After opening seven Berempah Bros outlets within the year and running private dining experience Twelve Flavours, MasterChef Singapore Season 2 winner Derek Cheong has added yet another F&B concept to his portfolio.
This time, it’s HanBroth — a hawker stall specialising in Busan-style pork soup, also known as dwaeji gukbap.
HanBroth officially opened at Bukit Timah Interim Market and Food Centre on Nov 7.
On Nov 8, the 29-year-old shared that he had spent five days in Busan, South Korea, and “many other days” on the research and development of HanBroth’s dwaeji gukbap.
Among the eateries he visited in South Korea were Um Yeong Baek, which has already made a name in Singapore, the Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Anmok Dwaeji Gukbap, and the restaurant he described as “the one” — 1953 Hyungje Dwaeji Gukbap.
According to the chef, the broth there was “absolutely incredible”, with strong flavours of pork “packed with umami and a beautiful, rich mouthfeel”.
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So, what can you expect from Derek’s own take at the Korean comfort dish?
At HanBroth, diners can choose from three signature flavours: Original ($9.90), Seaweed ($11.90) and Herbal ($11.90). Each set comes with rice, kimchi and house-made condiments.
The prices at HanBroth are generally more affordable as compared to other Busan-style pork soup eateries in Singapore.
For example, a bowl of dwaeji gukbap at Um Yeong Baek here starts from $22, while the same dish is sold at around 14,000 won (S$13.40) in its South Korean outlets.
Despite the wallet-friendly prices, Derek said that HanBroth uses premium ingredients for its dishes.
Giving a tour of HanBroth’s kitchen, the chef revealed that the broth is simmered for four to eight hours using five cuts of pork — femur bones, shank, trotter, belly and collar.
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As the new hawker stall fine-tunes operations, its dwaeji gukbap is available in limited servings every day.
Other dishes on the menu include Pork Bossam ($9.90) and Potato Pancake ($9.90), which Derek describes as a cross between a Korean pancake and rosti.
The Busan-style pork soup concept also saw Derek teaming up with his Berempah Bros business partner Ong Zhen Ning for the second time.
Together, they invested around $50,000 into HanBroth, Derek told HungryGoWhere.
The pair has a combined portfolio of 13 new F&B outlets this year.
According to Derek, the new business was inspired by Singaporeans’ rising interest in Korean soup dishes. He also noticed that dwaeji gukbap was not a common dish here.
Address: 21 Jalan Seh Chuan, #01-41, Singapore 599213
Opening hours: 11am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 8.30pm daily
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carol.ong@asiaone.com
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