MODU Samgyetang Specialty Korean Restaurant

Post by Chiefeater Luke Soon

At MODU Samgyetang Specialty Korean Restaurant. Korean cuisine is so much more than greasy barbecues and fiery dishes. There’s also boyang-sik, which are foods that are packed with health benefits and meant to nourish the body. One of the most well-known of the bunch is samgyetang or Korean ginseng chicken soup. The dish is typically enjoyed throughout summer as it energises the body in the warmer months. In other words, perfect for those of us here in Singapore who are perpetually simmering in the relentless heat.

While you can find samgyetang at plenty of Korean restaurants here, there’s a new spot that specialises in this dish in particular. MODU Samgyetang opened its doors in April 2025 at Orchard Road, and it offers six variations of samgyetang, alongside other boyang-sik. Opened by the same people behind Drim Korean Steak House – yes, the one that Korean heartthrob Cha Eun Woo visited last year – this new concept is also perched on the second floor of Mandarin Gallery. The 40-seater is elegantly styled with Hanok-inspired elements, and you can either grab a counter seat by the open kitchen, or dine in private rooms that seat up to 12 guests.

All samgyetang broths at MODU Samgyetang are slow-cooked for minimally eight hours. The black chicken samgyetang is the cleanest-tasting of the lot (SGD37), featuring a whole spring chicken stuffed with glutinous rice. Black chicken or ogol-gye is said to be more nutrient-dense than regular chicken, with a leaner meat texture. More unique picks on the menu include the perilla seed samgyetang (SGD38) which has a thicker, gruel-like consistency from grounded perilla seeds, and a nuttier aroma.

We had the Beauty and Collagen samgyetangs- somewhat more ‘original’ variants – closer to the ones in Seoul over the years. The wait is incredulous – close to an hour – and we arrived @ 11am when they opened! There’s no reservations yet – so getting into the online queue is the only way to get seats.

The soups were fragrant, flavourful and rich – both at 7.5/10. What’s more it’s not sharp on the edges. The pine nuts, ginkgo nuts and red dates thrown into broth gives it a rich/silky finishing ( better than the collagen soup bases in Beauty at the Pot etc). The ginseng condiments aren’t overpowered either – every element comes together harmoniously.

The tofu samhap was above average at 7/10. The seamoss like nori was what caught my attention. The chilli dip was a nice touch.

Then the chicken gizzards. This was executed well at 7/10. For someone that stays clear of chicken innards – this was very, very edible. I found myself going for a few pieces.

The makgeolli was one of the best I’ve had outside Korea. It’s not too heavy, not too sweet, perfectly balanced. The fermented rice texture gives it an imaginary bounce; the milky aftertaste comes through with each sip. Definitely a 7/10 at the very least.

MODU Samgyetang Specialty Korean Restaurant didn’t disappoint. it’s a bold move to feature a samgyetang only ensemble. Much like a tempura-ya. But I think they’ve got the staying power.

Business Hours
Monday to Friday
11:00 am to 03:00 pm
05:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Saturday and Sunday
11:00 am to 10:00 pm