We almost walked right past this restaurant, discreetly located as it is at the side of Stamford Court. When we found the entrance, staff greeted us and led us up a flight of stairs that opened up into a more expansive floor space—which was when we realized Asadal is not your typical Korean eat-out. The interior was softly lit and done up in pastel shades that created a soothing and pleasant dining ambiance. We were quickly shown to our seats (it was a quiet week night) and ordered our beers before studying the menu. The offers are a mix of traditional Korean and fusion cuisine. We were served complimentary appetizers comprising traditional Korean vegetables such as kimchi (homemade and spicy the way it should be), and quickly moved on to our yook gae jang soup when it arrived. Served with rice on the side, the soup was spicy and contained beef slices and an assortment of vegetables. We found it rich, salty and spicy, with the generous beef strips well done. It could have been a hearty meal in itself, but we skipped the rice to leave room for our ginseng chicken and steak. The chicken came as a soup in a hot stone bowl (warning: the bowl is very hot). We found the chicken and the soup lightly scented with the smell and taste of ginseng, chestnuts and prunes; definitely a welcome relief to our palates after all that spice. As we demolished the chicken, we realized belatedly that sticky rice was used as stuffing, which was certainly an interesting experience. The steak exemplified the fusion portion of the menu. Marinated in Korean steak sauce, slowly roasted and glazed so the meat retained its juice and was easy to cut, it came on a hot stone plate with side serves of potatoes and vegetables. We found the steak tasty and slightly tangy, and recommend it to those who like to try something a little different. If you enjoy both traditional Korean food done properly and dishes that have an experimental feel, Asadal is a good choice.
