The Korean craze never sizzles as more and more Korean food are being introduced to Singapore's F&B scene such as the recent popular Patbingsu (similar to our local Ice Kacang). After its first outlet SYNC™ Korean Fusion Bistro at Westgate Mall, SYNC™ has launched the first Korean-inspired tapas bar at Serangoon in Singapore. To take part in the festive merriment, it has brought in an all-new Christmas menu exclusively at  SYNC™ Korean Tapas Bar creating a spin from Korean ingredients to serve traditional Spanish tapas.

From now till 2 January 2015, there is a selection of six tapas and mains that start from S$9.90!

Christmas Citrus Salad | S$9.90/++

A colourful salad assembled by pomegranate, orange and mesclun, the citrus dressing could definitely colour your holiday! A very simple salad executed well with the crunchy texture obtained from the pomegranates, mesclun salad leaves, pistachios, and the refreshing citrus dressing cleverly masks the raw taste and smell of fresh greens, making it palatable even if you aren't a veg person!

Sweet Potato Croquettes | S$10.90/++

Definitely a hit for cheese lovers like me! Cheese and chorizo were encased in a batter made with traditional Korean sweet potatoes and then fried to give the crisp touch. The saltiness and sweetness from the ingredients complemented each other well before being topped with apple salsa for a fresh after taste, not to mention the lovely festive colours!

Clay Duck Ssam | S$10.90/++

Designed like Christmas flowers, it blended the traditional Korean ingredients with Christmas flavour, a clay duck meat served with Korean daikon, wrapped with perilla leaf and topped with a dried cranberry. Personally not a big fan of  perilla leaf which is a type of mint herb, the refreshing aroma of it matched decently with the duck meat, quite an appetising tapas indeed!

Note: For the portion of Sweet Potato Croquettes and Clay Duck Ssam, the usual serving portion consists of three pieces.

Turkey Risotto | S$26.90/++

Another dish that amplifying the festive atmosphere, the must-have turkey is a given during Christmas and we enjoyed the succulent turkey roulade. Tucking underneath gave a pleasant surprise as Korean barley was used instead of the traditional risotto rice. Not only did it add a touch of Korean influence but the chewy and bouncy texture paired with the sautéed mushrooms and cranberries was very well received by the diners at the table.

Kalbi Jim | S$26.90/++

Among all the dishes tried, this was my favourite. Kalbi Jim/Galbi Jim is actually a Korean braised short ribs stew that is simmered over low heat to a tender and sweet finish. To make it into a tapas, the short ribs were braised for 48 hours with Korean sauce that usually contained soy sauce, sesame oil and malt syrup. It was served with mashed potatoes, pickled daikon and goji berries, I liked the creamy mash and the sweet flavourful marinate that infused into the flesh to make it an awesome dish!

Chestnut Crunchy Bar | S$10.90/++

A beautifully plated dessert enough to draw wows, the chestnut mousse layered with orange gel in a chocolate tart shell was topped with crunchy pearls. The crunchy bar was slightly hard to slice open however it surprised us with a flowy orange gel. Flavour wise, the chestnut mousse was overwhelmed by the chocolate element though the tangy flavour suited us just right.

This dish is not included in the Christmas menu, but you can order from their usual ala carte menu! It was quite an exciting one especially if you love your fries with cheese sauce, however not everyone would like kimchi to pair with as it may come across somewhat odd. It was an okay combination for us though, nonetheless we prefer it with just the delicious cheese sauce.

Mint-flavoured food/drink could easily turn into a nightmare as it may taste like toothpaste. This shot of mojito was on the verge in this case with a smoothie-like texture, yet too solidified to be an alcohol drink. It however served a refreshing drink!

A very casual and cosy dining ambience with different designs of letterboxes hooked on the wall, some Korean language such as annyeonghaseyo (hello in English) was written on the boxes. Very decent and nicely plated tapas offered here with most of the dishes spot on, it's definitely a place where we would visit again if we're around the area and have got a craving for some fusion food and alcohol.