When I received a media invite billing MODU Samgyetang as “The Hermès of Chicken Soup”, I had one reaction: I need to go and see if they can back that up. A bold claim for a bowl of soup. But then again, samgyetang is no ordinary bowl of soup.
MODU Samgyetang — or MODU High, as the new Amoy Street outlet is officially branded — opened its doors at 96 Amoy Street, and I was there on day one of their media tasting to find out what all the fuss was about. I went with my colleague Hamimah, who is also a fan of Halal-friendly Korean food. (I’m always a fan of any soup, so I’ll admit I came with expectations.)
The MODU Samgyetang storefront on Amoy Street — already drawing a crowd before doors opened.
Getting There: Exit A, Then Brace for the Heat
Take the Downtown Line to Telok Ayer MRT (DT18) and come out from Exit A. From there it is a short walk through the familiar stretch of heritage shophouses — the kind where old red tiles sit comfortably in the shadow of gleaming CBD towers. Very Singapore.
Telok Ayer MRT, Exit A. Your starting line.
Fair warning though: it is genuinely brutal out there at midday. Bring an umbrella or walk fast. Preferably both.
Telok Ayer Street — full sun, full Singapore.
When I arrived, there was already a crowd gathered outside MODU’s entrance. I am not entirely sure whether it was curious passersby or fellow media guests, but the place was packed even before things officially got underway. Lucky for me, Ethan had me sorted, and I was ushered in out of the heat fairly quickly. I will not pretend I was not relieved.
First Impressions: A Hanok in the Heart of Chinatown
Step inside and the atmosphere shifts completely. The space is calm, considered, and beautifully put together. Dark timber beams, warm underlighting, semi-private dining nooks with sliding lattice screens, and a dramatic raw granite feature wall that anchors the room. It feels like a traditional Korean hanok that somehow also feels contemporary. The two coexist without any awkwardness.
Timber beams, raised dining platforms, and a raw granite wall that doubles as the room’s anchor.
On Level 2, where we were seated, the details keep coming. Korean folk art lines the walls — a Minhwa painting of eggplants, butterflies and insects in muted earthy tones; a wall-mounted sculptural piece made from dried twigs with brass fish and turtle ornaments embedded within. Each piece feels curated, not decorative.
The lattice-screened corridor with one of the brass-on-twigs wall pieces.
Even the table setting — celadon-patterned side plate, brass spoon and chopsticks, branded placemat — tells you this place takes itself seriously.
Celadon side plate, brass spoon, brass chopsticks. The setup before a single dish arrives.
The placemat reads: “At MODU, every detail tells a story — of craftsmanship, culture, and culinary excellence. Our 12-hour simmered bone broth delivers a deep, smooth richness, preserving both nutrition and flavour. Patience is not a step, it is MODU’s secret key ingredient. Here, you don’t just dine. You become part of something timeless.”
Bold words. Let us see if the food delivers.
The Menu: 12 Flavours of Samgyetang
MODU offers 12 varieties of samgyetang, ranging from $38 for the Classic Herbal all the way up to $58 for the Black Chicken with Premium Seafood. Each is served with three appetisers and unlimited herbal soup. I went with the Black Chicken Samgyetang ($42) — made with premium silkie chicken, known for its deep, savoury flavour. The black chicken version has always been my default. Childhood comfort, both in memory and in taste. So yes, I had expectations going in.
Hamimah took the Spicy Herbal ($38). We added a Butter Grilled Abalone and a Mung Bean Pancake as shareables, and a pot of Tangerine Tea ($9) to wash everything down.
If you’ve been to the original MODU outlet when it first opened in 2025, this Amoy Street branch is the bigger, more ambitious sequel — more flavours on the menu, more space inside, more of everything that worked the first time round.
Tangerine Tea: A Quiet Start
The tangerine tea arrived first. A glass pot filled with dried tangerine peel steeping in a warm golden brew, served on a wooden tray with two double-walled glass cups. Light, gently citrusy, and very easy to drink. A good start.
Dried tangerine peel in warm water. Don’t underestimate this little pot — you’ll come back to it at the end.
