I’m pretty sure that I’ve eaten enough to keep me going till 2012. But somehow it is impossible for me to say no to Korean BBQ.

Ssikkek Korean Grill at Novena Ville is one of the places on my list of Korean BBQ Buffet in Singapore that I’ve always wanted to try. At just $12+ for lunch, and $22+ for dinner, it is one of the cheapest Korean BBQ Buffets in Singapore.

The diet can wait till I’m done with the buffet!

Like most places, the Korean BBQ Buffet at Ssikkek comes with an assortment of meat and seafood, as well as cooked food like fried rice, soup and banchan (Korean side dishes).

Nothing about the food is extraordinary. It was decent, but nothing was so exceptional that I’d dream about it at night. That being said, Ssikkek Korean Restaurant offers a value for money buffet, making it an ideal place to go if you are on a budget.

From what I understand, Ssikkek Korean Grill is the sister restaurant of the popular 2D1N Soju Bang at Tanjong Pagar. Between them, Ssikkek is definitely the better choice since the queue is relatively short.

Singapore Food Blog Review
Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ
275 Thomson Road
#01-01/02 Novena Ville
Tel: +65 6254 8123
Daily: 11.30am–2.30pm, 5pm–10.30pm

Weekday Lunch $12.00+, Dinner $22.00+
Weekend Lunch $22.00+, Dinner $22.00+

Read my list of Korean BBQ Buffets in Singapore, and Best Korean Restaurants.

Those around me know that I am a big fan of Korean food. I always crave for Korean food when I watch Korean dramas, and it doesn’t help that the popular variety shows like Running Man always feature yummy looking Korean street food and BBQ.

This post is an extension to my list of Korean Restaurants in Singapore, and it includes more details about the Korean Barbecue buffets restaurants.

Here’s a list of the best Korean BBQ Buffets in Singapore.

[Definition] Korean BBQ, or gogi gui refers to the Korean method of grilling beef, pork, chicken, or other types of meat. Korean BBQ / Bulgogi / Chadolbaegi / Galbi / Samgyeopsal

Arirang Korean BBQ Restaurant

Monday to Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $19.90++

1 Liang Seah Street
#01-07/08 Liang Seah Place
Tel: +65 6333 0025
Daily: 6pm – 11.30pm

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant

Monday to Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $19.90++          |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $26.90++

50 Tiong Bahru road
Link Hotel #01-07
Tel: +65 62240700
Daily lunch: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm

Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ restaurant

Monday to Friday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $19.90++          |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $23.90++

Saturday and Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $23.90++          |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $28.90++

201 Victoria Street #04-04
Iluma @ Bugis Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 8900
Weekday: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Weekend: 11.30am – 3.30pm, 5pm – 9.30pm

Crystal Jade Korean BBQ

Monday to Friday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $19.90++          |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $23.90++

Saturday and Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $23.90++          |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $26.90++

23 Serangoon Central
#01-01 NEX Mall
Tel: +65 6634 4920
Weekday: 11am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 11pm
Weekend: 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 10pm

// Student promotion at $13.90++ for lunch on Mon to Fri.

Jang Shou Korean BBQ

Monday to Thurday-                                   |          Friday to Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $28.80++           |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $33.80++

86 East Coast Road #02-11/20,
Blk B Katong Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6344 8880
Daily: 6pm – 1030pm

Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ Restaurant

Monday to Thursday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $29.00++             |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $35.00++

Saturday and Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $29.00++             |          Only ala carte

1018 East Coast Parkway #02-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6447 9279
Daily Lunch: 11.45am – 3pm
Mon to Thu Dinner: 6pm – 11pm

Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ

Monday to Friday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $12.00+                |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $22.00+

Saturday and Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $22.00+                |          Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $22.00+

275 Thomson Road
#01-01/02 Novena Ville
Tel: +65 6254 8123
Daily: 11.30am–2.30pm, 5pm–10.30pm

2D1N Soju Bang

Monday to Sunday:
Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $20+

44/46 Tanjong Pagar Road
Tel: +65 6220 7119
Sun to Thu: 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 5.30pm – 10.30pm

For more recommendations, read my list of Best Korean Restaurants in Singapore

At the ground floor of Link Hotel in Tiong Bahru, is Blue Garden Korean BBQ Restaurant. It currently occupies the space which was used by the now-defunct Persimmon Restaurant. Much of the interior remains intact: the black and white tiled floor, and the kopitiam-style furniture.

Korean food lovers will be happy to know that Blue Garden restaurant offers Korean BBQ buffet during lunch ($19.90) and dinner ($26.90).

My definition of buffet: be prepared to eat a lot.

The Korean BBQ Buffet offers free-flow of Korean dishes like Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup, Kimchi Pancakes, Korean Spicy Rice Cakes (Ddukbokkie), and a variety of Kimchi (Spring Onion, Cabbage, Leak, Cucumber).

The truth is, Blue Garden’s appetisers are pretty run-of-the-mill. We tasted a bit of everything as we were saving our stomach for the highlight of Korean BBQ Buffet – MEAT!

