70-seater Korean eatery in Bugis with over 50 home-style dishes, prices from $5.90

Racking your brain for a place to eat while shopping at Bugis+? If you enjoy Korean food that’s been adapted for Singaporean tastes, stop by Kimchi Mama at level 4 for some comforting home-style dishes. It really made me feel like I was dining at an ajumma‘s house, but on our shores.

kimchi mama - entrance — kimchi mama – entrance

kimchi mama - mascot — kimchi mama – mascot

Located right next to Haidilao Hot Pot, the 70-seater Korean eatery has plenty of natural light seeping through the roof (if you dine there before sundown). You can also catch the adorable ajumma mascot decked in a red-permed hairdo, geeky frames, carrying a bowl of kimchi.

kimchi mama - banchan — kimchi mama – banchan

The first thing that caught my eye when I entered was the banchan corner. It features various sides like soy bean sprout kimchi and corn mayo that were stored in adorable mini onggi pots. There’ll be 4 to 5 free-flow varieties available daily!

kimchi mama - hotstone beef steak — kimchi mama – hotstone beef steak

Now on to the main affair… the food. The menu features 8 varieties of sizzling hot stone rice bowls and we gave the Hotstone Kimchi Beef Steak Rice (S$14.90) a go. It arrived with a side of seaweed soup and gochujang sauce for us to drizzle.

kimchi mama - hotstone beef steak mixing — kimchi mama – hotstone beef steak mixing

The dish was crowned with beef steak slices, a luscious egg yolk, flying fish roe, shredded seaweed, and rice. We mixed everything under the sizzling hot stone, with the bottom portion of the rice grilled till they’re nice and crisp with some char. The beef steak pieces were succulent and tender, while the rice was eggy and tangy.

The Mama ‘Shake Shake’ Rice Balls (S$5.90) was a fun twist to the usual practice of rolling it into mini balls. I shook the small box up for 20 seconds while pretending I was a bartender mixing a drink. I found a delicious way of enjoying this dish and I’ll share it here: place rice on the seaweed sheet, top with some banchan, and shove it in your mouth in one go! Try my method and see if you love it as much as I did. It was as if I created my own ssam!

kimchi mama - boneless chikin — kimchi mama – boneless chikin

For convenient eating without having to tackle the bones, get the Boneless Chikin (S$8.90 for 5 pieces) featuring gloriously crispy fried chicken that’s available in 3 flavours: Soy Garlic, Sweet & Spicy, and Honey Garlic.

kimchi mama - corn cheese — kimchi mama – corn cheese

If you do choose to get the Boneless Chikin, please, I repeat, please order the Corn Cheese (S$6.90) as well, a simple but addictively good combination of sweet corn kernels and stretchy, creamy cheese.

kimchi mama - corn cheese wrapped chicken — kimchi mama – corn cheese wrapped chicken

And the reason? Twirl the piping-hot corn cheese around the pieces of fried chicken for an out-of-this-world flavour haven. It was so good!

kimchi mama - eomuk fries — kimchi mama – eomuk fries

Not commonly seen is the Eomuk Fries (S$6.90) or fried fish cake fries. It features Korean fish cakes that’s cut into strips and fried, before being sprinkled with your choice of either cheese or paprika.

kimchi mama - stew closeup — kimchi mama – stew closeup

If you’re dining in a group of about 3 to 4, why not share the Kimchi Mama Stew Pot (S$25.90)? It comes in beef or chicken, the stew has sweet potato noodles, normal and fermented kimchi, tofu cubes, white clams, and enoki mushrooms, all doused in a hearty kimchi broth.