For those who worship everything Korean or have been to South Korea should have heard of Yoogane. They are one of the most popular and best Chicken Galbi restaurants in Korea, owning more than 130 outlets located over the region. The Singapore folks were lucky enough to obtain a franchise license from them in order to bring the joy of eating chicken galbi to our shores!

After opening for more than a month, there is still quite a hype about the place and we would suggest visiting during non peak hours or before 6pm on weekdays to beat the massive queue!

Once the receptionist ushered us to our table, we saw two nicely folded aprons sitting on the table. The aprons were specially prepared for diners to avoid having the sauces staining our clothes while the staffs prepare and cook the dish in front of us. Very thoughtful indeed!

Probably the staffs were too busy with the crowd, no one had informed us that there was a freeflow salad bar at the back of the restaurant. Unfortunately, we only realised this on our way out to pay the bill. So if you are intending to visit, be sure to look out for the salad bar and grab some peppers, kimchi or radish with their pink dressing to complement your mains.

We faced some issues when it came to ordering as there were only two of us. The signature chicken galbi dish needed a minimum of 2 persons to order, so we requested if we could have a single portion in order to try other mains for variety but were turned down. The owner who stepped forward to serve us then explained that this is the Korean culture where they usually share the same food and eat together. With much reluctance and disappointment, we ordered Seafood with Chicken Galbi (S$48.90 for 2 pax).

The squid was set aside on a plate as to add in later in the cooking process due to the shorter cooking time needed.

The high cylinder kind of wall was placed outside of the pan, to prevent the hot sauce flying all over the table in the process of cooking.

We further requested if we could get hands on the cooking process, the staff nicely told us again that it is the Korean culture that we should be happily served and waited just like how Koreans can't pour drinks for themselves.

About 15 minutes or so, the dish was almost done as you can see the juices of the seafood oozing out! 

Thereafter, you could add in your preferred carbohydrates be it rice, rice cake or the recommended Korean instant noodles which came with a complementary homemade sauce specially imported from Korea.

A very nice pan of goodies indeed, the limelight was the unique sauce and seasoning that has been imported from the main restaurant in Korea. Also, the seafood was fresher than expected and chicken was well marinated as well. However, we felt that the chicken galbi was slightly overcooked but still it was juicy and decent. We loved the balance in spiciness and flavours of the sauce that was infused into the ingredients, making the dish highly enjoyable and addictive.

The restaurant should notice that staff is another key player to maintain the quality apart from the original ingredients. Therefore, proper training is needed especially in the control of cooking time. The staffs were friendly and approachable though everyone seemed to be perpetually busy. I would definitely come back for their Marinated Chicken Galbi Fried Rice on a bed of cheese, how could a cheese lover skip it yeah?

Spotting a casual dining ambience, Yoogane surely found the right fit among the younger generation in the heart of Bugis Junction.