The Appetisers: A Surprise Hiding in Plain Sight
The appetiser set followed — five small dark ceramic dishes: pan-fried tofu with a chilli and spring onion relish, fresh cherry tomatoes, and braised mushrooms. The tofu with chilli was a genuine surprise. Tasty in a way I did not expect from what looked like a simple side. I found myself wondering how they made that chilli.
Five small plates. The tofu in chilli (top right) is the dark horse of the meal.
Butter Grilled Abalone: A Random Add-On That Wasn’t
I ordered the Butter Grilled Abalone almost as an afterthought. It surprised me how good a call this turned out to be.
Butter Grilled Abalone, served dramatically in its own shell with sautéed mushrooms and red chilli threads.
It arrived in its own shell on a hammered metallic plate with a sunburst rim. Sautéed mushrooms piled on top, fine red chilli threads across the crown. It looked the part. More importantly, it tasted it. The abalone was thick — genuinely thick, not a token sliver — with a texture that gave a satisfying chew without being remotely tough. The butter flavour was present but restrained. Nothing overdone. A very good call on my part.
The Black Chicken Samgyetang: The Reason You’re Here
The Black Chicken Samgyetang arrived as the centrepiece — and it was a sight.
The Black Chicken Samgyetang — silkie chicken in clear golden broth, ginger threads, spring onions, goji berries.
The dark silkie chicken sat in a clear, golden broth, crowned with fine ginger threads, spring onions and goji berries. Served on a wooden tray alongside a black sesame rice ball, kimchi, gochujang and a sesame salt condiment. The portion was generous. The broth was perfectly balanced — neither overly savoury nor bland, just right. The chicken itself was impossibly soft and tender, the way only a bird that has been long-simmered can be. It brought back a lot of memories from travels over the years. That kind of familiar comfort in a bowl you did not know you needed until you had it.
Here is something I did not expect: the glutinous rice is stuffed inside the chicken cavity.
I only discovered this when I opened the bird with my spoon. There is the rice, cooked from within, having absorbed every bit of flavour from the broth and the chicken surrounding it. Then there is additional rice served separately in the bowl. So you are effectively getting two servings — one hidden, one visible. A small detail that genuinely surprised me.
I had to stop halfway through and take a five-minute breather. That is how substantial this meal is.
Mung Bean Pancake: The One That Didn’t Land
The Mung Bean Pancake came last. Thick, golden, well-fried, with green chilli embedded inside. Visually — great. On the palate — dry. I would not call it my favourite of the meal, and I could not finish it despite my best efforts.
Looks the part. Tasted dry to me.
That said, one piece alone is filling enough to carry you through the afternoon. An honest assessment.
The Tangerine Tea saved the day at the end. That gentle citrus warmth is exactly what you want after a heavy, satisfying meal. Smooth everything down and breathe.
The full spread — appetisers, abalone, mung bean pancake and the Black Chicken Samgyetang clay pot in the corner.
Worth Visiting?
MODU Samgyetang earns its positioning. The space is beautiful, the service is attentive, and the Black Chicken Samgyetang is genuinely excellent — well-balanced, deeply comforting, and the kind of dish that stays with you after the meal is over. The Butter Grilled Abalone is a strong addition if you are ordering for two.
Not every dish hit — the mung bean pancake was a little dry for my liking — but the overall experience is a cut above what you would typically find for a Korean chicken soup concept in Singapore. If you’re in the area for a heritage walk and a heavy lunch, you can easily pair this with a wander through neighbouring Chinatown for a properly full afternoon.
The hot towel packaging at the table says it plainly: “The Hermès of Chicken Soup.” Having sat through the full meal, I would say they are not entirely wrong.
If you’ve been, drop a comment below and tell me which of the 12 flavours you went for. I’m already plotting my next visit.
Official Details
MODU Samgyetang (MODU High) — Amoy Street
96 Amoy Street, Singapore 069916
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT18), Exit A
Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11:30am–10pm; Fri, Sat & PH 11:30am–11pm (3pm–5pm break Mon–Fri)
Website: moduhigh.sg
