The dining scene in Singapore is constantly evolving, which is why I am not surprised but pleased to receive an invite to try out an approachable high-end Korean BBQ restaurant called The House Chungdam at Duxton Road. Nestled in between myriads of identical looking Korean BBQ joints with ceiling to table exhaust pipes and grimy dark interiors, the relatively new (est. Dec 2024) restaurant was thoughtfully designed by a renowned Korean architect Jenie W. Jung to showcase a modern, minimalist interpretation of a premium Korean restaurant. And the powerful exhaust systems meant that there was ZERO food smells in the spacious 2-shophouse wide restaurant. Upon entering you will see a long bar (where I dined at).
There's also a fridge displaying all their aged beef in various stages.
Turn left and you will see the main dining hall for communal dining. I was told that the barbecue exhaust system was a Singapore-first and specially designed to pull air downward, which frees up so much visual space. A hefty investment, no doubt!
I was there for a lunch tasting and sat at the empty bar with my friend.
There's a selection of bar snacks available only there, which I think is pretty cool!
There's also Happy Hour Specials (Mon-Fri 12pm to 3pm, 5.30pm to 8pm and Sat 12pm to 3pm) for Beer, Mak-Tail, Cocktails and Wine. Prices are very good for a restaurant in this area!
But I was there for the food, so it interests me greatly to look at the menu (online versions here). The Lunch Sets (from 12pm to 3pm) with prices starting from $19++. That is such a steal considering the location, ambiance and the ingredients used.
If I am there for lunch again, I would likely pick either the Bulgogi Bibimbap (S$19) or the Kimchi Jjigae (S$25). However, during my tasting I had the pleasure to try the Pork Bone Soup Bansang (S$27) which was incredibly delicious (more on that later!)
They also have ala carte items, such as Noodles, Jeon (Pancakes) and Jjigae (Stews).
But The House Chungdam is known primarily for their meat, in particular, the Korean barbecued meats featuring exquisite wagyu. This is probably the most popular page on the menu - The House Feast. For S$79 for 2 (3 types of pork), S$129 for 2 (3 types of beef) or S$249 for 2 (4 types of beef), prices are really reasonable considering that each set comes with a steamed egg, soy bean soup, ban chan, and vegetables for you to wrap around your meat.
Here we have the 3 types of wagyu - the boneless short ribs on the left, thinly sliced brisket on the right and the marinated boneless short rib at the back. Look at that marbling!
I also really appreciated the table side service where the meat is cooked perfectly by the affable staff over charcoal coals.
The first beef type was both our favourite - it was tender with just the right ratio of that glorious fat while being full of beefy flavour that no sauces or accompaniments needed to go with it! Just having it "neat" was so satisfying.
Of course we had the two free sides to enjoy as well. The steamed egg was pretty average, nothing to shout about.
I really enjoyed the soybean (doenjang) soup though! I was thoroughly surprised to find bits of soft beef in there which gave it a deeper flavour - and it was not overly salty as well.
There were also tofu, mushroom and zucchini cubes. Overall a very satisfying side that dared to stand alongside the wagyu beef short ribs.
We were also given half a portion of cheese-potato jeon (full portion S$27) to try. This is a dish that needs to be consumed immediately upon serving because the cheese would be melty and so satisfying. The potatoes apparently came from the mountains of Gangwon, which is the birthplace of potato Jeon, known for their fluffy texture. In any case, it was a fun dish to share though it was a bit much (and cold already) for me.
Next up, an additional BBQ item - the pork belly (ala carte, S$29). You can see the smoke being aggressively sucked up by the exhaust such that no lingering smells could escape!
The pork belly was fresh and grilled to perfection - it actually tastes "clean" compared to the beefy wagyu, which makes this the perfect ssam wrap ingredient! There was ssamjang, Korean perilla leaves and lettuce available for us to DIY.
Lastly, we had the marinated wagyu short ribs, which required a change in the grilling surface.
The marinated meat came towards the end of the meal - however, we could immediately appreciate the sweet marinate that almost caramelises upon grilling. The additional flavour woke our tastebuds - this would have been perfect with some carbs.
We also tried the Pork Bone Soup, or Dwaeji Gukbap (S$27) which was made with a Busan-style broth that was so soulful and hearty, yet delicate in flavour.
The hint of ginseng was coupled with the savoury umami-ness from the bone soup, making it the perfect liquid to go with thin slices of pork and rice grains. I really enjoyed this dish. 4/5
Another Korean favourite of mine which my friend had not tried before was the Naengmyeon, or Jinju Cold Buckwheat Noodles (S$19).
The silky buckwheat noodles in the perfectly cold, vinegary, light meat broth juxtaposed with the bits of ham for contrast. I love the strips of Korean pear in there too and the cucumber slices. It is so refreshing - just what we need for Singapore's heat and in between the heavy bites of meat! 4.5/5
Lastly, we ended our epic lunch with a small homemade Red Bean Bingsu (S$10) which was the icing on the cake. The shaved ice, while not as fine as specialty shops, carried a light milky sweetness to mix with the red bean paste. The crunchy caramelised pecan was also fun to eat. Between the mango bingsu and this, I would recommend the red bean!
Overall, I found The House Chungdam to be a refreshing addition to the Korean BBQ scene in Singapore — stylish, spacious and surprisingly affordable for the quality you get. It’s great for both casual lunches and special dinners without the post-meal BBQ stench. If you’re craving premium cuts, soul-warming soups and a sleek setting to match, this is definitely the one.
🙅 Thank you, next
🤷 Try if you are interested
💁 Bookmark this ✔️
🙅 Thank you, next
🤷 Try if you are interested
💁 Bookmark this ✔️
The House Chungdam
72 Duxton Road, Singapore 089531
Daily 12-3pm, 5.30pm to 10pm
Thanks to Protegie PR for the invite!
Post a Comment