It’s a major feat for a restaurant to be around for more than 1 year, so it’s impressive that Singkoba in Telok Ayer has been around for 12 years! The charcoal K-BBQ restaurant specialises in multiple premium meat cuts, ranging from short rib, galbi and more.
Classic K-BBQ Restaurant
The restaurant space is simple with multiple grill tables immediately greeting you at the entrance. Each table has multi-purpose chairs that double-up as storage for your clothes and bags!
There are also private sections available that can be adjusted to different group sizes.
Singkoba Telok Ayer Menu
The charcoal grill menu is extensive with beef, pork and even chicken cuts! You can see the full menu here.
The options include Beef Ribs ($39), Samgyeopsal ($20, pork belly) and Moksal ($20, pork neck). They also offer marinated meats like Seasoned LA Beef Ribs ($39), Seasoned Beef Brisket ($30) and Marinated Pork Ribs ($22).
Some speciality cuts include Beef Tongue ($33), Gopchang Sets (from $60) with small intestine and Daechang (large intestine), and even Tripe ($28)!
The side menu is also extensive, with options like Chive Pancake ($13), Soft Tofu Stew ($15) and Bibim Guksu ($18).
Beef Cuts
We sampled three cuts of beef: Yangnyeom Galbi ($39), King Galbi ($39) and Beef Short Rib ($34).
Both galbi cuts were marinated, but our pick was the King Galbi! The garlic and onions in the marinade added an extra layer of flavour and helped tenderise the meat, especially after it got caramelised on the grill.
The Beef Short Rib was high quality with a tender and clean beef flavour. It could do with just salt, but the boss recommended we eat it with a specific combination of banchan.
Her recommendation was spot on! The crunch from the vegetables and tang from pickled radish balanced out the richness of the meat for an extra satisfying bite.
Kimchi Samgyeopsal
A classic but lesser-known K-BBQ combination is Kimchi & Samgyeopsal ($23, min 2 portions). Thick-cut pork belly is cooked in a tilted griddle so the oils seep into the cooking kimchi below.
This combination stole the show for us! The crispy, fat pork belly paired perfectly with the tangy kimchi, making it easy to continue eating without feeling overbearing.
If we had to recommend one item here, it would be this!
Grilled Intestine Set
If you’re a fan of gopchang or daechang, you’ll definitely enjoy Singkoba’s Grilled Intestine Sets (from $60). We tried a trio of Gopchang, Daechang and Honeycomb Tripe ($98), which we pre-grilled and finished at the table.
Our pick is the daechang (large intestine), which was extra fatty and juicy. The tripe had a chewy texture without any gameiness, but we found the gopchang a bit underwhelming.
Bonus: Grilled Pork Skin
Something we don’t see in other K-BBQ restaurant in Singapore is the Honeycomb Grilled Pork Skin ($22)! This was marinated with a savoury and sweet sauce then grilled till crispy and caramelised.
The texture is soft and chewy plus a slight crisp from the grill. It’s enjoyed dipped in roasted soybean powder, which gives it an interesting nutty finish.
Side Dishes
Of all the side dishes we tried, we highly recommend getting the Seafood Bean Paste Stew ($13) and Steamed Egg ($6), which was almost overflowing with cheese.
The stew was deceivingly plain-looking but was packed with umami and a sweetness from the seafood. We couldn’t stop drinking it between bites of meat to help cleanse the palate.
Other dishes include the Tteokbokki ($20) with cheese ($5) and an interesting hybrid of Mul Naengmyeon and Bibim Naengmyeon ($18).
The noodles came in an icy broth with spicy sauce, giving the best of both worlds. It was refreshing and a great pairing with the grilled meats!
Korean Barbecue In Singapore
Singkoba is an institution for K-BBQ in Singapore; their extensive menu is sure to satisfy any Korean barbecue craving!
Check out more charcoal K-BBQ restaurants in Singapore:
- Jeonpo Meat Shop: This KBBQ Restaurant in Telok Ayer Transports You To Korea With Its Food & Interior
- GAMTAN: KBBQ Restaurant in Telok Ayer With Delicious King Galbi Cut & Tonkatsu Dipping Sauce
- Koggii: $39.90 Korean Charcoal BBQ Buffet in Suntec City with A Korean-Style Caifan Lunch Experience
Singkoba
155 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068611
Mon-Fri: 11.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-11.30pm
Sat, Sun: 11.30am-3pm, 5.pm-11.30pm
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
*Follow MiddleClass.sg on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram for more food, travel, and trending stories