by Hidir Koh and Samantha Lee (and Ah Boon)
Ajumma’s, which means “Auntie” in Korean, is a quaint food place located at the basement of The Cathay. Interestingly, the restaurant owners are not “Aunties”! Co-owned by two guys instead, the restaurant has been open for less than a year, and would be a fresh spot to eat the next time you’re in town. Some recommendations by the chefs are their signature Beef Kalbi set ($13.90) , Army Base Stew set ($12.90) and Hoedeopbab ($16.90).
What struck us is interesting about dining at Ajumma’s, is that diners have the choice to enjoy a glass of authentic Korean soft drink. Although the choices are not extensive, they are enough to keep you deliberating for quite a while nonetheless. At least Ah Boon was because he spent the most time trying to decide on what he would have!
While some Korean restaurants here resort to buying seasonings in bulk, Ajumma’s makes their own seasonings from scratch instead, so you can be assured of fresh food. We got to try the signature Beef Kalbi set ($13.90) which comes with four side dishes – seasoned seaweed, kimchi, pickle and corn. Using U.S.D.A Prime beef, the short ribs were generously marinated in their special sauce and grilled to medium well. The dish in general was great – succulent and not overcooked. Yet, as ribs were used in this dish, trace amounts of fats are to be expected so for those who do not enjoy the texture of fats, you could opt for their Beef Bulgogi set ($8.90) instead. Ah Boon however, likes his meat slightly fatty, so it was satisfying for him.
Up next, we had the kimchi pancake ($6.90) which was slightly crispy at the edges and loaded with kimchi in the middle. It was not too doughy and was a great dish to share. Paired with the sauce that it came with or even have it with extra kimchi, it would give definitely give any lovers of Korean pancakes the satisfaction that they would love to have and satisfy their cravings.
Ambience:
Special attention was paid into creating Ajumma’s ambience and diners’ experiences, as these were evident from the variety of utensils with homely designs that was used. The relaxing mood music playing in the background further enhances the coziness, as it comprises of non-mainstream Korean music, with a good mix of mellow covers thrown in for variety. Ah Boon particularly liked dining on the high chairs too, although his feet couldn’t quite touch the rungs nor the floor.
Price:
It is the goal of the Korean food loving bosses to ensure that their prices are as affordable as possible to the diners without compromising on taste nor quality. Compared to many Korean restaurants out there, the prices here are relatively budget-friendly. Not only is there no GST or service charge, you could also get a 10% discount upon presenting your student pass or movie ticket as well!
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AJUMMA’s
2 Handy Road
#B1-23 The Cathay
Singapore 229233
Opening hours:
Mon – Sun: 12:00 pm to 09:45 pm (last orders at 09:30 pm)