… And of course, we were there for the meat. The Korean BBQ Buffet has free flow of Pork Collar, Beef Belly, Pork Belly, and three different types of Bulgogi (beef, chicken and pork). Read my lips: this is an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

Amongst the four of us, we ate enough meat to last us for a week. We ate, and ate and ate. We totally threw the diet plan out of the window – it was crazy! If you are not a big meat-eater, the Korean BBQ Buffet also has seafood and vegetables.

But trust me, you’d want to just go for the meat. Wow, I think I am very good at giving advice! Remember, just go for the meat.

I had some white rice to go along with the meat, but mostly I wrapped the BBQ meat in lettuce leaves. After a while, I was too lazy to put it nicely into the lettuce so I ate the meat directly from the BBQ pit. The bulgogi is delicious!

Considering that places like Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant charges $18 for a plate of marinated meat, I think that Blue Garden’s Korean BBQ Buffet is very reasonably priced. Looking for a cheap and good buffet? Find a group of friends who love meat and go for the Korean BBQ Buffet!

One thing to note though, the air ventilation was almost non-existence; our clothes smelled like Korean BBQ after we were done.

For more recommendations, read Korean Restaurants in Singapore | Buffet in Singapore

Singapore Food Blog Review
Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant
50 Tiong Bahru Road
#01-07 Link Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6224 0700

Korean BBQ Buffet Lunch $19.90++/pax
Korean BBQ Buffet Dinner $26.90++/pax

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I am sure all of you are making plans to celebrate with your family.

For Mother’s Day this year, I have decided to do something different. In this post, I will be suggesting a variety of restaurants serving different cuisines to give dearest mummy a little treat. Here is a list of Restaurants Recommendations for Mother’s Day 2011.

Where to go for Mother’s Day? Where to go for Mother’s Day? Where to go for Mother’s Day?

Chinese/Seafood Restaurants in Singapore

Formerly known as Pine Court, Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant has undergone a revamp and they have a new Weekend Dim Sum Brunch Buffet at $78++for Mother’s Day Special (usual price $68++). With 120 items including dim sum and ala carte selections, your mother will be spoiled for choices.

If buffet is not your thing, why not go for a scrumptious Seafood Feast?

A few weeks ago, I went to Master Crab at Ghim Moh Road to celebrate my Mother’s birthday. The Salted Egg Yolk Crab was very impressive and the Zi Char dishes were pretty good too.

Mandarin Court Chinese Restaurant
333 Orchard Road Level 35
Orchard Wing Mandarin Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6831 6262

Master Crab
Blk 19 Ghim Moh Road #01-229 Singapore
Tel: +65 6314 1868

French Restaurants in Singapore

Initially, I wanted to suggest Cocotte at Wanderlust Hotel. But after hearing mixed reviews about the French restaurant, I decided to recommend La Petite Cuisine instead.

Located at Serene centre beside the popular Island Creamery, La Petite Cuisine is a no-frills French cafe where the food is above average but the main draw is definitely the affordable prices. For a slightly upmarket option, go to Au Petit Salut at Dempsey. They have one of the best set lunches in Singapore.

Au Petite Salut
40c Harding road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey)
Tel: +65 6475 1976

La Petite Cusine
10 Jalan Serene
#01-05 Serene centre
Tel: +65 6314 3173

German Restaurants in Singapore

Magma German Wine Bistro serves their Fruehschoppen Buffet Brunch on every second Sunday of the month. Guess what? Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May, so it is the perfect excuse for you to enjoy a luxurious German brunch. Choose from sausages, hot dishes, soup, fresh baked bread rolls, cold cuts & ham, eggs, assortment of cheese, fruits, cakes for just $29++/pax.

Otherwise, go to Paulaner Brahaus at Millenia Walk for some German Beer, and Pork Knuckles!

Magma German Wine Bistro
2 Bukit Pasoh Road
Tel: +65 6221 0634

Paulaner Brauhaus Singapore
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-01 Millenia Walk
Tel: +65 6883 2572

Italian Restaurants in Singapore

If you have been reading my food blog for a while, I’m sure you know that my favourite Italian Restaurant is Ristorante Da Valentino at Rifle Range road. Recently, I visited La Cantina in venezia at Changi Village Hotel and I had the best Crabmeat Linguine there. Is your mother a fan of Italian cuisine? Just remember: Valentino and La Cantina.

La Cantina in venezia
1 Netheravon Road
#08/09-02 Changi Village Hotel
Tel: +65 6546 9190

Ristorante Da Valentino
11 Jalan Bingka
Mayfair Park
Tel: +65 6462 0555

Japanese Restaurants in Singapore

“My mom loves Japanese food, where can I bring her for Mother’s Day Celebration?”

For the best of everything, try the Japanese Buffet at Senki Restaurant. It is $30++ for lunch, and $33++ for dinner. Prices are the same for weekday and weekend. For eve/public holidays, it is $39++ for the buffet dinner.

If you are not a fan of buffet, check out Izakaya Nijumaru at Cuppage Plaza. It is a great hidden gem with good Japanese food at very affordable prices.

Izakaya Nijumaru
5 Koek Road #02-10
Cuppage Plaza Singapore
Tel: +65 6235 6693

Senki Japanese Restaurant
109 Killiney Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6734 5565

Korean Restaurants in Singapore

Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that before starting my food blog). Naturally, I can understand that most people prefer to go to somewhere reliable, and Crystal Jade is evidently one of them.

Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is surprisingly good and affordable. Be sure to try the fantastic Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup.

For Korean BBQ Buffet, go to Blue Garden Korean Restaurant at Link Hotel. The Korean BBQ buffet is priced at $19.90 for lunch and $26.90 for dinner.

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant
50 Tiong Bahru road
Link Hotel #01-07
Tel: +65 62240700

Spanish Restaurants in Singapore

I am not sure about you, but I think it is a cool experience for the whole family try something new. So how about having Spanish Food for Mother’s Day?

Bilbao Restaurant & Tapas Bar is conveniently located in town, at the second level of TripleOne Somerset. Bring your Mom to shop in Orchard and have a good Spanish dinner after that.

Another good place to have Spanish food is Don Quijote Spanish restaurant. They have been getting good reviews in the Singapore food scene, and if you do not want to go all the way West to Lorong Kilat, they have a new outlet at Dempsey.

Bilbao Restaurant & Tapas Bar
111 Somerset Road #02-16
TripleOne Somerset Singapore

Don Quijote Spanish restaurant
Blk 7 Dempsey Road #01-02
Dempsey Hill Singapore
Tel: +65 6476 2811

Thai Restaurants in Singapore

It is a shame that not many people have heard of Sweet Salty Spicy as they have good Thai food. Not that I am complaining since I’d prefer them to stay under the radar.

But I guess the location makes a difference since Railmall at Bukit Timah is not exactly accessible. Let me suggest another Thai Restaurant for Mother’s Day if Railmall is too far.

Previously located at Hort Park, KHA (above picture) has recently shifted to Martin Road near Robertson Quay. Prices are not cheap, but this is an upmarket Thai establishment and you are paying for the ambiance after all. They have a kick-ass Tom Yam Soup and I am absolutely in love with the Red Curry Rubbed Wagyu Beef.

KHA Thai Restaurant
38 Martin Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6476 9000

Sweet Salty Spicy
394 Upper Bukit timah road
The Railmall
Tel: +65 6877 2544

Exotic Cuisines in Singapore

For mothers who have an adventurous palate, there is a new Russian restaurant in town. Buyan Russian Restaurant at Duxton Hill promises you the full experience of Haute cuisine. In a quiet corner of Shaw Towers is Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant. I think Mother’s Day is a good opportunity for us to venture out of our comfort zone and try new things. Turkish food for Mother’s Day, anyone?

I’m sure most of you are familiar with Peranakan food, but it is definitely an ‘exotic cuisine’ to those who are not living in this part of the World. Candlenut Kitchen at Neil Road has been getting raved reviews since opening last year. Be sure to try their delicious Kueh Pie Tee, Ngoh Hiang and the signature Ayam Buak Keluak.

Buyan Russian Restaurant Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar
9/10 Duxton Hill Singapore
Tel: +65 6223 7008

Candlenut Kitchen
25 Neil Road
Tel: +65 6226 2506
(Closed on Sunday)

Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant
100 Beach Road #02-42
Shaw Towers Singapore
Tel: +65 6291 1433

Where are you planning to celebrate Mother’s Day 2011?

I was impressed during a recent visit to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Takashimaya. They have pretty good Korean food at affordable prices and it currently ranks highly on my list of Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan of Crystal Jade restaurants initially as I didn’t like restaurant chains. But after several visits to the different Crystal Jade restaurants, it’s not too difficult to understand why they are popular.

First, the prices at most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are affordable. Second, the food is consistent, it’s quite unlikely that you will have a bad meal at any of the Crystal Jade restaurants. Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that too before starting my food blog), so I can understand the appeal of reliable restaurants like Crystal Jade.

Third, most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are conveniently located in town, it’s quite difficult to find good yet affordable food in Orchard, plus they have different restaurants catering for everyone.

My friends were craving for Korean BBQ, and we decided to try Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant since we were meeting in town. Now you know why Crystal Jade is so popular!

Crystal Jade Korean BBQ is much more affordable than I thought. The five of us ordered two servings of pork and chicken ($18 each), Grilled Fish ($22), Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup ($25), Kim Chi Pancakes ($14), and we paid about $23 per person. Obviously, it helps to have a group of friends so that we can order more food to share.

It was so much fun to BBQ the meat on the sizzling grill, and even better to put the slightly charred meat into my mouth. Thankfully, the air ventilation of the restaurant was good, and we didn’t leave the place smelling like barbecue.

The Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup was fantastic, the chicken was delicious and the stock was rich and flavourful. My companions agreed with me that Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant’s rendition was much better than the one that we had at Togi Korean Restaurant.

Along with the six complimentary side dishes, we also ordered the Kimchi Pancakes as appetisers. It was not too bad, but personally I would prefer Seafood pancakes over that.

Here’s a quick guide for those of you who have no idea which restaurants to go for Korean food in Singapore: I will go to Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant at Tras Street for the excellent Korean Fried Chicken, and if location is not an issue, Kim’s Family Restaurant is definitely my favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore.

Most of us usually meet our friends in Orchard since it is convenient for everyone, if that’s the case, Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is definitely the place to satisfy your craving for Korean BBQ and Ginseng Chicken.

