The best friend and I wanted to try Big Mama Korean Restaurant for awhile and finally got around to doing so one day after work. I thought we could just walk in, but she decided to call and make a reservation. When she dialed for a reservation, the waitress commented that they were full from 7 pm to 8 pm so we had to settle for a 8 pm reservation.
I was immensely grateful that she made a reservation in advance and I would strongly advise everybody to do so. We reached slightly past 7 pm and strolled into Big Mama, thinking we might be lucky enough to snag an empty table. It was impossible. The place was extremely crowded and the waitress told us nicely to return at 8 pm. We decided to while time away window shopping at Tiong Bahru Plaza, which honestly had nothing much. It was such a boring neighbourhood shopping mall.
Big Mama was a casual, no-frills restaurant, bathed in extremely bright white lights that bounced off whitewashed walls. Decoration was kept to a minimum. A long counter stood at the back where the kitchen was and simple tables covered the main area. The white walls were covered with large posters highlighting the chef's recommendations at Big Mama. The menu at Big Mama was slightly different from those of the usual Korean restaurants like Doongji and Togi, with an emphasis on Dakgalbi (spicy grilled chicken) and Suyuk (Pork Belly). Big Mama did not have the usual Korean stews that we were used to such as the seafood stew and army stew.
After much debate and consideration, we finally decided to go with the Dakgalbi. The waitress set up the pan above a portable stove on our table and allowed the raw vegetables and marinated chicken to sit for awhile. She came back regularly to toss the food in the pan and spread the sauce evenly around.
While the waitress busied with the pan, we were stuffing the side dishes into our mouths hungrily. The side dishes were good. The kimchi was very well-marinated and crunchy, while the vermicelli was chewy and fragrant with sesame oil. The sliced lotus root with sesame dressing was refreshing too.
When the Dakgalbi was ready, it looked way more appetizing than when the raw version just arrived. The sauce covered every single item evenly and everything looked red and spicy. We started eagerly the minute the waitress left and were awed by how delicious it was. Everything soaked up the sauce incredibly well, especially the chicken cubes. The chicken was tender and juicy, with a burst of flavour. The vegetables were crunchy and I love the rice cakes!
When we were almost done with our Dakgalbi, we ordered a portion of fried rice. The waitress brought a bowl of rice to the pan, turned the stove on, and scooped the rice into the pan. She proceeded to add sesame oil, chilli sauce, and kimchi into the pan, before starting to prepare our fried rice. Seaweed was added as a finishing touch. The fried rice was very yummy too and I loved how it was prepared right in front of us.
The downside of having food prepared on your table was the heat that emanated from the portable stove and the smell of food in your hair. I was feeling quite hot towards the end of the meal because we were sitting in an enclosed area with weak air-conditioning and subjected to the heat from all the stoves around us. Probably not the best place to sit around and chat because it does get very hot and humid after awhile, without any natural breeze or air-conditioning.
There were also some hits and misses with the service. The waitresses were evidently overworked and hassled. I was greeted with a curt remark each time I asked for something like a refill of side dishes or more drinks. The usual response was something along the lines of "Could you ask somebody else? I am [insert activity]". Almost all of them were doing something so it became a challenge to get anything at all.
Big Mama is a short walk from Tiong Bahru MRT Station. When you exit from the MRT station in front of Tiong Bahru Plaza, cross the road and turn left. You will reach a small lane on your right and Big Mama is the first shop along this stretch.
2 Kim Tian Road
62707704
11:30 - 14:30
17:30 - 23:00
open daily except Monday
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