Sam Sam Sam: New samgyetang concept in Novena offers soup based on your wellness needs

If you love checking out new food spots in Singapore, chances are you would have heard of the Korean dish samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) by now. 

In the past two years alone, many new samgyetang speciality restaurants have mushroomed all over our island — there’s even a hawker version that draws on local influences! 

And it doesn’t seem like it’ll stop anytime soon.

Sam Sam Sam, a brand-new concept by the group behind Modu and Modu High — both of which are also samgyetang-themed — has just landed at Novena Square. 

If you’ve never tried it, samgyetang is a nourishing dish of chicken, ginseng, and other herbs, often consumed by Koreans during the hottest days of summer. 

It is consumed under the principles of “i yeol chi yeol”, which means to fight fire with fire, and is meant to help you cool down while replenishing nutrients lost through sweating.

In Singapore’s eternal summer, it’s easy to see how the dish has caught on.

Sam Sam Sam is named after two things: The number three (“sam”) in Korean, which is often used to symbolise balance, and ginseng, known as “insam” in Korean.

If you’ve been to the Initia Group’s previous concepts such as Modu, Song Gye Ok, and the most recent Whuchu, the wooden finishes might strike a familiar chord. 

And at first glance, Sam Sam Sam’s menu also doesn’t seem too different from the group’s other samgyetang speciality brands.

But a closer look reveals that this new concept has a stronger focus on wellness, combining Korean food with informed perspectives from traditional Korean medicine practitioners. 

The herbal medicine shop-inspired elements dotted around the 80-seater venue allude to this, too.

When you sit down, you’re offered a flowchart that guides you towards one of its five samgyetang variations based on your current condition or needs — such as circulation, beauty, or energy — rather than your preferred flavour profiles.

The crowd-friendly Vitality Tonic (S$29), for example, is a good starting point for those unfamiliar with samgyetang and looking for general, everyday nourishment, but is also suitable for those who usually feel cold and have a sensitive stomach. 

It has slow-cooked chicken with Korean ginseng, jujube, and garlic, and is an easy-to-drink and energising bowl. 

The Immunity Black (S$32) is suggested for those with chronic fatigue and low immunity and amps up the restorative element with the addition of slow-cooked black garlic, a popular health food believed to have antioxidant properties. 

The garlic adds a rich and robust finish to the broth, though its strong flavour may not be for everyone. 

The other flavours include the creamy Nourishing Perilla (S$30) for overall lung health, the spicy Thermal Detox (S$30) to dispel bodily coldness, and the Circulation Elixir (S$29) for skin vitality and inner balance. 

Beyond its wellness-driven approach, you’ll also notice that Sam Sam Sam’s bowls are more fuss-free, making them well-suited to the busy, office-worker-driven Novena crowd — each comes with a succulent chicken leg instead of a whole chicken, making for a more straightforward meal.

There are two other sections on the menu: porridge and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles). 

The porridge flavour lineup (from S$21) — chicken, dried pollack, or abalone — is generally similar to what you’d find at sister brand Modu High. However, as with its soups, the ingredients in Sam Sam Sam’s porridge differ, owing to its focus on traditional Korean medicine. 

When it comes to the comforting abalone porridge (S$25), it’s clear Sam Sam Sam’s version stands on its own, with a more pronounced ginseng flavour, rather than feeling like just an accompaniment to the rest of the menu.

Likewise, you might have tried kalguksu at the group’s other concept, Song Gye Ok, but the dish gets greater prominence here at Sam Sam Sam, featuring specially developed noodles with a chewier quality. 

The kalguksu (from S$25) comes in three variations, drawing from the flavours of its main soup bowls — Vitality, spicy jang, and Perilla Nourish — offering a good carb alternative for those who might want to enjoy Sam Sam Sam’s broths, but prefer noodles to rice.

The spicy jang (S$27) broth packed considerable heat, so having it with noodles, as opposed to a standalone bowl of samgyetang, would probably help temper some of that heat if you struggle with bolder flavours. 

When we dined at Sam Sam Sam’s Novena Square outlet on a busy weekday afternoon, we noticed many larger tables of colleagues, perhaps owing to the many offices nearby.

If you happen to be going with a bigger party, there are two samgyetang variations for sharing (from S$62 for a pot for two)  — the Korean spicy chicken pot and the whole chicken pot with mushrooms — should you prefer to dine communally.

To share, there are also smaller bites such as market-style tofu and kimchi (S$12), fried fresh ginseng (S$18) and water parsley pancake (S$14). 

We were also particularly drawn to the kimchi pancake (S$12), which came as two individual smaller portions and had a unique breaded crispiness to it, while remaining soft and brimming with a bright kimchi tang.

While there are no desserts on the menu, there’s a small, fun soda menu of Korean ades, such as ginger (S$6), jujube (S$6), and hallabong (Jeju tangerines, S$6) flavours to choose from if you need something refreshing alongside your hot soups.

Considering the group’s trendy and crowd-drawing concepts from the past year, Sam Sam Sam stands out for its guided and streamlined samgyetang experience, which is just right for its busy target audience, or the average diner who doesn’t need too many herbal embellishments. 

And if you ever find yourself in need of a more premium samgyetang experience with even more flavour choices, there’s always the group’s other concept, Modu High, just a few MRT stops down at Telok Ayer.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more wellness-driven experiences, check out the all-new Foura at IMBA Theatre at Gardens by the Bay or Home by Enjoy, a concept by local filmmaker Jack Neo and chef Joel Ong of Heartland by Enjoy.