Singapore Food Restaurants Review
Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

176 Orchard Road #04-13
Centrepoint Singapore
Tel: +65 6737 3282

I love KFC! I’m referring to Korean Fried Chicken, not Kentucy Fried Chicken (even though I will find it hard to say no to that too).

Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant on Tras Street (Tanjong Pagar) is a mom-and-pop chicken place that has been around for a while. They are famous for their Korean Fried Chicken, and the best part is they operate till late night 4am. For those of you who are always on the lookout for new supper place in Singapore — how about some Korean Fried Chicken and soju?

The Korean Fried Chicken craze actually took over New York City back in early 2007, but in Singapore, the term “Korean Fried Chicken” has not generated as much interest as KOI or Gong Cha Bubble tea.

Who cares if nobody knows about Korean Fried Chicken? I’m glad that there are a couple Korean Restaurants in Singapore serving them, and the best thing is: there’s no need to queue up.

After settling down, I was delighted to hear Koreans chatting in their native language. It’s always a good sign to see that the Korean Restaurant has the stamp of approval from their own people.

We started with the pickled daikon, a very good appetiser to wake the palate. Like Togi Korean Restaurant, Kko Kko Nara only serves 6 side dishes: kimchi, potato, black lotus root, and beansprout. My favourite place for Korean food in Singapore: Kim’s Family Restaurant is still the best, with 10 side dishes and a whole fish!

The Stone Pot Bibimbap ($10) came first. What’s there not to like about it? Add in the hot chilli sauce, and mix everything together in the hot stone pot — this is a must-order Korean food whenever I eat at Korean Restaurants. FYI: Kko Kko Nara only serves Bibimbap for lunch, it’s not available during dinner. I’ll touch on this in a while.

My friend wanted to try the Spicy Korean Ramen ($7), the stock was average, nothing to shout about. It’s also available for lunch only.

And finally, Korean Fried Chicken (KFC)!

Kko Kko Nara’s Korean Fried Chicken comes in four different flavours: original, soy garlic sauce, sweet & spicy, and hot & spicy. Since it was our first time there, we decided to go for the Small Chicken Combo Set ($20) which comes with 3pc of original, sweet & garlic. For those who prefer to have just a particular flavour, the Korean Fried Chicken is $15 for half and $25 for whole during lunch time (different pricing for dinner).

What’s so special about Korean Fried Chicken?

From what I understand, the chicken pieces are lightly coated with flour and deep-fried twice till a gorgeous shade of golden brown with shattering crisp. I tried the original flavour first, it was like normal deep-fried chicken, only leaner and crispier without any fats. Seriously, I could eat a dozen of the chicken wings on my own.

I proceeded with the sweetish Soy Garlic sauce chicken wings which had more depth in flavour and taste. It was a right decision to leave Kko Kko Nara’s Sweet & Spicy KFC for the last, the spiciness only hit you after a while. I started to sweat, but I didn’t stop eating. They were awesome – Awesome with a capital A!

Is KFC the best fried chicken in Singapore? I don’t know about others, but I preferred Korean Fried Chicken to the ‘best chicken wings’ that I had at No. 5 Emerald Hill.

If you are keen to try out Kko Kko Nara korean restaurant for the Korean Fried Chicken, I’d advise you to go during lunch. The same chicken wings cost $5 more during dinner, and the ‘cheaper’ main dishes like Bibibamp, Bulgogi are not available at night. Unless you just want the fried chicken wings, the other main courses for dinner are in the $20-$40 range. I’m guessing that the premium is probably to cover their cost for opening till late night. But like what I have mentioned, Kko Kko Nara at Tras Street (Tanjong Pagar) is a great supper place for some drinks and Korean Fried Chicken.

I’m gonna try the Korean Fried Chicken from Woori Nara Korean Restaurant at Lorong Kilat next. KFC FTW!

Singapore Food Restaurant Review
Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant
57 Tras Street #01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6224 8186

// Recommended: lunch for the working crowd in Tanjong Pagar, and late night supper.

I think it’s a shame that Korean food in the Singapore food scene isn’t as strong as its Japanese counterpart. For those of you who have been craving for Korean Food, I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes, it’s quite frustrating not knowing where to go for good Korean Food even though we have quite a few Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I’m currently on a hunt for the best Korean Fried Chicken in Singapore, and I also want to try a few Korean BBQ Restaurant. I am going to round up a few friends for a Korean BBQ Buffet and have a crazy night of eating. Okay, one of my new year resolutions is to eat more Korean food – bibimbap, Korean Ginseng Chicken, kimchi and pancake, here we come!

Here’s a list of the Best Korean Restaurants in Singapore:

Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant

Fans of the Korean cuisine will be familiar with Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant, which has been around for some time along Upper Thomson road. This will be my next stop when I explore the Thomson area!

265 Upper Thomson Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6452 2112

Blue Garden Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant

This new Korean restaurant at Link Hotel belongs to the same owner of Kko Kko Nara Korean restaurant. The Korean BBQ buffet is priced at $19.90 for lunch and $26.90 for dinner.

50 Tiong Bahru road
Link Hotel #01-07
Tel: +65 62240700

Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ restaurant

Just in case you are wondering, Chang Korean Restaurant does not have Korean BBQ Buffet. But they have a proper ala carte menu for Korean food in addition to their BBQ selections. If you are in the Dempsey road area, now you know where to go for Korean BBQ.

