Ureshii at The Arts House is a medley of comforting Korean flavours and overflowing Glam
A suite of rustic Korean-style furniture populates the space, and a fleet of globe lamps dye the ambience in a passionate orange. At the back of the restaurant, a glossy art piece overlooks the restaurant — on it is a voguish illustration of a Geisha, seemingly supervising everything with a playful side-eye.
This is Ureshii, a Korean-Japanese restaurant that’s found at a nook in The Arts House, right within range of the National Gallery.
And as peculiar as the melange of design influences may sound — it all works as part of its distinctly glamorous charm.
It all makes perfect sense when you realise that Ureshii is the sophomore endeavour by the same folks behind Tanoshii, a hidden gem that deserves plaudits for its ingenuity in flavours.
The more intimate outfit found on the cusp of Orchard bears many resemblances in style, including certain motifs such as the Geisha artwork.
However, the Orchard outfit is devoted to a more sophisticated experience for Chef-Owner Jang Kyung-bok’s one-of-a-kind Korean fusion cuisine.
In contrast, Ureshii is designed with a more laid-back approach in mind — something that’s also articulated through a more affordable a la carte menu, while guests are still treated to Chef Jang’s patented brand of flashy and luxuriating design sensibilities.
Korea Banzai
The new outfit, like Tanoshii, is an outlier in cooking style where Chef Jang weaves out a variegated tapestry of flavours, incorporating patches of Japanese influences into a strong Korean culinary foundation.
Ingenuity is present but simplicity is also a key part of the menu, represented by dishes such as the straightforward but comforting Ureshii Bibimbap ($28) — a well-executed classic ensemble with a hearty mound of rice, fresh ingredients, and saucy gochujang base.
Many of the ingredients also make an appearance in Ureshii’s signature appetiser, the Gujeolpan ($38) or “Platter of Nine Delicacies”.
For this dish, eight ingredients are carefully arranged in an ornate octagon case encircling the chief component: jeon, wheat pancakes. Diners have carte blanche over delicacies such as shrimp and particularly luscious mushrooms, to make up their favourite combinations.
With everything thrown into the silky embrace of the thin pancakes and given a dollop of the piquant dipping sauce, it becomes a wonderfully satisfying wrap — almost like a Korean cousin of the Mexican taco.
Borrowing from Chef Jang’s inimitable arsenal of Korean-Japanese creations, the Hokkaido Octopus Steak ($58) makes a cameo — this is an iconic signature from Tanoshii.
As it was like at the former, Ureshii’s strong rendition of octopus carries a meatier firmness in its texture, while still splendidly bouncy, and it is elegantly elevated with the twang of the romesco sauce.
Beef is also prominently featured throughout the menu, as expected of a Korean restaurant. One way it’s presented is in the form of a familiar Korean BBQ staple of galbi, or beef short ribs.
Served with addictively creamy truffle mash and imbued with a deep gochujang umami, Ureshii’s glistening Gochoojang Galbi Yakiniku ($38) is not merely potent in flavour but also possesses an immense lusciousness.
The highlights
Another less expected guise is that of the beef tartare, where the raw-beef-based yookhoe is recreated with modern fusion elements.
Ureshii’s Yook-hoe ($38) comes stunningly plated: adorned with crimson tuille and sea grapes, atop a heap of sliced beef enrobed in silky yolk, which is in turn perched atop a pedestal of refreshing Korean pears.
Everything revolves around the plush and succulent beef, as it hits the palate with a wave of soy-sauce fragrance alongside sea-grape salinity, while the crispy pear sweetness deftly cuts through it all.
Another form the beef can take is the tteok-galbi, tracing its heritage back to the Gyeongbokgung , originating as a dish made for royalty.
It entails short ribs flattened into a pancake and left to render on a sizzling hotplate filled with oil and spring onions.
Not only is Ureshii Tteok-Galbi ($38) extremely rich and lets out a deluge of juices with each mouthful, but it’s accentuated by aromatic and succulent spring onions that relentlessly soak up all the juices.
Besides intricate fusion touches, Ureshii also peacocks its Japanese influences in ambiguous and time-honoured Japanese staples such as the Osaka Okonomiyaki ($28).
As rudimentary as it may sound, this was one of the best okonomiyaki I’ve had in Singapore — impeccably achieving the crusty outside and fluffy innards, while also thronged with fresh juicy shrimps and octopus.
Capping it all off, the Korean Cream Cheese Bread ($6.50) is another seemingly humble dish but magnificently executed by Chef Jang and his team.
Rich and fluffy bread overflowing with the most sumptuously sweet and velvety cream — an unadulterated pleasure for any bread lover.
Although Ureshii is not your conventional Korean restaurant, the glamorous establishment still doles out plenty of the country’s comfort food.
It’s slightly less ambitious and eclectic as compared to Tanoshii. However, the great execution, wonderful produce quality, and one-of-a-kind snazzy ambience might make it a worthy visit for any casual Korean food enthusiast.
Make your reservations here.
Ureshii
- Address:1 Old Parliament Ln, #01-02 The Arts House, Singapore 179429
- Hours: (Mon–Sun) 11:50 am–2:30 pm, 6pm–10:30 pm
*This was an invited tasting.