COTE Korean Steakhouse – COMO Orchard Singapore
Words: Louise Miller
Photos Monica Tindall
Taking refuge from the blistering heat of a Singaporean afternoon on Orchard to indulge in some gastronomic decadence has an obvious appeal before any mention of a Michelin star. Add to that a Korean barbecue experience and free-flow packages with the aforementioned accolades of its flagship US restaurant, and you have the most irresistible invitation to COTE Korean Steakhouse for weekend decadence at its finest.
COTE Korean Steakhouse Origins
The restaurant’s name has my francophile sensibilities conjuring up notions of a full-bodied Côte du Rhônes or succulent ‘côte de bœuf’. While both are indeed available here, the word is actually a nod to owner Simon Kim’s Korean heritage and his first restaurant, Piora, which means ‘to blossom’, reflecting his ambition to grow his business. Meaning ‘flower’, the concept of COTE is to blend the communal joy of the traditional Korean barbecue experience with the American steakhouse and sophistication of fine dining. As the only Korean tabletop barbecue restaurant to have been awarded a Michelin star (and has done so every year since opening in NYC in 2017), COTE has truly lived up to its name. With thriving restaurants in New York, Miami, Singapore, and Las Vegas coming in 2025, the concept has not only blossomed but continues to flourish in the international culinary scene.
COTE Korean Steakhouse Lunch Menu & Prices
As of December 7, 2024, COTE Korean Steakhouse’s gourmet offerings are no longer exclusively reserved for the nocturnal. Indeed, why wait until the evening to sample exceptional-quality meat, exquisite sides, and beverages when you can now enjoy all of these from midday onwards? As we arrive, excited for the lunchtime launch, we wonder if fine lunching could be the new fine dining.
An elevator ride from the COMO Orchard lobby transports us to the dark and sultry vibes of COTE Korean Steakhouse’s bar and lounge area. The intimate, dimly lit, and leaf-lined space replaces the frenetic Christmas crowds from moments earlier and immediately induces a chilled-out cocktail-imbibing mood.
Cocktail Menu & Prices
Head bartender Arjay Guarin Abaleta is here to help. He makes recommendations based on our preferences and then expertly crafts a stunning trio of aperitifs to initiate proceedings.
Monica’s ‘Proper Vodka Martini’ (S$25) is, as both its name and her face suggest, done properly! Caning’s ‘Hypnotized’ (S$22) offers refreshing fruity flavours of watermelon and lemon with Grey Goose vodka and fino sherry. The bold, smoky bourbon notes in my COTE Fashioned (S$25) are perfectly balanced with the subtle citrus tones of Angostura and orange bitters and hit my palate with delicious, soothing warmth.
An exploration of the bar area reveals a neighbouring wing of cosy private booths reserved for steak omakase diners, a red-lit dry-aging chamber, and music and cigar lounges that add to the venue’s sexy NYC nightlife vibe.
Starters
We proceed to our table to begin our meal with a few exclusive lunch items. The Waldorf Salad (SGD 24) is an Asian-inspired interpretation of the classic and features, amongst the more traditional, components such as the Asian pear, kabocha squash, and honey doenjang dressing. The combination of sweet and tangy flavours and contrasting textures provide heavenly harmony on the palate. Equally, the Korean Crudo Salad (SGD 38) impresses with its sumptuous medley of raw sea bream, yellow tail, bluefin tuna and poached lobster mixed with seasoned rice and blended with sweet and tangy chojang dressing. The salads are offset by a Gopdol Bibimbap (SGD 36), a moreish blend of spicy baby octopus with seasoned rice and bean sprouts served in a sizzling clay pot.
Our second course is COTE “Beef” Bakkutteh (SGD 36), an interpretation of the Hokkien favourite ‘meat bone tea’. This version sees prime beef short rib served in white pepper, vermicelli noodles, and rich bone broth with a bird’s eye chilli dark soy sauce. This soothing soup’s flavours are rich and comforting yet complex and refined.
Barbecue
Empty dishes are whisked away in preparation for the show-stopping main. A multitude of small plates containing all manner of fermented side dishes are laid before us. The barbecue is prepared with a rub of dry-aged beef fat. Our server carefully places perfect cubes of Australian Wagyu Cote Steak (SGD 62) on the grill and sprinkles it with a blend of British Maldon, French grade grey, and thousand-day fermented salts as the meat sizzles, forming a delicious charred crust around the succulent and flavourful meat.
We are surprised that there is no smoke, and we learn that the state-of-the-art ceramic barbecues feature built-in ventilators that draw the smoke away from within the grill. This ingenious system means that you can confidently wear your finest attire without any fear of leaving your meal smelling like a meaty fire pit!
General Manager Paew Ford explains how to make lettuce wraps with the beef and runs through each one of the side dishes. Amongst these are rice cakes and mushroom caps that are also cooked on the barbecue, pickled cauliflower with garlic stems, napa cabbage kimchi, daikon radish kimchi, pickled celtuce leaves and a scallion salad that can be enjoyed on its own or added to the wraps. We each have our own serving of fermented soybean paste with sesame, adding an irresistible umami layer to each bite.
To end, a small cup of soft serve with miso caramel is just the right amount of sweetness to complete the meal on a high note.
Beverages
Of course, you can complement your meal with any of the items from the extensive range of wines, beers, and cocktails on COTE Korean Steakhouse’s beverage menu. Since the Coravin wine preservation system is used here, the variety of fine wines available by the glass is seriously impressive.
That said, a star feature of the new lunch experience is the enticing free-flow packages (only available at lunch)! One of the wines included in these hails from owner Simon Kim’s very own Californian wine: the quaffable Cabernet Sauvignon blend, named after his first restaurant, Piora, delights us with dark cherry notes and silky tannins. It is a perfect partner for the meaty mains.
If red is not your preference, or indeed, if you like to mix it up a little, you can opt for the Provençal Château du Seuil rosé or the fashionable white Burgundy, Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Viré-Clessé, Chardonnay. The free-flow packages also include Brooklyn Pilsner beer on draft and a curated trio of lunchtime cocktails: High Garden (a take on whiskey sour with Soju), Free & Easy (an elderflower-infused gin-based highball), and The Law Of The Jungle (a potent and fruity reduction of IPA beer and pineapple). Veuve Clicquot Brut and Rosé are the two Champagne options, adding a touch of effervescent elegance to further enhance the experience. The package level and price is determined by the choice of Champagne: Veuve Clicquot Brut (SGD 158) and Veuve Clicquot Rosé (SGD 178), and runs for two hours.
Reasons to visit COTE Korean Steakhouse: The uber cool, moody and sexy vibes; delicious barbecue dishes; exceptional salads; fantastic cocktails and wines; the free-flow Champagne package; also love their namesake red wine.
COTE Korean Steakhouse
Level 3, COMO Orchard
30 Bideford Road, 229922 Singapore
Link to COTE Korean Steakhouse on Google Maps
www.cotekoreansteakhouse.com
[email protected]
1 800 304 7788
COTE Korean Steakhouse Opening Hours
Dinner: daily 5 pm – 2 am
Lunch: Saturday & Sunday 12 pm – 3 pm
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