If you're in town looking for a fancy dinner spot, then COTE Korean Steakhouse is for you.
Taking up the third storey of COMO Orchard, the restaurant is a fusion of traditional Korean barbecue with elements of classic American steakhouses.
Originally hailing from New York, Singapore is COTE's third outlet worldwide and first outlet outside of America.
COTE is also the first, and only, Korean steakhouse to have received a Michelin star.
Drink, drank, drunk
Upon entry into the restaurant, guests are immediately greeted by the Millim Bar. This is a cocktail bar serving as COTE's designated holding area for pre-drinks before guests are ushered to their tables.
Photo by Celeste Ng.
We began our evening with two out of their extensive selection of cocktails:
Quencher (S$12) and Crystal Clear (S$23)
Photo by Celeste Ng.
Guests are also welcome to return to the bar after their meals for an after-meal drink, if they wish.
Butcher's Feast (S$98++ per pax)
Moving on to the spotlight of our time at COTE: the Butcher's Feast.
This is a sumptuous barbecue set comprising four premium cuts of beef, alongside traditional Korean mains and dessert to end the meal. Customers can also add 30 grams of Japanese A5 Wagyu to their feast for an additional S$45 per pax.
Photo by Celeste Ng.
All of COTE's meats are seasoned with their signature salt blend.
To start, we got some appetisers to share (not included in the Butcher's Feast):
Tuna Tartare (S$32)
Bluefin tuna and pickled moo (radish), served with crispy gim (seaweed) chips to pair. Photo by Celeste Ng.
Korean Oyster "Omelette" (S$28)
Pan-fried oysters with citrus yuzu vinaigrette. Photo by Celeste Ng.
Following the appetisers, the first two cuts of meats were served, together with mushrooms and rice cakes. Red leaf lettuce and ssamjang (a thick, spicy paste) were also provided to wrap the meats with.
Photos by Fasiha Nazren.
COTE's service standards really shone through here. Unlike some Korean barbecue places, where customers have to grill their own food, COTE's staff did the cooking for us, and would visit our table periodically to grill the meats between courses.
Photo by Fasiha Nazren.
Alongside COTE's four selected cuts of USDA Prime and Australian Wagyu Beef, the Butcher's Feast also includes:
Ban-chan (side dishes)
Photos by Fasiha Nazren.
Scallion salad
Photo by Fasiha Nazren.
Savoury egg soufflé
Egg steamed in kelp broth. Photo by Fasiha Nazren.
Spicy kimchi stew
Served with rice. Photo by Fasiha Nazren.
Savoury doenjang (bean paste) stew
Doenjang is a type of fermented bean paste, resembling the taste of miso. Served with rice. Photo by Fasiha Nazren.
The third and fourth cuts of beef were served after the main courses.
The last cut was my personal favourite - marinated beef ribs.
Dessert was then served to end the meal on a sweet note.
Vanilla soft serve with soy sauce caramel
Photo by Celeste Ng.
What pleasantly surprised us when we left the restaurant was that neither of us smelled like barbecue despite having spent two hours sitting by a grill - all thanks to a special ventilation system that ensures "smokeless" grills during your meal.
Other dining options
Aside from the Butcher's Feast, COTE also offers a "horizontal tasting" of A5 ribeye from three different prefectures in Japan for S$112 per pax, as well as a ten-course steak omakase for S$295 per pax.
All prices do not include GST and service charge.
@mothership.nova COTE Korean Steakhouse 📍: COMO Orchard, 30 Bideford Rd, Level 3, S229922 ⏰: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 5pm to 12am Closed on Sundays and Mondays 🍴: Butcher’s Feast S$98/pax Quencher S$12 Crystal Clear S$23 Prices exclude service charge & GST #tiktoksg #whattoplay #whattoeat #beef #orchard #steak #steakhouse #korean #yum #bbq #kbbq #kimchi ♬ original sound - W E S 🎼
COTE Korean Steakhouse
Address: COMO Orchard, 30 Bideford Road, Level 3, Singapore 229922
Opening hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 5pm to 12am
Top photos by Celeste Ng & Fasiha Nazren