Chingu @ The Oval

Chingu @ The Oval is a contemporary Korean restaurant built around tabletop barbecue. It sits in a refurbished colonial house at 7 The Oval, inside Seletar Aerospace Park in the north-east of Singapore. The name means "friend" in Korean, and the menu is made for sharing.

The restaurant opened in November 2022. Its meats are dry-aged or wet-aged in a chamber on site, then cooked at your table on a smokeless open grill. Beyond the barbecue, the kitchen makes stews, noodles, rice dishes and banchan, the small Korean side dishes. Many of these lean on old Korean methods such as pickling and fermenting.

What to order

Most tables build their meal around the grill. The beef list runs from Black Angus cuts, such as oyster blade and hanging tender, to Japanese A5 wagyu rib-eye from Miyazaki and Satsuma. Ox tongue and marinated boneless beef rib are also on the menu. For pork, choose from belly, collar, jowl and marinated ribs. Chicken thigh and marinated shrimp complete the grill list. A BBQ platter is an easy way for a group to try several cuts.

Add a stew, a pancake or a noodle dish for the table. The menu also covers stir-fries, rice dishes, desserts and even a pizza section. Grilled sides such as king oyster mushroom, pineapple and mozzarella squares go well with the meat. Lunch sets are offered, and there is a kids' menu.

The setting

The Oval is a small group of restored colonial houses surrounded by greenery, a long way from the city centre. The dining room is bright by day, with wood finishes, soft neutral colours and long banquette seats. Two private rooms are available: one seats up to 10 guests and the other up to 6. The restaurant also takes bookings for private events, such as company meals and product launches.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: reserve online through SevenRooms or Chope, by phone, or by email.
• Children: a kids' menu is available for younger diners.
• Private dining: book the private rooms ahead for birthdays or business meals.
• Dietary needs: the menu is meat-heavy and includes pork, so vegetarians will find few choices.
• Delivery: you can also order from this outlet through foodpanda.

Getting there

Seletar Aerospace Park is an aviation business park in the north-east of the island. A taxi or ride-hailing car is the simplest way to get there from the city. The park has several other colonial houses that now hold restaurants and cafés, so it is easy to add coffee or dessert nearby.

Nearby

Also on The Oval, Martina's Kitchen serves Peranakan and Western dishes. For a steak dinner in another colonial building, try Cinder Steakhouse at Wheeler's Estate. Wildseed Cafe is a good stop for coffee and cake. See all restaurants in Seletar and Jalan Kayu, or browse more Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants and steakhouses and grills across Singapore.