Sotpot at Suntec City: The new viral Korean rice pot spot everyone’s talking about

Whether you’re a Korean food fan or not, you would have probably seen this rice pot dish making its rounds on your social media feeds.

For the uninitiated, sotbap literally means “pot rice” in Korean and refers to a dish that is cooked in its own pot and topped with ingredients. The pots used are typically made of stone or metal. 

As opposed to the Korean stews many of us have come to love, sotbap is a single-serve dish — perfect for those of us who might dine alone occasionally or have smaller appetites.  

Sotpot, which sits on the third floor of Suntec City right within the mall’s Sky Garden, opened just last month to much fanfare as it was one of the few and arguably the first to specialise in sotbap in Singapore. 

The brand is founded by Korean native James Lee, 41. Although it is his first F&B business, James is a serial entrepreneur who’s had experience working with many Korean cuisine brands in Singapore.

While it bears a similar name, it is not to be confused with Solsot — another sotbap spot that’s all the rage in Seoul at this point. 

That said, Sotpot differentiates itself nicely from its peers by offering more than just sotbap. 

It has two signature dishes — its titular sotbap and phyunbaeg jjim (steamed meat). 

Sotpot’s sotbap dish comes with several toppings, from Tofu Vegi (from S$15.90) and cockles (S$22.90), to the indulgent wagyu abalone (S$34.90). 

Each sotbap variation is served in two sizes — medium or large — with the main difference being the amount of toppings served. 

We had seen its beef pot, filled with chunks of beef, all over social media, so we knew to go for the beef woodae (special marinated barbecued beef, S$29.90). 

We also opted for the cockles version or “ggomok” in Korean, as ggomok rice isn’t commonly served in Singapore. 

Those who have enjoyed sotbap before in Korea might expect a slightly scorched crust at the bottom (nurungji), but HungryGoWhere understands that Sotpot has deliberately tailored its version to exclude it, especially since many Singaporean diners may not be familiar with the concept of nurungji. 

Not that we’re complaining. The rice was fluffy, soft and cooked just right. 

The beef woodae was also extremely tender and flavourful without being too salty. Our only gripe? Our portion of beef chunks seemed a little minute, compared to what we saw online.

Surprisingly, the cockles sotbap turned out to be our favourite, with its generous serving of cockles and its addictively sweet, spicy and tangy chilli sauce. 

Now onto the grand highlight — the phyunbaeg jjim, which is essentially meat and vegetables steamed in a cypress wood (phyunbaeg in Korean) casing. Sotpot has four options — duroc collar (S$42.90), pork belly (S$34.90), beef short plate (S$37.90), and beef brisket (S$39.90).

If you thought Korean barbecue was too greasy before, phyunbaeg jjim will probably be your new favourite go-to.

It looks and tastes healthy, thanks to its steaming process, but also because its cooking time is so precisely timed (you’ll get a timer that sits on top of your case), the texture of the meat is still relatively tender with its juices sealed in.

The vegetables, on the other hand, got a bit too soft for our liking. Perhaps we should have taken them out right when the lid was opened, after 12 minutes of being steamed.

Though it’s been a month since its opening, Sotpot is still commanding a healthy crowd, even when we dined during lunch on a weekday. We hear there can be quite a wait during peak periods, so plan your visit accordingly.

Sotpot owner James also tells us that Sotpot fans can look forward to new Sotpot concepts launching around Singapore soon, as well as new seasonal menus at the current flagship.

Oh, and if there’s anything you take away from this story, order your food first thing once you are seated — thank us later. Since every sotbap is made to order, with the rice made fresh inside each pot, your meal may take some time before it’s ready for eating.

This was a hosted tasting. 

For more K-food places in Singapore, try Paik’s Noodle, a new jjajangmyeon concept in Singapore from Korea, or Eat Pizza, Korea’s largest pizza chain that’s recently opened here. 

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Sotpot at Suntec City.