be pretty deserted from the outside. Inside, only a handful of units are opened for business currently, and Daejon House is one of them.
Named after Daejon, the 5th largest city in South Korea, Daejon House is fashioned after its old streets and decorated with newspapers, books and movie posters that have yellowed with age.
Many of these items are bought from collectors. See that payphone I'm holding in the picture below? We were told that's a real phone used for actual conversations many many years ago! So nostalgic!
As Daejon House's specialty is their noodles dishes, it would be imperative to order at least a bowl. The group of us had many bowls lol!
Of course that included the Champong or Korean Beef Noodles ($12.90) which I've been longing for.
Typically prepared with a variety of seafood and hearty portions of vegetables, Champong is said to have its origins in Japan with influence from China. The noodle dish is one of the most enjoyed delivery food in Korea, and is considered as one of the staples in Korean-Chinese restaurants.
Between the spicy and non-spicy Champong, I'm more inclined towards the spicy version.
The addition of red chili powder certainly oomphed up the bowl with a fiery kick! Yet it wasn't too overpowering so I would say the spiciness was at a comfortable level.
Noodles are handmade, thickly-cut and cooked to a springy bite. That large, meaty prawn was especially pleasing, and those pieces of thinly-sliced beef were so lovely and tender.
Notable mention goes to the rich beef bone broth that is gently simmered over 6 hours to coax out its maximum flavor.
The same beef bone broth is also used as the soup base for their Budae Jjigae or Army Stew ($24.90/$34.90).
Brimming with spam, tteopokki, sausage, tofu, baked beans, kimchi and ramyeon, the scrumptious pot is best for sharing with great company over silly laughter and jovial conversations.
But if it's just you and yourself alone, there is the Army Noodle ($12.90), a scaled-down version of army stew which is suitable for individual consumption.
Besides Champong, Tangsuyuk or Sweet & Sour Pork ($16.90) is another perennial favorite found in most Korean-Chinese restaurants.
Being not a huge fan of the Cantonese-style sweet & sour pork, I was surprised to find myself immensely enjoying the Korean rendition at Daejon House.
Their sweet and sour sauce is served by the side, allowing us the option of "pour-over" or "dip-in". It has that ideal balance of sweetness and tartness, accompanying the crispy, juicy pieces of pork most ideally.
Be warned that this dish is highly addictive!
Equally moreish is the Mandu or Korean Fried Dumpling ($6.90). Made in-house, each crunchy piece had delectable meat and glass noodle filling within. Very winning in both texture and taste!
Daejon House also serve up a selection of crowd-pleasing favorites including Korean Fried Chicken ($10.90), Seafood Pancake ($10.90), Kimchi Pancake ($10.90), as well as Bossam ($24.90) or Korean steamed pork wrap.
If you are a fan of Wawa Chicken in JB Malaysia, its Korean founder Mr Lee Jae Ho is the same man behind Daejon House, so I guess you can expect a similar standard of fried chicken here.
The menu at Daejon House might not be extensive, but it has a few standout dishes that's worth a trip over.
I'd definitely be back again for the Champong, Tangsuyuk and Mandu if I'm looking for something different from the usual Korean fare.
Sometimes you just need to take a break from K-drama and surround yourself with K-food instead :p
Daejon House 대전집
Address: Havelock II, #01-03, 2 Havelock Road, Singapore 059763
Contact: +65 8499 0739
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daejonhouse/
Opening Hours: Daily 11.30am-10pm
Prices are (1) Stated in Singapore dollars (2) Subject to 10% service charge, no GST (3) Correct at point of published date.
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