Story One @ Tanjong Pagar (2024)

Story One is one of the better Korean BBQ restaurants in the Tanjong Pagar area, and we returned to enjoy a very good Korean meal.

Story One 이야기 하나 (Iyagi Hana) is the high end ala carte Korean BBQ restaurant under the Don Dae Bak 돈대박 group. Not associated with First Story (Iyagi Hana) in Gangnam, whose claim to fame was a KBBQ place for singles.

This is the first KBBQ in Singapore that I have been to that installed a sophisticated smoke extractor on the table top in the shape of a faucet that is detachable. And a cast iron warmer, another nice touch for keeping the beef warm without overcooking them.

The meal came with four different condiments for you to dip the beef with. There’s the Himalayan pink salt, a soy bean chilli paste, freshly grated horseradish that reminded me of wasabi and a fresh mustard seed (my favourite).

The banchan for Story One has always been a highlight of the meal. The last time we were here for lunch, there was eight types of banchan. We started with six this evening, and then by end of dinner there were twelve types of banchan, and they kept refilling them as many times as we wanted.

In a trip to Seoul, a chef at a hanwoo KBBQ place told me that lettuce is not served in the high-end restaurants because Koreans like to enjoy the beef as it is.

Saeusal 새우살 | Ribeye Cap

This is a very interesting cut from the ribeye that is literally called saeusal 새우살 or “the shrimp meat” because of the shape. Saeusal is a limited part that only comes with a small amount of about 1 kg per cow. I love this part because of its flavourful meat yet in small portion.

이버리고 숙성 항경살 Ibeoligo Sugseong Hang-Gyeongsal | Iberica Pork Jowls

Iberico is different from ordinary pigs not because it feeds on acorns; the species itself is different from ordinary pigs. It has no smell, has a very high fat marbling and is characterised by its juiciness. Due to the strict management by the Spanish government, the quality is the best, the production is very low, and therefore the price is significantly higher.

Iberico pork jowl is the forelimb part of a pig that connects the head to the neck, and the fat is evenly spread in the lean meat to create a chewy texture. The savoury taste and the fat-like texture is really attractive. Especially as it has a high fat content, it is easy to feel the deep flavour unique to Iberico.

이베리코 숙성 세크리드 | Iberico Secreto

Iberico Secreto is a secret cut hidden between the shoulder blade and the loin of the pig. The meat is well marbled, with a sweet, creamy fat that melts slowly during the cooking process. When cooked, Secreto has a rich, delightfully nutty flavour – and a rather distinctive texture that gives you an extraordinary melt-in-the-mouth feel. It is considered to be a delicacy due to the small amount available from each pig, highly sought after, and one of the most expensive cuts.

프라임 LA갈비 Prime LA Galbi  | Aging Soy Sauce: LA Rib

While the dish is called LA galbi, it actually has nothing to do with the city. Most people mistakenly believe that the recipe comes from Los Angeles. “Galbi” translates to English as “ribs,” and at Korean barbecue restaurants in the United States, the term has become overwhelmingly synonymous with beef short ribs cut through laterally—rather than parallel to—the rib bones into long, thin pieces, as opposed to the Korean style where it would be wang galbi 왕갈비 with the slab of bone still intact.

Nicely marbled and full of flavour, everyone loves this sweet–salty meat boasting a heady mix of garlic and ginger. The best doneness for LA galbi is medium or more to let the meat to produce the Maillard effect and sauce to be caramelised.

감자탕 Gam Ja Tang | Pork Back-Bone Stew

Gamjatang or pork back-bone stew is a spicy Korean soup made from the spine or neck bones of a pig. It often contains potatoes, mung bean noodles, greens, perilla leaves, green onions, hot peppers and ground sesame seeds.  The dish usually comes semi prepared with a topping of fresh vegetables and spices, unless the restaurant doesn’t have any burners for you to cook it. When served this way, you need to wait until the veggies become cooked down and edible. 

Sizzling hot gamjatang is hearty and savoury which makes it always popular at the dinner table. The soft fatty meat picked from the gaps between the bones is especially tasty. A very satisfying end to the meal.

The meal was excellent, especially the banchan; I loved the kimchi which was house-made and not too sour. The service was top-notch and even better, we don’t smell like BBQ after the meal. Not cheap, but definitely worth the price. Recommended.

Story One Korean Cuisine 이야기 하나
60 Peck Seah Street Singapore 079323
Tel : +65 6518 9695

Visited Jan 2024

#storyonekoreanbbq #koreanbbq @storyone_sg @dondaebak_sg #storyone #storyonesg #storyonekoreancuisine #kbbqsg #kbba #koreanfoodsg #premiumkbbq #premiumbbq #bestkbba #sgfoodie #sgfood