18C Dempsey Road Tanglin Village
(Dempsey Road) Singapore
Tel: +65 6473 9005

201 Victoria Street #04-04
Iluma @ Bugis Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 8900

Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ

Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that too before starting my food blog), so I can understand that they prefer to go to somewhere reliable, and Crystal Jade is evidently one of them.

We went to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City for their Korean BBQ recently, and it was surprisingly good (and affordable of course). The Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup is also a must-order, okay more on that when I blog about it.

391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

Hyang-To-Go! Korean Restaurant

While I haven’t been to Hyang-To-Gol! Korean BBQ Restaurant, I heard that they have good Korean Food. Has anyone been there before?

165 Tanjong Pagar Road 2F
The Amara Singapore
Tel: +65 6220 7160

Jang Shou Korean BBQ

It’s a little tricky when it comes to Jang Shou Korean Restaurant. Their branch at Katong Village only has Korean BBQ Buffet (around 15 kinds of BBQ selections) and they operate during dinner. The Weekday Korean BBQ Buffet is $28.8++, while Weekend Korean BBQ Buffet is $33.8++. I’m going to check out their Korean BBQ buffet soon, let’s hope that it’s good enough to make it for my list of buffet restaurants in Singapore.

As for the Jang Shou Korean Restaurant at Esplandae Mall, they only serve ala carte Korean food (no BBQ Buffet).

86 East Coast Road #02-11/20,
Blk B Katong Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6344 8880

8 Raffles Avenue #01-13B
Esplanade Mall Singapore
Tel: +65 6337 8880

4 Fingers Bonchon Chicken Wings

4 Fingers Bonchon is a fastfood restaurant at the basement of Ion Orchard that serves the famous Korean Fried Chicken. Trust me, you can easily have a dozen chicken wings on your own – they are that addictive!

2 Orchard Turn #B4-06A
ION Orchard Singapore

Jang Won Korean Restaurant

Mosque Street is another popular place for good Korean food, with both Jang Won and Togi Korean restaurant located on the same street. If you tried Togi’s before, why not check out Jang Won Korean Restaurant the next time?

44 Mosque Street #01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6532 6949

Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ Restaurant

Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ Restaurant has been around for as long as I can remember. I used to pass it all the time when I was having my favourite chilli crabs at NoSignboard along West Coast road (now closed). For those of you living in the East, you may familiar with their East Coast Parkway branch.

For lunch, the Korean BBQ Buffet is served daily at $29++, while for dinner, the Korean BBQ Buffet is only available from Monday to Thursday. If you are not keen on having the buffet, go for their Korean BBQ ala carte selection.

27 West Coast Highway #01-18/19
Yess Centre Singapore
Tel: +65 6464 0872

1018 East Coast Parkway #02-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6447 9279

Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine

For cheap and good Korean food in Singapore, Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine will immediately come to mind. Prices for the Korean food there range from $4.5 – $7.5.

100 Orchard Road Level 1
Food Court Concorde Hotel Singapore Singapore

Kim’s Family Restaurant

My favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore is still Kim’s Family Restaurant. I like it because they always serve ten side-dishes (I like to call them appetizers) no matter how many main dishes you ordered, I like the tasty and affordable Korean food there, and the bonus — they are just ten minutes away from my place!

17 Lorong Kilat #01-06
Singapore 598139
Tel: +65 6465 0535

Kko Kko Nara Korean Fried Chicken

Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant on Tras Street (Tanjong Pagar) is a mom-and-pop chicken place that has been around for a while. They are famous for their Korean Fried Chicken, and the best part is they are opened till late night 4am. Look out for my blog post on it next week!

57 Tras Street #01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6224 8186

Koryo Korean Restaurant

If you are working at the Buona Vista area, you may want to check out Koryo Korean Restaurant at Fusionpolis for lunch.

1 Fusionpolis way
#02-10 Fusionpolis (Connexis tower)
Tel: +65 6469 1079

Ming Jia Korean Food

Other than Kim Dae Mun Korean Cuisine at Concorde Hotel, Ming Jia is another place to go for cheap and good Korean food. I have been there on several occasions, and it is good to see Korean students eating there all the time.

1 Jalan Anak Bukit
#B1-07 Bukit Timah Plaza

Nolboo Hangari Galbi

With close to 680 restaurants in Korea and across Asia in China, Japan, Nolboo Hangari Galbi at Orchard Central is the first of the Korean restaurant chain’s BBQ outlets in Singapore.

181 Orchard Road #08-04/05
Orchard Central Singapore
Tel: +65 6884 9151

Sarang Korean Restaurant

Another Korean Restaurant at Orchard Central (level 7), Sarang has a pretty affordable menu with main courses like Bulgogi priced at $12.8. They have a good view overlooking Orchard Road too.

181 Orchard Road #07-01
Orchard Central Singapore
Tel: +65 6773 1322

Togi Korean Restaurant

Judging by the crowd on a weekday dinner, Togi Korean Restaurant is definitely one of the more popular places for Korean cuisine. I’ll probably go back again for their Korean BBQ.

