7 Places For Your Korean Food Cravings in Singapore

• Originally published on 1 May 2016.
• Updated 6 May 2020 with delivery information

After resisting the Korean wave for over 13 years, I have succumbed to this very mainstream obsession, at a time when everyone and their mothers have launched Korean-inspired pizzas and burgers. Now, I’m intensely craving K-cuisine all the damn time as I watch the next hit K-drama. 

Please pass the japchae and kimchi!

While this has been in all possible ways, both savory and sweet, terrible for my waistline, it has nevertheless been an absolute treat for my tastebuds. I share my favorite Korean restaurants and cafes to grab a flavorsome bite of Korean food in Singapore.

Masizzim Singapore

The best freaking beef stew

Available for island-wide delivery

• 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Rd, #B3-02, Singapore 238895
• Westgate, 3 Gateway Dr, #01-07 Westgate, Singapore 608532

Being late to the K-fever party has its advantages. One of which is that most of my friends are already in-the-know of the best places for Korean munchies and Masizzim is one of the best recommendations. The star dish is their Beef Rib Stew ($18 for one person/$32 for two people) which you can order at various levels of spiciness or you can stick with the non-spicy soy stew base. I highly recommend taking the heat and rolling with the spicy punches. You can also choose between udon or glass noodles.

Each bowl of stew is made with marinated Australian Beef Ribs that have been slow-cooked until it becomes so tender, the meat practically falls off the bone. I ate this dish without the add-ons like Korean Sliced Rice Cake (Toppoki or Tteokbokki) and Cheese and found it already extremely hearty and comforting.

Chicken Up

KFC got rekt by Korean Fried Chicken

Available for island-wide delivery

• 48 Tanjong Pagar Rd, #01-01, Singapore 088469

I can’t think of a more iconic Korean food to chow down on in Singapore than Korean fried chicken! KFC has got nothing on Chicken Up. There’s a 12-hour marination process, fat is removed from the skin (who would have thought), and as done in Korea, all chicken is double-fried to really lock in the flavor. The deep-fried chicken from Chicken Up is juicy, tender, and crisp on the outside. The batter is thin and crisp, making it so delicious without being overwhelming.

A weekday mid-week visit is definitely good because it gives you the opportunity to order the Set Menu ($39) which includes my all-time favorite sides like Kim-Mal-E, deep-fried glass noodle and seaweed rolls coated with batter, two pieces of Crispy Chicken, two pieces of Yangnyum Chicken, two pieces of Soya Chicken Wings, carrots, cucumbers, and Kimchi Fries. This is good for two or even three if you’ve got dainty eaters as friends.

Todamgol Korean Traditional Restaurant

Leftovers never tasted so good like in budae jjigae

Available for delivery to limited areas via Foodpanda

• 31 Tanjong Pagar Rd, #01-01, Singapore 088454

I’ve tasted a couple of Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Base Stew) and honestly, it’s really hard to go wrong with this Korean winter staple. Hotdogs, canned beans, and spam, along with other Korean ingredients like sliced rice cakes, kimchi, and instant noodles all in a pot. It’s a mish-mash of everything kind of stew and I’m not particularly a big fan because it’s really expensive in Singapore to eat it here. But Todamgol’s rendition is sour and mildly spicy with just enough flavor (not too savory, spicy, or saltish).

I got a whole bunch of refillable sides (or banchan) in five or six varieties and really on point service at Todamgol when I ordered a Budae Jjigae ($35). Ultimately, that was what I really liked about the experience. It helps that the place is also frequented by Koreans and is often referred to as one of the better Korean restaurants in Singapore.

Hyang-To-Gol Korean Restaurant

An authentic Korean meal splurge

• 252 North Bridge Road, Raffles City Shopping Centre, #B1-74 Singapore 179103

Reviews on Hyantogol Korean Restaurant at Amara Hotel has been erratic. There seems to be inconsistent service standards there despite it catering more to the business lunch and dinner crowd with its high prices.

The restaurant prides itself in presenting an authentic but modern Korean dining experience. Having yet to visit Korea and tasted any of the true blue Korean cuisine, I can’t attest for the authenticity and neither can I speak much about the service, but I have to say the meats here, especially the top-grade beef ribs, Saeng Galbi Sal ($40 per 170g), are top notch and the pan-fried seafood pancakes, Haemool Pajeon ($22), is so delicious and done so perfectly – crisp on the outside, fluffy and starchy on the inside. You definitely pay for what you get.

Vatos Urban Tacos

Tasty Korean-Mexican (Ko-Mex) tacos

Available for island-wide delivery

• 36 Beach Rd, South Beach Quarter, #01-03, Singapore 189766

What happens when you put Korean and Mexican food together? An explosion of intense flavors, that’s what! I’ve absolutely fallen in love with Ko-Mex after my first encounter with Vatos Urban Tacos. I’m talking Mexican tacos but with Korean marinated meat fillings. What’s not to love?

I’d like to bring your attention to the Galbi Short Rib Tacos ($17 for 3) which really blew me away. I was expecting some cubes of beef at most and mostly veggies, but these guys at Vatos Urban Tacos don’t scrimp on the meat or delightful marinate sauce. There’s plenty of sweet and savory marinated short ribs, ssamjang aioli which packs a mild spicy Korean-style punch, slaw, so much chopped onions I almost cried of happiness and my favorite herb, cilantro. I could barely keep the ingredients from falling out of the tortilla skin because there was just THAT much of it.

While not exactly totally Korean, this one still made the list, just because, it was too good. Won over, period. Plus, wait till you see the Kimchi Carnitas Fries ($16). Did I mention there’s nachos with house-made tangy dips, provided… on the house?

Ice Lab Singapore

Injeolmi bingsu with the finest shaved ice

• 164 Rochor Rd, Bugis Village, Singapore 188439

This place is famous for its cute polar bear mascot. Gimmicky as the place already sounds, this has one of the best Injeolmi Bingsu ($14.90) I’ve had the pleasure of indulging in and trust me, in the past three months since I began a binge of K-dramas, I’ve really had my fill.

Ice Lab has the finest shaved ice (like tiny snowflakes) and soaked so perfectly with just the right amount of condensed milk, so you never have to add more. I found it sweet enough without extra milk anyway. The almond flakes are also toasty and fresh, the Korean sticky rice cakes cut into small chunks are just the right size and the soy powder makes for an awesome combination. They open pretty late until about 11.45 pm.

Bingki Korean Dessert

The cutest, most Instagram-worthy bingsu

• Permanently closed

The recent hot spell has most certainly gotten me into a real Bingsu binge. While Bingsu is a sweet tooth’s dream and is a great help to cool down, it’s also mighty photogenic. That said, if I had to give an award to the most camera-ready of the lot, the medal will have to go to Bingki Korean Dessert.

I am an Injeolmi Bingsu kinda girl, so it’s not every day that I’d break out of ordering “the usual” and go for a different flavored Bingsu. Just because the Green Tea Bingsu ($14) was so adorable and I visited with friends, so we could do a second bowl of Bingsu, I ended up with the green tea option. This place doesn’t have the finest ice shavings, but the creative Instagram-worthy presentation does help it score brownie points. Bingki also makes the list because it’s open 24 hours.

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