Korean BBQ can be a hit-or-miss affair depending on where you go, but Keum Eun Don has spent over a decade proving it is not one of the misses. The Yongsan original has built a name for itself right beside HYBE’s headquarters, drawing enough idols and actors through its doors to earn a reputation.
What sets their meats apart before it even touches the flame is a two-stage ageing process, wet ageing followed by a full day of dry ageing, with a light charcoal aroma worked in at the kitchen before it lands at the table. From there, the doneness is entirely in the diner’s hands.
Keum Eun Don: Igniting the appetite
The meal started with their Kimchi Stew ($16+), and it is not the one-note spice that is typical of such stews from neighborhood eateries. There is a sourness that runs through the broth first, the kind that only comes from kimchi given the time to ferment properly rather than one propped up by chilli alone. Bright and a little puckering in a good way, this is the sort of stew that gets the appetite going.
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Then came the Steamed Egg ($10+) where a layer of melted cheese awaits beneath the soft and wobbly custard, turning each scoop richer and gooier the deeper you go. What lingers in the mouth is the sesame oil and the mellow nuttiness that it brings. It is simple, comforting and best eaten hot.
The Seafood Pajeon ($25+) arrived with a good crackle at the edges, its batter thick with shrimp, squid, and spring onion rather than skimping on the fillings. The seafood brings a clean sweetness that cuts nicely through the savoury batter, though the pancake does carry more oil than one might expect. It is still an easy thing to pick at while waiting for the grill to get hot.
Where Meat Meets Heat
The main event, fittingly, was a platter of three different meats from their Eun set ($145+). The Pork Belly took center stage, cut into slices thick enough to survive direct heat without curling limp. It renders down on the grill until the fat crackles and the edges catch a proper char while the middle stays tender and juicy. There is no marinade since the meat has already been aged, leaving the pork’s own flavour to carry itself in a deep and slightly funky way that aged meat tends to be.
Beside it sat a thick and marbled Prime Beef Short Rib which was generous enough for the whole table to share. The one rule worth following is restraint on the grill. Pull it off at medium, once the fat has rendered just enough to baste the meat from within, and it stays juicy without drying out. Push it too far, and all that beautiful marbling goes to waste.
Rounding off the plate was the Pork Collar, a leaner cut and probably the quietest of the three. It grills evenly and eats without complaint, but next to the crackle of the belly and the richness of the short rib, it simply fades into the background. It served more of a supporting act than a headliner.
Keum Eun Don – Gold, Silver, Pork
Keum Eun Don translates to gold, silver and pork and it is no surprise that the meats do most of the convincing. The pork belly and the short rib in particular are dishes worth returning for, while the stew and sides add just enough contrast around them to keep the table interesting. Not every plate lands with the same impact, but for a restaurant built around the quality of its pork and beef, it delivers on exactly what it promises.
Keum Eun Don Korean BBQ
Where: 4 Hillview Rise, HillV2, #01-09, Singapore 667979
Open daily, 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5pm – 10pm