11 Mosque Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6221 0830

Woori Nara Korean Restaurant

After trying the Korean Fried Chicken from Kko Kko Nara at Tras Street, my next target is Woori Nara Korean Restaurant at Lorong Kilat beside Udders Ice Cream and Kim’s Family Restaurant. I’m hoping that they live up to the reputation for their Korean Fried Chicken. Hoho, if that’s really the case, it sounds too good to be true – two Korean restaurants near my place.

19 Lorong Kilat #01-02 Singapore
Tel: +65 6464 9282

* * *

Tell me: which is your favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore?

It’s a pity that Korean food in the Singapore food scene isn’t as strong as its Japanese counterpart. Most people tend to crave for sushi rather than kimchi. I’m sure you can easily rattle off a list of good Japanese restaurants, but it’s not the same story when it comes to Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

My friends were craving for Korean food, and after hearing so much about Togi Korean Restaurant at Mosque Street, we decided to check it out on a weekday night.

The Ginseng Chicken Soup ($21) was mightily awesome. Even though the soup wasn’t that flavorful, the chicken was really tasty as it absorbed the finesse of all the ingredients.

Everybody loves bibimbap – tell me who doesn’t?

We poured a lot of the spicy-sweet chili into the pipping hot stone pot, stirring and mixing the Bibimbap ($11) into a delightful color of red, yellow and green. It looked good, it tasted even better! With an assortment of vegetables, mushroom, chicken, chili and steamed rice jumbled up — the bibimbap is a dish for all seasons.

We also had the stirred fried Spicy rice cake ($12), a famous street food in Korea. To be fair, I think it’s an acquired taste, and it’s really one of those dishes that you either love or hate.

I looked at the table, and fought the temptation to order the crispy Korean crispy pancakes: “No Brad, there’s too much food left”. Another visit to Togi Korean Restaurant, perhaps?

Judging by the crowd on a weekday dinner, Togi Korean Restaurant is definitely one of the more popular Korean restaurants in Singapore. Prices at both Togi and Kim’s Family Restaurant are in the same range, but the latter serves ten side dishes while the former only has six.

Even though I enjoyed the dinner there, Kim’s Family Restaurant is still my best Singapore Korean Restaurant.

Restaurant Review
Togi Korean Restaurant
11 Mosque Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6221 0830

I’ve said it before, and I’m not afraid to say it again, Kim’s Family Restaurant is my favorite place for Korean food in Singapore. I like it because they always serve ten side-dishes (I like to call them appetizers) no matter how many main dishes you ordered, I like the tasty and affordable Korean food there, and I like the fact that they are just ten minutes away from my place and I can have Korean food whenever cravings call.

I like it, because I like it. Why am I even explaining? Make a trip there and you will know.

As for kimchi, I’m sorry to admit, she’s just not my type. Even after trying it for a few times, kimchi just doesn’t do it for me. Sure, it’s a great appetizer, sour, slightly spicy – the perfect combination to get your palate going, but I’m just not that into kimchi.

I know there’s at least a dozen of people will hate me if I say this, but I have never been a fan of Ramen. Fine, maybe it’s just me, but ordering ramen makes me feel like we are paying restaurant price for instant noodles. With the increasing number of Japanese Ramen restaurants opening in Singapore, all the ramen-lovers are rushing to compare which place has the best ramen, but you know what, I don’t crave for ramen, so unless someone drag me along, it’s highly impossible for me to explore any ramen restaurants.

Okay this is tricky, since we did ordered Ramyeon ($8) with meat. It wasn’t too bad, I like the intense flavor of the stock, and the presence of egg, meat, seaweed that made the ramen, uh, tasty.

Bibimbap ($10) is, of course, delicious with chili, lots and lots of red spicy-sweet chili. Topped with ingredients like meat, seaweed, beansprout, and vegetables, and mix together with chili; the hot stone pot kept the temperature of the rice pipping hot – it’s perfect!

The Seafood pancake ($10) is a lovely appetizer, but do not let the word appetizer mislead you; the portion of the Korean-style pancake was more than enough to feed the four of us.

If you have another place that serves affordable Korean food with lots of side dishes, please let me know. For now, I will stick to Kim’s Family Restaurant.

Restaurant Review
Kim’s Family Restaurant
17 Lorong Kilat #01-06
Singapore 598139
Tel: (65) 6465 0535

Kim’s Family Restaurant is listed as one of ladyironchef’s favorite restaurants in Singapore

The idea was to eat, eat, and eat, but plan b, or rather the lack of a proper plan, meant that we start at Plan B. We started off easy, but it was surely one of the best burgers that I’ve.

It took everything that I got to resist ordering another burger for myself, and missed out on all the stuff that was about to come – and so three hungry dude shared one burger.

Plan B by Becasse is famous for their wagyu beef burger, and at just ten bucks, you must try this burger! What is wagyu, anyway? When even the MacDonalds in Sydney sell Angus beef burgers, you probably think it’s not a big deal.

But the real wagyu burger, comes in the form of a thick beef patty, everything was kept simple; there’s no exotic ingredients like foie gras, nor were there redundant sauce – it was so good that you could feel the sauce gushing out! Interesting, beetroot was used, and it provided the contrast from the other burgers.

Plan B, 204 Clarance sheet, have you taken down the address?

