You might be thinking, another Korean restaurant in Singapore? Well, yes, and no. The House Chungdam might be a new Korean restaurant in Tanjong Pagar, but it might just be one of the best ones to open in Singapore recently.
The restaurant is owned by a group of Koreans born and raised in Seoul. They moved to California from Gangnam 7 years ago and fell in love with Singapore during a visit.
For Koreans, Gangnam, especially the Chungdam-dong area, is where all the best restaurants are located—think Michelin-starred restaurants and popular celebrity hideouts.
The House Chungdam was opened to bring a slice of that Chungdam-dong vibe to Singapore. Based on a quick visit to The House Chungdam, they managed to do just that.
Modern Korean Restaurant in Singapore
Spanning over 3,000 sq ft in Tanjong Pagar, The House Chungdam has private rooms, a Korean cocktail drink bar and multiple tables optimized for KBBQ, without the usual hanging ventilators.
A lot, if not most of the interior is brought in specially from Korea, such as the wooden pillars on the ceiling, which reminded us of hanoks in Korea. The overall atmosphere of the space, while a bit bright for our liking, mimics restaurants we’ve experienced in Chungdam-dong, Seoul.
The House Chungdam Menu
Here, the restaurant offers a variety of items ranging from Korean barbeque to dishes like rice and noodles.
The BBQ menu, which includes The House Feast, includes your choice of meats, soybean soup, Korean side dishes, steamed eggs, and vegetables. The beef set includes Boneless Short Rib, Marinated Boneless Short Rib, and Thinly Sliced Brisket ($129 for two pax, $249 for four pax), while the Pork set includes Pork Neck, Pork Belly, and Pork Jowl ($79 for two pax).
They also offer a la carte cuts such as Beef Tongue ($49), Outside Skirt ($49), and Marinated Chuck Top Blade ($39).
They have two special cuts on the menu: a 28-Day Dry-Aged York Strip Cut ($79) and Dry-Aged Pork ($49).
Other menu items include a Chicken-Green Onion Jeon ($24), Cheese-Kimchi Jeon ($24), Bibim Noodles ($19), Red Pepper Paste Jjigae ($19), and more.
Korean Cocktail Drink Bar
The House Chungdam also has a special menu that can be enjoyed only at the bar. This includes snacks like Sotteok Sotteok ($15), Shrimp Chips and Potato Salad ($15), Beef Brisket with Chives ($30), Bibim Mandoo ($17) and Galbi Mandoo ($17).
They bring in many Premium Soju options apart from the usual green bottles, with labels like Lee Gang Ju 19%, Jin Maek 40%, Damsoul 40%, Khee Soju 20%, and Won Soju. You can also find options like Gin, Whisky, and Makgeolli here.
The House Chungdam Review
We tried the Cotesal Boneless Short Rib ($144), one of The House Chungdam’s signature meats. They provide options to grill on a modern gas-powered iron charcoal plate or over a traditional charcoal grill.
The meat cut was flawless, with each piece grilled to perfection. The fattiness of the meat comes through, and it just melts in your mouth. The staff recommended pairing it with the condiments provided, such as wasabi and salt. There was also a curry powder dip, something more uncommon in Korean restaurants.
We really enjoyed pairing it with the sesame oil, which was imported from traditional Korean markets. The oil is pressed locally, which results in a nuttier and more savoury taste.
Yukhoe is one of our go-to dishes at Korean restaurants, and here, it comes with a twist. Named Tar Tar ($37), the yukhoe here is served with avocado and snowflower cheese, which add a nice creaminess to the beef tartare.
The Cheese Potato Jeon ($27) doesn’t adopt the usual circular-shaped pancakes. Instead, it’s served in bite-sized portions. It’s made using potatoes from Gangwon-do, a region known for fluffy-textured potatoes.
Each piece was packed with bacon, which made the dish indulgent. However, we would’ve preferred it served without the shallots on top.
One of our favourite dishes of the night was the Pork Bone Soup ($29), also known as Dwaeji Gukbap. This Busan-style clear broth pork soup is made after long hours of simmering over medium-low heat. The resulting broth was clean and rich, without any gaminess of pork.
It’s served with salt and pepper, should you wish to season it to your liking.
A Korean BBQ meal isn’t complete without naengmyeon, and their Jinju Cold Buckwheat Noodles ($19) comes topped with Yukjeon slices and cucumbers. The broth was a refreshing treat, perfect after the meat cuts.
If you want a dessert, their Bingsu ($10) comes in small individual cups and two flavours: mango and red bean, with the red bean slowly cooked in-house.
Korean Restaurant in Tanjong Pagar
The House Chungdam is a nice addition to the Duxton area, bringing Singaporeans a modern Korean dining experience. The prices are also relatively okay for a restaurant, considering the ambience and service.
The House Chungdam
72 Duxton Road, Singapore 089531
Sun-Thurs, 12-3pm, 6-10:30pm, Fri-Say, 12-3pm, 6-11pm
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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