SYNC – The Very First Korean Tapas Bar Opens in Singapore

About SYNC Korean Tapas Bar

Stepping in, you will be greeted by a wall full of old-school letterboxes – which are all hand-painted and decorated by the boss and his daughter. That should give you an idea of the amount of care and dedication put into the dishes here. As the very first Korean Tapas Bar in Singapore, we weren’t sure what kind of food to expect, so we went there hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

The Tapas and Drinks

Tapas are appetisers in Spanish cuisine meant for sharing, but these tapas come with a Korean twist. The mocktails we were served paid tribute to the Korean theme, replacing the alcohol used with soju. I loved the Soju Mojito ($9.90). It was refreshing, with no aftertaste of alcohol. The Peach Soju Shot ($7.90) was sweet and equally delightful.

The best tapas was the Sogogi Jowl ($10.90) – char-grilled Angus beef jowl sandwiched between shiso leaves with garlic confit. We had 3 servings each! The meat was marbled and melted in your mouth, and went very well with the leaves, which had a slight minty taste.

The Crackling ($9.90) is umami cod sliced thinly and fried, then sprinkled with Korean seaweed. The bowl placed before us emptied in minutes, and we wished they sold tins of it so we could bring it home! Perfect as a movie snack, as a gift to friends or as beer food.

Some other tapas we tried were the Samgyupsal ($10.90) – char-grilled pork belly on salad leaves with chilli yuzu dressing.

For those who like sweet and spicy food, there is the Dak-KangJung ($9.90) – spicy fried chicken that comes with ricotta for dipping and a crispy green pepper for that zing!

We also had the Mandu ($9.90) – Korean dumplings filled with minced pork and mushrooms. It was wrapped neatly and fried till crispy, but I felt this dish was too pricey considering the size of the dish.

The Mains

First up was the Chicken Paella ($38.90), which utilised sticky short grain rice and home-made kimchi for the Korean flavour. It comes with sausages, mushrooms, onions and cabbage, and can be shared among 2-3 people.

Then came my absolute favourite dish of the night, the Ssam ($40.90). These pork ribs can be eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves – a nod to how Koreans eat meat, or tucked in a bun, Singaporean style. What we loved was how the pork literally fell off the bone. That’s how tender it was!

The chef explained that the meat is cooked for 4-8 hours, depending on the thickness of the meat. You can share this dish with a friend, but it’s so good you’ll probably end up fighting for the last piece!

Desserts

I love their desserts. First, we had the Hotteok ($8.90) – chewy pan-fried Korean street-style pancakes filled with a nutty paste, caramelized bananas and vanilla ice cream. The pancake was slightly crispy, and not too sweet.

Last but certainly not the least, we had the Misugaru Lava Cake ($8.90). Misugaru is a Korean grain powder commonly found in teas, so I thought it was an interesting and healthy spin on this usually decadent dessert. It certainly made me feel less guilty at least! The vanilla ice cream it came with was nestled on top cereal, which added a nice crunch.

Verdict

As Singapore’s first Korean Tapas Bar, SYNC manages to set the bar high for anyone who wishes to follow in its footsteps. I was impressed with the quality of food prepared, and SYNC is a nice spot to chill with your friends. If cocktails aren’t your thing, they offer a selection of beers as well.