Joo Bar

Was so intrigued by the Makgeoli, had to come back a second time, but this time sans the coworker who only liked beer.
Had the normal Makgeoli small bottle. It has a stronger kick of alcohol than normal. Was very tasty. Didn’t try the standard Makgeoli out of their beer tap, the waitress mentioned it wasn’t as strong and was lighter.
I’ve tried the Army Stew, raboki, kimchee Prawn pasta, and bossam. All were good hits to the palate.
Bossam — the pork was on the fatty side, but was nicely braised. The cabbage had a unique lemon flavor. The dikon kimchee had nicely grilled garlic that I enjoyed. Definitely a winner dish.
Army Stew — spicy stew with sausage, noodles, green onions and other yummy ingredients. I’m used to seeing spam as well though it seemed to be missing. Good and tasty dish.
Raboki — a traditional drinking accompaniment (anju). Tubes of rice cake with fishcake tempura in a spicy red sauce is the duk bokki and you add the Ramen noodles to make it a rraboki. Ramen + duk bokki = raboki.
Kimchee Prawn Pasta — really enjoyed the Korean twist to the traditional Prawn pasta dish.
Good Korean bar with tasty anju. Liked the Makgeoli theme and the place is pretty chill. Seems you need reservations to be seated on the 2^nd floor.

This is a quaint little modern Korean place. I popped by with a bibulous friend on a weeknight and had chicken wings, the makgeolli sampler, and regular makgeolli to wash everything down.
Oh my. They have good wings here, and I’m not even a wings kinda gal. Juicy, crispy, with garlic bits on it, you will not regret ordering em here.
I particularly enjoyed the makgeolli sampler, though I cannot for the life of me remember the flavors. If you have a girlfriend or a date, she will most certainly enjoy the sampler; doubles up as a dessert for someone with a sweet tooth!
Did not try dinner items as we came here post-​dinner.

We discovered this hidden place passing by. Quite close from Bugis MRT. The deco is very stylish, the menu is very unique has it is a Korean bar with unique food and drink specialities.

i want nobody, nobody but joo!
i want nobody, nobody but joo!
nan dareun sarameun sirheo niga animyeon sirheo!
i want nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody!
joo marries two of my favourite things from korea.
makgeolli (fermented rice alcoholic beverage) and budae jjigae (army stew)!!!
there is no shortage of korean restaurants in SG.
tanjong pagar and chinatown are full of them.
but joo has that little something special.
a sexy, charismatic aura that draws me in.
there are no rough edges here.
everything is smooth and suave.
from the décor to the staff.
the food and beverage is thoughtfully created mostly from scratch and you can taste the quality.
the simple banchan they served me, was simply polished off.
they are not mere fillers but side dishes that whets your appetite and enhances the overall dining experience!
from the sweet, spicy and sour radish, to the soft and creamy macaroni egg salad, to the crispy fried tiny fish, you can taste the love that goes into it!
budae jjigae!
what can i say!
best eaten in the cold harsh winters of korea!
a very humble army stew that comprises hot dog, spam and ham mixed with gochujang and kimchi plus instant ramen!
they get the ratio just right here!
the consistency, heat and spice will light up a winter’s night!
and it’s a single serve portion, unlike many other places where you need to share with 2 or more people.
makgeolli!
since my seoul mate introduced me to this drink at a specialty makgeolli bar, i have never looked back.
no soju, just makgeolli for me, please!
just like i have a fetish for cloudy apple juice and cloudy sancerre, i have to have makgeolli!
here it is home brewed, organic, made fresh daily, no aspartame.
so expect the original version to be slightly sour instead of sweet.
but they do have sweet versions with fruits, if that floats your boat.
i would recommend the yucha slush makgeolli.
you will hardly notice that you are drinking an alcoholic beverage.
the baby eel paper, thin sheets of small eel pressed and deep fried are mas-​issneun!
best accompanied with alcohol!
then there’s their secret weapon!
homemade thin cut crisps, always sliced and fried fresh daily!
no overnighters allowed!
so if you come late at night before closing and sit at the bar, they will all be yours to eat, for FREE!:)
i want nobody, nobody but joo!
i want nobody, nobody but joo!
how can i be with another, i don’t want any other!
i want nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody!

This newly-​discovered place by me is my current go-​to place to indulge in chill K tunes, drink makgeolli and dine on fusion Korean food that is oh-​so-​yummy.
Verdict:
— Makgeolli Sampler Set — Good to try this on your first visit to get a taste of the different flavoured Makgeolli. If you’re a Makgeolli veteran, I suggest that you skip this. The portion is small (of course, it’s just a sampler) but looks great for pics. There are 5 in the set — Original, Yuzu, Lychee, Peach and Strawberry and my personal preference is in the order listed.
— Yuzu Makgeolli (large size) — Very refreshing and one of my favourites. The large size is good to share among 2 ladies.
— Braised pork belly — Per serving comes with a few slices. Honestly, this dish had a chef recommended symbol on the menu but the pork slices were quite tough and chewy. Not something I would order again.
— Home-​made Tapioca chips — Yums! Goes great with Makgeolli with two dips given.
— Gangnam Dreaming cocktail — Had a 7up initial taste but faded to a bittersweet berry aftertaste.
— Insadong memories — One of the best cocktails I’ve tasted during my trips to Joo Bar. Refreshing, sweet and had a great cinnamon ginger taste. Double like!
Been here 4 times within the past 2 months and will keep coming back for more mod Korean food!
Tip: Sit near the bar if you’re not here for dinner as it is pretty interesting chatting with the bespectacled bartender Eddy, and see how he mix the drinks for you. Also, you tend to get a bucket of FOC chips if you’re sitting at the bar compared to ordering drinks at the usual table.