It will be disappointing if one did not step into any pub/bar when in Australia. The folks here simply love (read: adore, head over heels, cannot do without) drinking. Be it a glass of the fine wines from the vineyard, or a pin of beer straight from the brewery, say cheers! There’s a strong drinking culture here; it’s not surprising to see people drinking during lunch time, or 3pm in the afternoon.

I was glad when Richard proposed that we make a trip to his favorite pub, Bavarian Bier Cafe for some beer to chill down the hot afternoon heat. Since I always have a sweet tooth, I went for the Mango, which had a smell consistency of the fruit. The taste however, did not have such a strong mango flavor.

No one in their right mind will pass on the chance to have German Sausages, and so we ordered a platter to share. There was a krunching sound when I bite the cracking roast pork, as with the German food that I visualize, it was hearty, tasty and definitely not enough.

‘Deep-fried sushi?’

Richard casually asked if we are keen to try it out, but I could sense the excitement in his seemingly-subtle-tone.

‘I don’t know, I’m not so sure.. about this’

And the next thing I know, we were standing in front of Kana Express kiosk. This is one place where most people wouldn’t have heard of, much less try the snacks here; an oblivious kiosk by the corner of a back alley.

The sushi was done Korean-style, and there’s other popular Korean snacks like spicy rice-cake, but our focus was on these two words: Deep-fried, & sushi.

As the guest, or so they said, I was entitled to the first bite. It was edible. I think one’s enjoyment of this sushi comes from the revelation of deep fried to the mind. On it’s own, the sushi tasted very tame, but the addition of the fiery hot chili sauce enhanced the flavor greatly.

I love summer. I really do.

Summer, is the perfect excuse for us to indulge with ice cream, and more ice cream. We dropped by Passionflower, a dessert cafe which exotic ice cream flavors. The choice of vanilla hazelnut & burnt caramel was made by me, the former was evidently the favorite, and I liked the nutty taste in the vanilla ice cream, while the latter had a strong burnt caramel taste.

Summer, is not summer, without ice cream.

I stole a glance at Krispy Kreme when we walked by the shop, and was immediately dragged in and convinced to have one (just one) of the original donut. This should be the definition of how a good donut taste like: glazed with a layer of sugar, yet not to the point of being cloyingly-sweet, there wasn’t any hint of oilyness that a poor donut will have. One, simply isn’t enough.

Our original plan was to have tonkatsu at a nearby Japanese restaurant, but it was closed by the time we got there, so we went to Harry’s instead. I’m sure, any reputable guidebook will list the pies & hotdog at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels as one of the must-try in Sydney. Tiger pie is particularly famous, but to be honest, I’m not very certain of it. Mashy and meaty, maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t really enjoy it.

On the other hand, we thoroughly enjoyed the hotdog, it was a shame that we only had one to share. I’d imagine one to hold the big sausage with both hands, and put the whole thing into the mouth!

While on the way to Max Brenner, we passed by Le Patissier and decided to stop here for some sweets instead. For a small place, they have quite an array of desserts to choose from. I wanted to try vanilla pastry cake but it wasn’t available that day, so we had the Lemon Ganache. The sourish lemon ganache provided a good counterbalance to the sweet chocolate layers, but the whole cake was too dry, and I’m not a big fan of kirsch that’s also present in the cake.

When the fork first sank into the Creme Brulee, we already came to the conclusion that it failed. And unsurprisingly, the surface of the dessert was not caramelized properly; it was either a leftover, or they had torched and caramelized too early. However, the custard underneath was actually quite decent, and there’s even vanilla beans used.

* * *
Just in case you are wondering again, yes, we ate all of these in one afternoon.

Plan B by Becasse
204 Clarence Street, Sydney 2000
Tel: 9283 3450

Bavarian Bier Cafe
24 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: 02 8297 4111

Kana Express kiosk
Corner of Central Street

Passionflower
580 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Krispy Kreme
Queen Victoria Building
429 – 481 George Street,
Shop 95 – 97 Lower Ground Floor,
Sydney, NSW 2000

Harry’s Cafe De Wheel
Haymarket, NSW 2000
Next to Paddy Maguires Pub
Tel: (02) 9281 6292

Le Patissier
50 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9299 0015

When all my friends raved about Kim’s family restaurant, I know I have to check it out. Prior to this, my past experience with Korean food was limited to two places, so yes, up till now I have no idea how exactly an authentic kimchi taste like. The comprehensive menu meant that we spent another additional ten minutes flipping through before we finally decided on our orders.

Had I not been prepared by my friends recount of their experience, I’ll definitely be swamped by all the appetisers that arrived on our table. There was nine of them, and it even included a whole fish! There’s the usual kimchi, anchovy, spicy-sweet cucumber, and I particularly enjoyed the macaroni potato salad.

The braised beef claypot ($10) was excellent – sweet thinly sliced beef that came with cellophane noodles (dong fen) which fully absorbed the essence of the beef. We also had the kimchi fried rice ($10) which I somehow forgot to take a picture. The fried rice came with a sunny side-up on top; it looked good, but I would prefer it if it’s slightly more sourish and spicy. Bibimbap ($10) or hot stone pot rice completed the lineup for our dinner. What’s there not to like when you have hot piping rice in a hot stone mixed with so many ingredients and splashed with lots of chilli?

