Craving Korean food? If so, Singapore’s got tons of options to choose from, which is great if you know what you’re looking for, but can be daunting if you’re not sure which spots are hot and which are not. Luckily we’ve got Urban Journey’s very own Honey Lee to take us on a culinary tour of all things Korean. From kimchi to cold noodles and DIY barbecues, these are Honey’s insider reccos for Singapore’s best Korean restaurants.
Best Korean BBQ: Bornga
Borngais Korea’s biggest BBQ chain brought to us by celebrity chef Jon Wong Paik, who is renowned for his deliciously addictive barbecue sauce. Here in Singapore we have twoBorngalocations, both offering buzzing atmospheres, sleek black tables with shiny grills, and primo meats marinated in that coveted signature sauce. Order the Woo Sam Gyup and grill up super thin slices of beef brisket with scallions, garlic and kimchi, then wrap them all up with some veggies and pop the whole thing in your mouth for a serious taste explosion.
1 Vista Exchange Green, The Star Vista
Tel:+65 6694 4696
Hours:Daily: 11:30am – 10pm
and
1 Harbourfront Walk, VivoCity #02-123/124
Tel:+65 6376 8268
Hours:Daily: 11:30am – 10pm
Best Korean Fried Chicken: Kko Kko Nara
Kko Kko does some seriously good KFC—and no, we’re not talking about the Colonel, we’re talking about Korean fried chicken. The original Fried Chicken recipe comes with golden pieces of chicken crispy on the outside and juicy inside with just a hint of seasoning, or you can amp up the flavour with the Spicy Kko Kko Chicken, Garlic Wings or Honey Garlic Baked Chicken. Definitely order up some sides to go with your chicken like the Kimchi Jun (kimchi pancakes), or the Soon Du Bu Jeon Gul (spicy bean curd soup). Oh, and did we mention they’re open super late for hungry night owls?
68 Tanjong Pagar Road
Tel:+65 6224 8186
Hours:Mon – Sat: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 3am, Sun: 6pm – 1am
and
48 Kandahar Street
Tel:+65 6391 9717
Hours:Daily: 11am – 11pm
Cold Noodles: Hyang-To-Gol
Hyang-To-Gol has a few locations around town, but we like the one at The Amara Hotel for its modern decor and enticing menu of authentic Korean favourites. With over 100 items to choose from, you have your work cut out for you, but we always go for the same thing because it’s just that good: the Mool-Naengmyeon, springy buckwheat noodles in a cold savoury broth topped with thin slices of crunchy pear, pickled cucumbers and a hard-boiled egg. Add some mustard and vinegar, and you’ve got yourself a tangy and refreshing light meal.
165 Tanjong Pagar Road, The Amara Hotel Level 2
Tel:+65 6220 7160
Hours:Daily: 11:30am – 3pm, 6:30pm – 11pm
Korean drinking food: Todamgol
One of our favourite spots in the K-Town enclave of Tanjong Pagar Road is Todamgol because the atmosphere is inviting and the food is damn good. The restaurant is done up Korean style with rustic wooden tables and chairs, thatched awnings and Korean artworks and artefacts on the walls, and the menu features authentic dishes like Beo Seot Bool Go Gi (a spicy hot pot with veggies and meat) and Bi Bim Bap (a rice bowl with beef, veggies and a fried egg). Order any main and you also get a slew of tasty side dishes like kimchi and spicy bean curd, which taste great washed down with some cold or hot sake.
31 Tanjong Pagar Road
Tel:+65 6224 7077
Hours:Daily: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 3am
