Korean BBQ is one of the country’s greatest culinary invention, right up there with Korean Fried Chicken as two top powerhouses.
This entire Covid-19 situation has rendered travelling impossible and increased my yearning for some good Korean food, especially watching mukbangs upon mukbangs on YouTube.
Now, I have to put a disclaimer that I generally feel that Korean BBQ joints in Singapore fall short when it comes to the perfect balance of quality and price. Much too often you’ll find yourself paying an astronomical price for qualities of meat that somehow doesn’t quite justify the price.
With all that said, there are some few hidden (okay, not so hidden) gems that comes pretty close to giving you an authentic Korean BBQ experience.
1. Go K BBQ
Go K BBQ is in my humble opinion, the best Korean BBQ you can find in Singapore, at least of the ones that I have tried. Sure, it’s might not hold a candle to the ones you can find in Korea, but it sure comes close.
This is probably more of a specialty place, only offering limited cuts of meat as compared to other joints with extensive menus, and I appreciate them for it. I always believe in specialising rather than cooking everything under the sun.
They take pride in their aged meat which they refrigerate for 15 days at low temperatures without packaging to achieve a tenderness otherwise unachievable. Their Samgyeopsal (Pork Belly) comes in thick juicy pieces, as it should be, and the overall quality of their meats (as a result of the aging) are a step higher than other places that I’ve been.
And all of that results in Go K BBQ being perhaps one of the most expensive ones on this list.
2. Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ
Wang Dae Bak BBQ comes in at a close second for me.
A perennially crowded place, I definitely recommend you to reserve a table before heading down, especially if it’s dinner time on a weekend. Wang Dae Bak uses charcoal to barbecue which gives their meats a really smoky flavour.
The marinated meats here take the win and I would go so far to say that you can even skip the raw ones. Oh, and don’t miss out on their kimchi pancake, definitely one of the best I’ve had in Singapore.
3. Seorae Singapore
Seorae Singapore sets themselves apart with offering a cut of pork that is rarely seen – Galmaegisal, or pork skirt.
In ancient Korea, this cut of meat was reserved for the royal family for a number of reasons. The first is the ratio of meat to fat, with a greater proportion of the former and when cooked right, was supremely tender and juicy. The second reason is that for every full-grown cow, there’s only 250g of skirt meat, so safe to say that the cut is a rare one indeed.
Seorae has brought its brand from South Korea to Singapore and while the Galmaegisal wasn’t mind-blowing of any sort, it was packed with flavour and more tender and juicy than I expected it to be.
Don’t miss out on it when you head down to Seorae!
4. Super Star K BBQ
Super Star K is the quintessential no-frills Korean BBQ joint in Singapore and has been serving its loyal fans for quite a number of years now.
One of the more popular Korean BBQ places, Super Star K serves only a la carte meats at rather affordable prices. You’ll find all the classic and popular cuts here from your pork belly to beef ribs.
The staff will also help to grill the meats so all you have to do is, well, eat.
5. 8 Korean BBQ
I think generally in Singapore, Korean BBQ joints have two general approaches – cheaper, more affordable buffets which prioritise quantity or pricier cuts of meat a la carte style – 8 Korean BBQ chose the latter.
Offering premium meats from Japanese Wagyu to USDA Prime Beef and Mangalitza Pork, 8 Korean BBQ is known their signature 8 Colours set (SGD$98++) which gives the brand its name. The set features Kurobuta pork bellies with 8 different kinds of marinades from classic ones like garlic to more exotic blends like wine and curry.
It’s a unique concept for sure and the price you find here is on par with Go K, so save it for a special occasion.
