There are way too many Korean BBQ restaurants in Singapore, and one that we tried lately and had a good dinner at is Don Dea Bak Korean BBQ at Kreta Ayer Road.

What we love most about Don Dae Bak Korean BBQ is that the restaurant uses charcoal grill instead of the usual gasoline grill. That sure makes a lot of difference to our meats!

This small outlet is just like any usual Korean BBQ place – round communal tables that is surrounded by kimchi and pickles (free flow), all your sauces and chilli, and loud Korean pop songs on repeat mode.

Don Dae Bak Korean BBQ Restaurant goes by a all-you-can-eat buffet style, with lunch being S$21.90++ per person and dinner at S$23.90++ per person. There is an a la carte option as well, but we say skip that and just go straight for the buffet.

The buffet grants you access to lots and lots of meat. Yes, that’s how a kickass Korean BBQ should be like. Think Marinated Beef, Beef Brisket, Pork Belly, Spicy Pork Belly, Shoulder Loin, Marinated Shoulder Loin, Marinated Chicken, and Spicy Marinated Chicken – ALL.FREE.FLOW.

And the cherry on top is the pocket around the grill, where egg custard is poured and steamed egg is made. It is so simple, yet nothing short of comforting; just like the great BBQ meals we’ve had in Seoul, though more often than not, steamed egg is a complementary dish they offer to kid diners.

On top of the Korean BBQ buffet, you should also give their a la carte dishes a try, such as Spicy Seafood Tofu Soup (S$12), Kimchi Jjigae (S$12), Budae Jjigae (S$28 for 2-3 pax), Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup (S$15), Kimchi Pancake (S$18), and Spicy Rice Cake (S$7).

Don Dae Bak Korean BBQ Restaurant
35 Kreta Ayer Rd
Singapore 089000
Tel: +65 6226 1727
Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Sun: Closed
Nearest Station: Outram Park/ Chinatown

Gone are the days where you can indulge in a mouthwatering western meal without burning a hole in the pocket. Fortunately, 49 Seats exists and has made it a point to keep its fusion gourmet very affordable and accessible amidst the rising costs in this competitive industry. Most of the dishes are priced below S$16.90 and there is no GST and service charge.

From their signature spicy Tom Yum Seafood Pasta (S$14.90) to Cheesy Chicken Chop (S$16.90), 49 Seats may not be any gourmet fine dining establishment but its menu will leave you salivating. Your grandparents will find them comfortingly nostalgic whilst your kids will have no qualms gobbling them up. It is surely a place for everyone, without breaking the bank!

Here’s sharing our favourite dishes at 49 Seats. It is hard to just decide on one, or two.

49 Seats is renowned for their industrial chic ambience, where old-school metallic plates and tin mugs are used. We love that fuss-free, retro-ish touch to the food.

As its name suggests, the founding store at Outram Park sits exactly 49 diners. Due to its increasing popularity, 49 Seats has proceeded to open two bigger outlets at Bugis Plus and Orchard Central to accommodate more patrons. The casual dining establishment takes pride in serving East-meets-West delicacies similar to those served during Singapore’s British colonial era.

Being one of the leading pioneers in Singapore to create fusion dishes with spicy tom yum broth, we have to applaud 49 Seats for their brilliant concept of integrating Asian flavours into classic Italian dishes.

Who would have known that these seemingly contrasting ingredients would actually complement each other so well? We were completely hooked to the Tom Yum Seafood Pasta (S$14.90).

Active foodies on the prowl might have already heard about this highly raved dish that features an exotic cream-based seafood pasta. It packs a punch of sweetness, sourness and spiciness with every bite and is indeed illustrative of Singapore’s diverse ethnicity.

Topped with generous amounts of mussels and prawns, the semi-spicy pasta is the bestseller at 49 Seats and you will not get this unique pasta rendition elsewhere.

The Creamy Smoked Duck Pasta (S$14.90) and Smoked Duck Aglio Olio (S$14.90) also got to us with its simplicity. The smoked duck breasts are so tender and juicy, and either way, we liked both pastas. The former takes on the classic carbonara, while the latter is a traditional aglio olio – the end results are delightful fusion dishes with a notable local twist.

Do note that the Smoked Duck Aglio Olio is not on the menu so one would have to make a special request for it.

Fish options to look out for are the Old Fashioned Fish & Chips (S$16.90) and Pan-fried Fish (S$16.90). The former is a battered seasonal fish, while the latter is a tender dory cooked simply with salt and pepper and lemon juice.

Both fishy mains are generously portioned and served with either an Al Scampi or Tom Yum sauce on the side for dipping. For the uninitiated, the Al Scampi is a seafood dish prepared with sautéed clams, mussels and prawns.

If your briny cravings are still not met, order the deep-fried Fish Bites (S$9.90) that comes in a basket of 10. Damn, these snacks got us hooked and we couldn’t stop munching on them while waiting for our mains! By the way, you would have guessed that the Tom Yum sauce is addictive, right?

49 Seats also offer a few poultry and red meat dishes, such as the chef’s recommendations of Cheesy Chicken Chop (S$16.90) and Sirloin Steak (S$19.90).

Complete your main and make it a set with an additional S$4.90, and you get a portion of soup of the day, and a soft drink of your choice. And the drink choices include their pretty house fizz beverages (S$2.50 for a la carte); we’d say go for these instead of the normal soft drinks!

Should you be a light eater, there is a variety of light bites for you to snack on. Our favourite appetisers is the glorious Cheese Fries (S$7.90).

Need another reason to love 49 Seats? They are open at ungodly hours if you need supper! Ain’t this good news?! There is an ongoing supper promotion for all main courses where 49 Seats’ customers get to enjoy 10% off after 10pm, 20% off after 11pm and 30% off after 12am. Like it cannot get cheaper, nocturnal creatures actually get to enjoy an unbelievable 50% off all pastas after 3am! Partygoers now know where to go after all that dancing.

If you haven’t realised, 49 Seats’ favourite number is evidently number 49. Alcoholic drinks are very affordable, where you can enjoy a bucket of 5 beer bottles for just S$49! Choose your poison from Corona, Heineken, Hoegaarden, Stella Artois and Tiger. And if you fancy some wines, a bottle of red or white wine is reasonably priced at S$60 and S$70 respectively.

This Christmas, customers also get to enjoy a scrumptious festive feast at 49 Seats at just S$49 nett for two. The value-for-money set meal is inclusive of two soups, two mains and a dessert for sharing.

We will definitely head back when those midnight hunger pangs strike, for both their lip-smacking dishes and awesome discounts!

For the latest updates, head over to www.49seats.com and like them on Facebook.

49 Seats Main Outlet
49 Kreta Ayer Road
Singapore 089007
Mon to Thu: 6pm – 2am
Fri to Sat: 6pm – 5.30am
Tel: +65 6225 4332
Nearest Station: Outram Park

Orchard Central #08-08
181 Orchard Road
Singapore 238896
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm 5.30pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 11am – 10pm
Tel: +65 6509 5895
Nearest Station: Somerset

Bugis Plus #07-04
201 Victoria Street
Singapore 188067
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 11am – 10pm
Tel: +65 6884 4633
Nearest Station: Bugis

This post is brought to you by 49 Seats.