After a decade of moving comfortably through the cuisines of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, Nasi and Mee has taken a deliberate step further east. Its new limited-time offering, The Korean Edit, marks the brand’s first foray into Korean food, rolled out at its newly opened flagship in the city.
Chef Sadeshbabu Kaliappan, who led the development of the menu, says the process involved nearly three months of R&D. The brief was tight. “We didn’t want to do what everyone else is already selling,” he explains. Dishes like kimchi fried rice and kimchi broth were tested and then cut. What remains is a compact menu that focuses on texture, balance and restraint.
The yangnyeon chicken wings are where this philosophy lands most convincingly. Here, the wings are double-battered using an aerated mix of potato starch and cornflour, activated with soda. The result is light, crisp and non-greasy chicken. The sauce is built around gochujang, brown sugar, garlic and rice vinegar, leaning towards sweet-spicy while allowing the chicken’s succulence to come through.
If there’s one dish that disappears too quickly, it’s the jjin mandu. These steamed dumplings, filled with tofu, bean sprouts and glass noodles, are pleated and cinched at the centre — a small visual feast before you dive in. Light yet filling, they’re gone before a second thought can even form.
The haemul pajeon, a seafood pancake traditionally eaten in Korea on rainy days, is quietly impressive. Studded with prawns, spring onion and red chilli, the prawns are cooked just enough to retain their inherent sweetness, while occasional hits of chilli and scallion cut through any monotony.
The mains reveal the kitchen’s technical confidence. The N&M Korean-style ramen uses noodles manufactured in-house, a recent development for the brand. The broth, enriched with gochujang, is layered without ending up oily. Notably, the kitchen opts for chicken thigh instead of the usual breast cut, a choice they should stick to permanently. The meat remains tender, soaking up the rich broth rather than resisting it.
The bibimbap, one of Korea’s most iconic mixed rice dishes, steals the show. This version layers spinach, shiitake mushrooms, kimchi and seasoned vegetables over rice, finished with minced tenderloin. The meat carries a gentle sweetness, derived from oyster sauce, making it hard to stop eating.
Dessert arrives as a palate reset. The passion fruit panna cotta is minimally sweet and impressively restrained, allowing the fruit’s acidity, sweetness and seeds to shine through. Ultra-smooth in texture, the crunch from the seeds adds contrast without intrusion, a clean, satisfying full stop to the menu.
Meal for two: ₹1,200. On till: March 31. Timings: 12 noon to 12 am. At: Nasi and Mee, Velachery.
Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com X: @ShivaniIllakiya
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels