Kelim Dakdoritang Review: Spicy Garlic Chicken Stew & More At Its First Outlet In Singapore
Singapore is slowly but surely getting more Korean food experiences imported here - all the better to help us deal with travel withdrawal (or travel fomo). Hot on the heels of BHC Chicken and emart24 convenience stores, Singapore is welcoming yet another chain eatery from Korea - Kelim Dakdoritang.
Established in 1965, Kelim Dakdoritang specialises in traditional dakdoritang AKA spicy garlic chicken stew. Lucky for us Korean food enthusiasts, the brand has opened their first outlet on our shores at Serangoon Gardens.
Ambience at Kelim Dakdoritang
For those who have dined in casual restaurants in Korea, this 55-seater space will be a familiar sight. Think stainless steel tables, stools that double as storage space for your bags, and a glow from a fridge stocked with soju and other Korean drinks.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Food at Kelim Dakdoritang
A must-try at Kelim Dakdoritang is, of course, the dakdoritang! I tried the largest size of this Spicy Chicken Stew (L: $69.90), which serves four, but it could easily feed up to 5 or 6 with its generous portion size. It also comes in two smaller sizes for two diners (S: $36.90) and three diners (M: $59.90).
Dakdoritang recipes are fairly standard, consisting of chicken and potatoes braised in a spicy Korean sauce into a hearty stew. Kelim Dakdoritang's rendition has the classic features with a twist - a mountain of garlic piled on top of the stew.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Before mixing the garlic in the broth, I took a bit of it and added it to my dipping sauce as advised by the staff. That pinch of raw garlic gave the salty sauce an addictive and fragrant boost.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Here's a tip: cook the garlic quickly and keep a good distance from the pot. The sheer amount of chopped garlic pieces and its close proximity to my face made my eyes water quite a fair bit. Thankfully, the problem went away once the garlic was thoroughly cooked in the stew. Another warning: expect your hair and clothes to smell like dakdoritang after the meal!
All that was worth it as the stew lived up to all the hype. The rich and comforting broth had a perfect level of spiciness and a robust aroma from that heap of garlic. The full-bodied flavour clung onto the ingredients including the tender whole chickens chopped into small pieces, tteokbokki, potatoes and spring onions.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Diners craving more variety in their stew can opt for toppings like king oyster mushrooms ($5), sausages ($5) and quail eggs ($5).
To do things the Korean way, save some stomach space for carbs and fill it with Kalguksu ($5). This knife-cut noodles can be tossed into the stew near the end of the meal when it's boiled down into a thicker consistency. The noodles had a pleasant al dente texture with a bit of bounce to it, and was delicious when coated with the broth that had a more concentrated flavour.
Also a Korean way of enjoying the stew to its fullest, the last bit of soup can be mixed in with rice and seaweed to create fried rice.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Those who prefer something non-spicy can opt for the Korean Chicken Hot Pot (S: $36.90, M: $59.90, L: $69.90).
Besides its stew mainstay, Kelim Dakdoritang also offers classic Korean dishes in single portions like Dakgomtang ($14.90), a chicken soup with rice, and Chogye Naengmyeon ($15.90), a cold noodle dish perfect for hot weather days.
The menu also has a wide selection of sides to accompany the stews and a la carte meals.
You can expect crowd-pleasers like Odentang ($18.90), fish cake soup, Cheese Balls ($10.90), Kimari ($10.90), fried seaweed rolls with glass noodles, and Grilled Semi Dried Squid ($20.90).
We tried the Chicken Gizzard ($15.90) which had a light crispy exterior and chewy insides, and the Dakbal ($19.90), soft and tender chicken feet in a slightly spicy sauce.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
For dessert, I was treated to the Hotteok ($9.90 for 2pcs) which drew mixed reviews. Some found it too sweet and starchy, but I thought otherwise! The hot pancake was nice and crispy, and inside it was oozing brown sugar syrup that gave it a subtle but satisfying sweetness along with nutty flavours and hints of cinnamon.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Complete the back-in-Korea experience with drinks like Sikhye ($3.50) and Grape Juice ($3.50). Prefer something alcoholic instead? Pick from Korean beers ($11.90 - $19.90), soju ($19.90), and Makgeolli ($19.90).
GST is included in all prices, but 10% service charge applies.
If you're hanging out at Serangoon Gardens, check out these other new food spots there:
