Tuck into hearty stews, Korean pizza pancakes and make your own rice balls at Masizzim
A hearty beef stew is especially great on rainy days
Like most food lovers these days, I’ve made it a habit to check out a restaurant on social media before making a trip down.
Photogenic K-food
Instagram-worthy food
On Instagram, the hashtag #masizzimsg revealed rows of crisp Korean pancakes with gooey cheese threatening to roll off their sides along with close-up shots of meat stews glistening from the heat.
As I scrolled down, rice balls speckled with colourful ingredients caught my eye as well.
The 2000 sq ft Masizzim, conveniently located at 313 Somerset, is brought to life by the same people behind its next door neighbours — hugely-popular Korean fried chicken chain Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory.
If this is the start of a K-food invasion at the mall, then you can bet I’ll be waiting with bated breath.
Delicious and customisable stews
Our pick is the soy Pork Rib Stew
With a name that is an amalgamation of the Korean words ‘masi’ (delicious) and ‘jjim’ (stew), Masizzim does take its stews seriously.
Its signature stews are slow-cooked in the restaurant’s secret sauce for at least six hours until the meat yields to tenderness.
Riding on the current personalised food trend, Masizzim’s stews are highly customisable for every palate out there.
First, pick from a base of Beef Rib Stew ($18), Pork Rib Stew ($16) or Spicy Chicken Stew ($16). Non-spicy versions are available for the first two options.
Spicy stews come in four levels of heat, depending on how much of a challenge you’re up for.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you, our Level 1 Spicy Chicken Stew packed quite a punch with the tongue-tingling heat from the gochujang (red pepper paste).
To douse the fire, you can order a Sikhye Jar (660ml, $9.50). The Korean home-style chilled beverage of malt barley and rice is brewed in-house every day and has a pleasant sweetness to it.
I took a fancy to the non-spicy soy Pork Rib Stew, made with a savoury blend of soy sauce, pineapples and Korean pear. It was even more delicious with additional toppings of toppoki (Korean rice cake) and Korean udon.
DIY rice balls
For a touch of family fun, Masizzim’s Rice Balls ($8) will allow kids and adults alike to get hands-on with shaping their own rice balls.
Who says you shouldn’t play with your food?
Pick between rice bowls with either crispy anchovies or tuna flakes. Both bowls are equally delicious and come with ingredients like kimchi, mayonnaise, seaweed strips, crushed chilli padi and three mixed grains — medium-grain white rice, Korean black rice and barley.
Finally, place the contents of your rice bowl bit by bit into your palms and shape the ingredients into round balls. Once you’re done, you can tuck in.
Like pizza, only better
The highlight of my meal had to be the moreish Tomato Cheese Kimchi Pancake ($13).
Pizza or pancake? You decide.
The crispy batter is infused with fried kimchi and minced beef and topped with tangy tomato paste, gooey mozzarella cheese and basil flecks — like pizza, only better.
With Korean restaurants and dessert chains taking Singapore by storm, Masizzim does look set to ride the wave.
Masizzim, 313 Somerset, 313 Orchard Road,#B3-02, Singapore 238895, Tel: 6509 5808
by Samantha Francis
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