With the generous appetisers, and the value-for-money dishes, I will definitely return when my friends need a Korean fix, and the best part? It’s only ten minutes away from my place. See you there!

Kim’s Family Restaurant
17 Lorong Kilat #01-06
Singapore 598139
Tel: (65) 6465 0535

Kim’s Family Restaurant is listed as one of ladyironchef’s favorite restaurants in Singapore

I love watching dramas, because they got fairy-tale endings; there are moments where you smile like a fool, or weep together with the scenes, but at the end it will be a happy ending – I like happily-ever-after outcomes.

And there are always food in the show, the characters are only human, they need to eat too! So when I watch dramas, I will always get hungry. This bring us to Korean food, it’s a shame that we can’t put our hands inside the screen and grab that very delicious-looking food. So, we hunt, for Korean food.

We wanted the spicy looking Korean noodles but it was sold out; so we took the next-spicy-looking, kimchi soup set ($5.50) instead. It came with a appetiser with choices of tofu or anchovy, kimchi soup and rice. The kimchi soup was fabulous; spicy yet not to the extent of fiery, with a subtle hint of sweetness – I love it!

Bibimbap ($5) will always my choice when I have Korean food, not that I’ve eaten much, but I like the mixture of everything in one bowl. And I also like it to be in a hot stone bowl so that the rice will be piping hot! The one at Ming Jia was pretty decent, just that it wasn’t hot enough! Still, it was great to mix everything with the spicy-and-slight-sweet chilli!

(1) Ming Jia is very near my place.

(2) Ming Jia is very affordable.

(3) Ming Jia is unpretentious and homely.

(4) Ming jis is helmed by a Korean lady, and Koreans go there too.

(5) Ming Jia will be the place to go when I’m craving for Korean food.

* * *

Ming Jia
1 Jalan Anak Bukit
#B1-07 Bukit Timah Plaza

I’m of the opinion that Korean food in Singapore is not as established as their Japanese counterparts. It’s easy to name some good Japanese restaurants, but Korean ones?

The Kdrama wave had created a huge impact and let the world know more about South Korea, I’m one of those who stick to the big screen watching new dramas like Boys before flowers, and Ja Myung. Naturally, I’m intrigued by the food as well after watching so many kdramas.

The-one-most-associated-with-Korean-food. Miss kimchi was a tad salty for my liking, I’m not sure how the authentic one should taste like, but this wasn’t my favourite among the four free appetisers that we were served with.

The beansprouts, or more commonly known to us as the dou-ya; were big (compared to the normal beansprouts), and crunchy. Very nice indeed.

Do they called this Anchovy? No matters, the tiny fish was fried to crisp-cross, I could almost hear the sound when I took a bite – crunch, crunch.

I liked this one! With a sweet and sour consistency, the cucumber reminded me of our local achar. There’s nothing better than something sour-sweet to start the palate going.

We had the cold noodle ($10) next. A couple of beef slices, with a egg, the cold noodle was well, like the name, cold, with a springy and bouncy texture, which slurped down my throat easily. The difficult part was getting accustomed to using the extremely-thin Korean chopsticks to get the noodles.

And the other choice was the Dol Sot Bibim Bap ($11.50), well if you couldn’t read Korean like me, it’s pretty obvious from the photo; Hot stone bowl rice with choice of chicken, pork, beef or vegetarian toppings. We mixed everything up nicely, and the chili was fantastic. It wasn’t too spicy, and I just kept adding and adding more. The best part of eating in the hot stone bowl? Everything remained pipping hot!

* * *

Total bill was $25 for the two dishes we got, the four appetisers came free with any dishes ordered and they could be refill. I’m not very sure whether I’m a kimchi-person, maybe a few more tries will do the job. There you go, my first Korean food experience! And Fusionpolis isn’t exactly that ulu, it’s only three bus stops from Buona Vista station.

Koryo (Korean) Restaurant
1 Fusionpolis way
#02-10 Fusionpolis (Connexis tower)
Tel: 6469 1079

Hankook Rice Cake House is under the same management with the popular Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant which is on the same stretch of road at Upper Thomson.

After finishing our meal at Chicken House, and Ritz Apple Strudel, my friend and i saw this shop across the street so we decided to venture there to check the place out.

Hankook Korean Rice Cakes are featured on the Business Times

The interior of the shop is very small and simple, with some Korean decorations.

One of the Korean Decorations in the shop

Hankook Rice Cake house sell quite a variety of rice cakes, there are also samples available on the table for tasting. We tried a few of them, but to tell the truth, Korean rice cakes are not really to our liking, or rather we can’t really appreciate the beauty of it.

But because we have tried their samples, we felt rather guilty if we just walk out of the shop, so my friend decided to buy a box of rice cake for take-away.

If i didn’t really remember wrongly, these are pumpkim with nuts, seeds, and raisins fillings. Please correct me if I’m wrong. One box is in the range of 6 bucks.

Hankook Rice Cake sell rather authentic korean rice cakes, even though i’m no fan of it, but to open a shop just to sell rice cake, we should applause the owner for that!

Hankook Rice Cake House
9 Thomson Ridge
Tel: 6456 3456