I was so impressed with Ju Shin Jung Korean BBQ that you seldom see me roaming outside my comfort zone and check out other Korean barbeque restaurants.
Having said that, two fifty-dollar vouchers (complimentary from Seoul National University and Jaya) were sufficient reasons for me to step into the high-class dining area many of us know as Dempsey Road.
Frankly, i have always felt uncomfortable in fine-dining establishment where coarse table decorum is strictly frowned upon. A relaxed dining environment is always preferred!
Without getting too long winded, let's now start on what the Gang of Four had in Chang Korean Charcoal BBQ Restaurant.
Side Dishes
Korean side dishes are Alex's favourite and they are usually the measuring tape of how a Korean restaurant fares in his opinion.
After getting so accustomed to lavish side dishes that filled up the whole table in Ju Shin Jung, I was pretty disappointed with the dull display in Chang.
Even the display of raw greenies paled in comparison! Unlike Ju Shin Jung, i didn't feel to the urge to touch these vegetables and gobble them up with a spread of bbq meat, sauces and kimchi!
Seafood Beancurd Soup
With Van, a bowl of soup is guaranteed to be on the order list! Neither complaint nor excitement for this dish. Maybe an opinion from the expert (Ms Tan) is more credible?
Seafood and Kimchi Pancake
I personally like this a lot since it was less spicy than its counterpart in Ju Shin Jung. If i remember correctly, Kon wasn't too impressed though.
Meat
A wagyu promotion was available but in order to have a fair assessment for comparison, we decided to have Prime Rib (Beef), Pork Rib and Chicken Thigh.
Let's start with Chicken Thigh - high hopes as the ones we had in Ju Shin Jung have always been so delicious!
Chang's version was terrible! The meat kept sticking to the occlusal surfaces of my molars and had a bitter aftertaste. Was there ginseng added? Guess not.
The Pork Ribs had a nice fatty marbling that should taste not bad right?! Pork fats are like the most appetising part on a pig! I always feel guilty after eating pork because Wilbur is so human-like in Charlotte's Web!
No matter what, food is food! With a harder texture, chewing was necessary for us to truly appreciate this plate of pork ribs. It was only upon some chews that the delightful juiciness slowly seeped out!
Before i continue with Prime Rib, can i confess once again my love for mushrooms?!?!?! And i finally found a way to barbeque them the right way to contain the earthy moisture.
The Beef Prime Rib was in fact, barbequed first but i chose to talk about it now because it was the best of the three! Even the raw display managed to hype up my expectation.
I neglect to mention that the Gang of Four had decided to delegate the barbequeing to the friendly waitress that day. It was a lazy Saturday and even our arms were feeling extremely weak.
Would love to have the whole steak to myself!
The sweetness of marinated beef blended with a distinguishable garlic taste was so marvellous; it topped the list of barbequed meat i had (so far) for Korean bbq.
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The higher price tag will definitely make me think twice to go again! My Korean colleague, however, does prefer this restaurant over Ju Shin Jung.
Location
18C Dempsey Road
Price
Seafood Beancurd Soup - S$16
Seafood and Kimchi Pancake - S$20
Marinated Prime Rib - S$39
Marinated Pork Rib - S$25
Boneless Chicken Thigh - S$25
Subject to GST and Service Charge
Additional Information
This rice tea with a ginger spiciness, was served after our meal.
Blackened steel plate was exchanged for a clean one after the culinary deliverance of each meat. Psychologically, it made Alex felt better since he was adamant that black burnt bits contribute to cancer development.
Mat seating was available if you can withstand the discomfort!!! My back almost broke when i first tried it in Ju Shin Jung! Not recommended for the elderly Singaporeans!
Alfresco dining is recommended for patrons who hate to have the oily, bbq smell sticking to their clothes! To me, that's no difference from ordering a steak from a restaurant and waiting for it to be delivered to your table!
For me, i tried to keep a spare t-shirt (sprayed with Tommy perfume) in my bag. You never know where you want to go after the meal!
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