Wang Dae Bak Charcoal BBQ (Cross Street)

Wang Dae Bak Charcoal BBQ on Cross Street is a Korean barbecue restaurant where you grill meat at your table over charcoal. Many Korean barbecue spots in Singapore cook on electric grills, so the charcoal helps it stand out.

The Wang Dae Bak name dates from 2011. The group now runs three restaurants in Singapore, and this one is at 22 Cross Street, in the Telok Ayer part of the CBD. The room takes its look from the simple Korean barbecue houses of the 1980s, with old newspaper cuttings pasted on the walls.

What to order

Most people come for the grilled meat. The charcoal gives it a smoky taste and a good char. The menu covers beef, pork and chicken, both plain and marinated. Cuts that reviewers often pick include:

• boneless prime rib
• pork belly, including a truffle Duroc version
• marinated pork shoulder-loin
• marinated chicken

Set meals bundle several cuts together. They are an easy way for a table to try a bit of everything without ordering cut by cut.

The egg ring and side dishes

A ring around the edge of the grill is filled with beaten egg, and one side has corn mixed in. It cooks slowly while you grill and is refilled for free. A spread of small side dishes, or banchan, comes with the meal too. Expect kimchi, tofu and soybean sprouts, and these can also be refilled.

Beyond the grill

The Half Half Pancake is a house favourite. One half is kimchi pancake and the other is seafood pancake. Other dishes include hot stone bibimbap, japchae noodles, army stew, soybean paste stew and spicy seafood tofu soup. A pancake or a stew shared between the table goes well with the grilled meat.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: reserve online through the official website. Queues can form at busy times, so booking ahead helps.
• Time limit: tables come with a dining time limit, which is longer for groups of six or more.
• What to wear: grilling over charcoal is smoky, so casual clothes are the best choice.
• Other outlets: Wang Dae Bak Pocha BBQ is on Amoy Street, and Wang Dae Bak Grill is at Holland Piazza in Holland Village.

Getting there

The restaurant is at #01-64, 22 Cross Street, on the ground floor of China Square Central. Telok Ayer MRT station is the nearest, a short walk away. It is also close to Chinatown and the offices around Raffles Place, so it is easy to reach after work.

Nearby

For more Korean food a few minutes away, try Hyang Yeon on Telok Ayer Street, which serves home-style Korean dishes. Before dinner, visit Thian Hock Keng Temple, or walk to the river at Boat Quay afterwards. Our Chinatown guide has more ideas for the area. You can also browse Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants or see all restaurants in Marina Bay and the CBD.