Dempsey is becoming increasingly popular on the local dining scene, especially after being dubbed as the other Holland Village. Amongst the throng of brightly lit and boisterous restaurants around, Chang Korean BBQ Restaurant serves Korean barbeque to anyone who appreciates a good bottle of soju (Korean wine) with good'ol meat. The restaurant sees a sizeable Korean crowd since its opening last December while more locals are streaming in lately to catch a taste of Korean barbeque.

• The Vibe
  Step into the restaurant to see the usual dining tables (with chairs) on your left and truly Korean-style low tables (with floor mats to sit on) on your right. Anything casual, fun or family-oriented will do well with the low tables, which provide a frisky dining experience for those who are up for it. Hidden away from view by discreet sliding doors are intricate private rooms for anyone who needs some serious, uninterrupted business talk. Do take a look at the restaurant's very own organic sprout garden, where the produce is harvested every week for fresh kitchen use.

• The Food
  Chefs at Chang take great pride in their culinary work. From the creation of banchan to the bipbimbap , three factors are considered – calorie count, colour combination and balance in variety. Such effort results in a colourful array of complimentary banchan (Korean side dishes) that consist of protein, vegetables and seafood, all bent on stimulating one's sight and palate. Most worthy of mention are the shredded onion with green chilli. Not an onion fan myself, the shredded onion, nonetheless, is light and refreshing in taste, contrary to my misconception of the pungent tuber.

  Have a Haemul Pa Jeon ($20) as a prelude before a tasty barbeque. The seafood and onion pancake is a highly popular snack back in Korea and it is of little wonder why. Served piping hot, the pancake smells of deliciously toasty onion and is delightfully soft. Alternatively, warm your stomach with a Bersert Haemul-Jeongol ($45), a spicy seafood and mushroom soup that promises a truckload of baby octopus, green mussels and assorted mushrooms. The soup looks similar to a Thai tom yam but is only mildly spicy and bursting with seafood goodness.

  Dive right into the highlight at Chang – obviously their Korean BBQ – with their Beef Modeum ($98), an assortment of 5 beef cuts served with a selection of white button and apricot mushrooms. I was more forgiving on my stomach and tasted 2 kinds (as seen in picture). If you fancy Wagyu beef, you will swoon over the tender texture of grain-fed beef. Some like their meat with a salty bean sauce or a pepper-and-sesame oil but I rather my beef au natural in taste, slightly charred. The white button and apricot mushrooms are also attention grabbers themselves. Grilling white button yield tasty juices, or the essence of mushroom as I prefer to call it, in the hollow of the mushroom. According to Mr. Moon Hichan, owner of Chang Korean BBQ Restaurant, the juices are great for one's complexion. The apricot mushrooms are perfectly springy and the feel of having juices spurt forth with each chew is sheer dining pleasure.

  If you crave even more red meat, the most popular dish at Chang will not disappoint. Wang Yangnyeom Galbi ($34) serves a roll of prime rib that is marinated in the chef's secret recipe for at least 24 hours to get the sweet marinate fully infused within. Slightly tougher than the Wagyu beef, prime rib offers more of a chew and goes down very well with some Korean soju or plum wine. Take you pick between a bottle of Chum Churum ($25), Korea's best-selling soju, or a Seol Joong Mae ($30), a mildly sweet plum wine that has won many ladies' hearts.

• The Service
  Efficiency seems to be the order for staff at Chang. Mr. Moon is most willing to recommend diners some house specialties. Restaurant Manager, Mr. Ricky Teo, is also around to ensure patrons are fully at ease with his meticulous nature. My cup of traditional Korean tea was swiftly replaced when he realized it already turned cold. That is the warmth you get from Chang, and I am not just referring to my tea's temperature!

SD Food Advisor's Take on Chang Korean BBQ Restaurant
Comfort food comes in many forms for different occasions. There are dandy desserts dished to the broken-hearted, frighteningly fatty food for the frazzled, and there's Korean BBQ for the ravenous. Nothing is as shiok (local slang for enjoyable) as sitting down with a bottle of soju and plenty of red meat for a well-deserved indulgence after an exhausting day at work. And Chang Korean BBQ Restaurant, ladies and gentlemen, gives you just that opportunity to kick back, drink and relax.