My Korean friend brought a group of friends to Chang Korean BBQ Restaurant at Dempsey to introduce us to authentic Korean cuisine. I'm not sure about the tables outside, but the good ventilation inside the private rooms will ensure that you will not walk out of the eatery reeking of grease.
A decent spread of 반상 banchan to start off the meal
You can put aside your fears about overcooking barbequed items at Chang, for the trained staff will do the cooking for you here. The well-marbled Galbi prime ribs (왕양념갈비 Wang Yangnyeom) ($34++) were terrific: sweet, tender and mouthwateringly flavorful. I would gladly go for seconds!
I'm not a fan of grilled pork belly, but my friend declared the 삼겹살 Samgyeobsal ($20++) his favorite dish of the meal though.
Chang's 돌판알비빔밥 Dolpan-Al-Bibimbap ($20++) adds a modern touch to this ubiquitous Korean dish by featuring flying fish roe in addition to the usual suspects of soybean sprouts, julienned carrots and mushrooms. The pop-in-the-mouth tobiko added a welcome textural contrast to the mix of fresh-tasting sautéed and seasoned vegetables, fragrant rice and crunchy burnt bits from the bottom of the bowl.
The bean curd stew (비지찌개 Biji-Chigae) ($16++) and bean paste soup (된장찌개| Denjang-Chigae) ($16++) were passable, while the ginseng chicken soup (삼계탕 Samgyetang) ($25++) could have definitely done with more punch.
We also ordered two bowls of buckwheat cold noodles- one in beef broth (물냉면 Mul Naengmyeon) ($16++), as pictured above, and the other in spicy sauce (비빔냉면 Bibim Naengmyeon) ($16++). While the former was tangy and refreshing, I liked the Bibim Naengmyeon better for the addictive sweet and slightly tart chogochujang that doused the noodles. (My Korean friend commented that the chogochujang was slightly too sweet though.) I also preferred the chewier bite of the vermicelli in the spicy cold noodles to that of the Mul Naengmyeon.
A complimentary cup of 식혜 sikhye, a traditional Korean rice drink prepared from malt water and cooked rice, was served at the end of the meal to aid digestion. It's an acquired taste, I say.
Chang Korean BBQ Restaurant
18C Dempsey Road
Tel: +65 6473 9005
Opening hours: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm daily
Chang Korean BBQ Restaurant
18C Dempsey Road
Tel: +65 6473 9005
Opening hours: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm daily