Kimme: Fun, Modern European-Korean from a Rising Star Chef

Kimme is the younger, less fancy sister to one Michelin-starred Meta by rising star Chef Sun Kim

Chef Sun Kim of one-Michelin-starred Meta has opened a more casual Korean-inspired modern European restaurant, Kimme at a triple storey shophouse on Amoy Street. The ground floor is taken up by the small open kitchen, where you can watch head chef Louis Han and Chef Sun Kim in action from a huge table that can seat 12. If you’d prefer not to dine communal style, the second floor has smaller table settings (while the third floor will soon be a private dining room).

The cuisine is similar to Meta, though cooked in a simpler way, and while Meta only offers set menus, at Kimme all dishes are a la carte. Dishes like the Irish oyster with lemon ginger and trout roe ($5/piece), and Taco with lamb, mushroom, mint yoghurt and kimchi ($13) showcase the mix of modern European and Korean.

Wagyu Tartare ($23), is a big bold starter of finely cubed chunks of raw Wagyu served with a raw egg alongside sago crisps – big on taste and has fellow diners audibly groan with pleasure as they scoop mouthfuls up. Kampachi Sashimi ($22) sees slivers of raw fish wrapped around pickled ginger and cream cheese with shiso chive oil and gochujang sauce. Or there’s the pretty dish of Shima Aji Tartare, Caviar, Egg (pictured below).

A standout dish is the King Prawn with XO sauce, Jerusalem artichoke and Mussel ($30). First of all, that XO sauce is plate licking stuff but paired with the Jerusalem artichoke, black squid ink for depth and sweet prawn it’s a powerhouse of flavours, an umami-sweet-salty combo that is worth returning for. Bossam ($35) is a dish where Chef’s talent at blending traditional Korean and modern European shines. Pork belly is marinated in soybean paste, soy sauce and coffee powder then slow-cooked for many hours then sliced and served with endive leaves (in lieue of traditional lettuce), ssamjang sauce and kimchi (a condiment that deserves a special mention due to its wonderfully clean flavours, thanks to Chef’s grandma’s recipe).

Kimme, 47 Amoy Street, Singapore 069873, Tel: (+65) 6514 1588, kimmerestaurant.com