Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant

Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant is an upmarket Korean barbecue restaurant at 71 Loewen Road in Dempsey Hill. Meat is cooked over charcoal at your table, and the restaurant says its kitchen is run by Korean chefs. Beyond the grill, there is a full menu of Korean dishes, including stews, pancakes and vegetarian options.

The restaurant pitches itself as a fine dining take on Korean barbecue. It is set up for special occasions and corporate dinners, and it has private rooms for groups.

What to order

The draw here is good-quality meat. The barbecue menu lists wagyu cuts as well as kurobuta (Berkshire) pork. Good choices include:

• Marinated prime rib: beef rib in a sweet and savoury marinade, the classic Korean galbi.
• Kurobuta pork collar or belly: richer versions of the usual pork cuts.
• Other beef cuts: thinly sliced ox tongue and brisket, boneless short rib and rib eye.

To round out the meal, order a kimchi stew or a seafood pancake to share. As in most Korean restaurants, small side dishes called banchan arrive first. Reviewers mention kimchi, stir-fried fish cake and anchovies, plus lettuce and sesame leaves for wrapping the meat. The menu also lists organic and vegetarian dishes, so a mixed group can eat well here.

How the grill works

Each table has its own grill. You do not need to cook for yourself, because staff look after the grilling and judge the cooking times. Reviewers have noted that the grill is changed between cuts, so the flavours of different meats do not mix. This makes it an easy meal for first-timers who have never tried Korean barbecue.

The setting

The restaurant is in the Loewen Road part of Dempsey Hill. The dining room has a high ceiling and many grill tables, and the restaurant describes the mood as intimate and relaxed. As with any table grill, your clothes may pick up a little smoke, so you may not want to wear your best jacket.

Good to know before you go

• Bookings: you can reserve online or by phone. Booking ahead is a good idea for dinner.
• Private rooms: available for corporate events, celebrations and small groups. Ask when you book.
• Getting there: no MRT station is right beside Loewen Road. Napier station on the Thomson-East Coast Line is the closest, but it is a long walk, so most visitors arrive by taxi or car.

Nearby

Dempsey has plenty more to eat. Try the wood-fired cooking at Burnt Ends or Peruvian food at Canchita Peruvian Cuisine. Before dinner, walk around Dempsey Hill or spend an afternoon at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. See more restaurants in Dempsey, Tanglin and Holland, or browse our list of Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants. Menus and booking are on the Chang BBQ website.