Noodle Star K (Tanjong Pagar)

Noodle Star K is a Korean noodle restaurant at 58 Tanjong Pagar Road. This Tanjong Pagar shop makes its noodles and dumplings in house, and it is best known for naengmyeon, Korea's famous cold noodle dish. It is run by the team behind Super Star K, a Korean barbecue restaurant, and it opened in 2019.

Many Korean places on this road focus on barbecue and fried chicken. Noodle Star K puts noodle bowls first, with dumplings, stews and spicy meat dishes alongside. It suits a quick lunch or a casual dinner with friends.

What to order

Start with the cold noodles. The chik naengmyeon is a bowl of arrowroot noodles in a chilled broth, and it is one of the restaurant's best sellers. If you like heat, the chik bibim naengmyeon tosses the same noodles in a spicy sauce instead. Naengmyeon noodles are made from buckwheat flour and starches such as arrowroot or potato, which gives them a firm, chewy bite.

For something warm, there is a section of Korean-Chinese favourites. Jjajangmyeon comes in a thick black bean sauce, while jjampong is a noodle soup in a spicy chilli broth. Both are marked as best sellers. Other noodle dishes include japchae, glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and pork, and jjolmyeon, chewy noodles in a spicy sauce.

Do not skip the dumplings. The gogi mandu are filled with pork, and there are kimchi and boiled versions too. Groups can share the Korean army stew, which serves two, or plates of spicy pork belly and spicy chicken. The menu also has pork backbone stew, spicy soft tofu stew with seafood and kimchi soup. Rice sets pair beef with a soup or stew for an easy solo meal.

The setting

The restaurant is spread over two floors. The look is simple, with wooden furniture and warm brown and white tones. The lighting is bright and the mood is eat-and-go, so it suits an easy everyday meal more than a long night out. Meals usually come with a few banchan, the small Korean side dishes, such as kimchi and bean sprouts.

Good to know before you go

• Busy times: the dining room often fills up at peak meal times, so arrive early if you can.
• Takeaway: the restaurant's website has an online ordering page.
• Diet: the menu leans heavily on meat and seafood, so ask staff if you avoid either.
• Spice: the bibim noodles, jjampong and spicy meat dishes carry real heat. The chilled naengmyeon soup and jjajangmyeon are milder.

Nearby

Tanjong Pagar Road is lined with Korean restaurants. For more Korean-Chinese noodles, try O.BBa Jjajang on Tanjong Pagar Road. For a special night out, the area also has fine dining at Zén. Chinatown is within walking distance, so you could pair your meal with a visit to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

Our Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood guide covers the area in more detail. You can also browse more Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants or see all restaurants in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar.