Korean Barbecue in Metro Manila List

Korean food is gaining its popularity all over the world and across different ages. Most liked Korean foods aside from kimchi are bibimbap, hotteok (pudding), dbeokbokki (street food), japchae (noodles), tteok (rice cake) and yangnyeon tongdak (fried chicken). On top of these list is Korean barbecues that has been a favourite of everyone, including me.

Korean barbecue is called different names depending on the type of meat and if it is marinated or not. Beef that is marinated is called Bulgogi or Galbi while Ansim gui is the name for non-marinated tenderloin.  Derunsim gui is the non-marinated sirloin. Likewise, marinated pork is called Dwaeji bulgogi whereas non-marinated unsalted bacon is known as Samgyeopsal. For chicken, Dak galbi is the dish for marinated barbecues and Dak gui is for non-marinated ones.

Korean food such as their barbecues are commonly known as Gogigui in Korea. It particularly refers to roasted meat. It can either be chicken, pork or beef that is served on charcoal grills, gas grills or portable stoves on top of the dining table.  This setup itself makes the experience of eating Korean barbecues more appetizing and indulging. Bulgogi, the most common type of Gogigui, is the most well-served Korean barbecue dish in every restaurant in Korea. It s made from tenderloin or beef sirloin that is thinly sliced and marinated. Beef short ribs are a tasty alternative as well. 

Do you wonder how Bulgogi is prepared? To serve a scrumptious Korean barbecue, marinate meat with sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, pepper and garlic. The longer the meat is marinated, the more flavourful it will be after cooking. The meat would also come out very tender, almost a melt-in the mouth. Can you imagine that? Bulgogi is then grilled in perforated griddles or pan-cook. On the other hand, Galbi is prepared the same way as Bulgogi but with water, sugar and sliced onions. It is mostly cooked in charcoal or burned wood chips. 

Over the web, there are a lot of Korean barbecues recipe you can find. Would that be very interesting to try? But if you don’t have much time and can’t wait to taste Korean barbecues, some of the restaurants that you can visit are Seoul Korean BBQ Restaurant in Silverdale Way, Washington, Soowon Galbi KBBQ Restaurant in Los Angeles, Sariwon’s Bulgogi and Galbi Korean Restaurant in Quezon City, Philippines, Jang Soo Kang Korean BBQ Restaurant in Cerritos, California and Korean Manna BBQ Restaurant in Lauderhill, Florida. So what are you waiting for? Bring your family and friends to any of this place or set-up a Korean cuisine for lunch or dinner. Everyone will surely end up full and happy.

Listings
Korean Restaurants in Metro Manila

Great Places to Eat in Intramuros, Manila

If there’s something Intramuros is known for other than its historical significance, it is the fact that it the home of the most popular fine dining restaurants in Manila. Thus, Intramuros is a top destination for history-lovers and food-lovers alike since in this walled city, a story is told in every alley and every restaurant.

The historical Intramuros has already caught up with the times as even fast food chains such as Jollibee, Chow King, and McDonald’s can be found in the place. There is even a really quaint Starbuck’s coffee in the area as well. But despite of all these popular restaurants, it is the classic Filipino diners in the walled city that draws food enthusiasts like me.

Among the traditional Filipino restaurants in the area, I love Ilustrado the most. It is one of the older fine dining restaurants in Manila having been founded over 19 years ago. This place offers quite an extensive wine list which makes you feel like you are a royalty. The phone is also pretty good and I really like their Canadian Maple Glazed US Baby Back Ribs. While some of the menu offerings have already been modernized by western influences, the ambiance of the restaurant stays true to its Filipino heritage. I especially like the feeling that when you step inside the restaurant, you feel like you are travelling back in time during the Spanish era.

I also love Barbara’s located at General Luna Street of the Intramuros. The place is absolutely picture-perfect and you just can’t help but go up and down the elegant staircase as though you are making a grand entrance or exit. I also love the grand chandeliers that make you feel that you are in one of the most luxurious fine dining restaurants in Manila. I also appreciate the fact that Barbara’s do not impose their meals on their customers. Customers can actually order a la carte via the plated meals menu or they can also choose the kind of buffet they wish to avail.

While not exactly an old restaurant in Intramuros, I also love dining at 9 spoons at the Bayleaf because of the picturesque view of the Intramuros Golf Course and the skyline of Manila. In this restaurant you get to experience a different view of the Intramuros – not by walking on the cobblestone pavements but by looking over from the time. It is also a great experience to sight-see and eat at the same time, especially when what is in your plate is the very tasty bagnet and callos.

 

 

Check this out:

Historic Manila

THE BAYLEAF's 9 Spoons, Sky Deck, and Cioccolata Food Trip

Bars and Clubs: Eastwood Lounges

Eastwood has been quite the surprise for me.  I remember heading over there in 2000 to see one or two buildings, the cradle of the burgeoning call center industry back in the day.  These buildings were soon joined by low rise buildings holding the biggest concentration of bars and clubs at the time.  Now, Eastwood is a full fledged mini city in Quezon City.

Here are picks to lounge around after a hard day's work or a weekend change of scenery, whatever you feel like doing, Eastwood offers a lot of choices.

A classic in Eastwood is Jack's Loft which began as a coffee shop with cake that quickly evolved to be the first pillar of Eric Cua's empire, yep, Embassy then eventually Repuliq and Opus, the  country's biggest clubs all began from Jack's loft and this was the first of several.

There is the Eden Night Club and Garden Lounge that has quite the high tech sound system and light show and Venom Shooters Bar, a cocktail lounge that offers the widest selection of shots and cocktail variations.   

The Distillery is a very famous bar, pub and lounge which has branches in different areas.   The Distillery has a wide array of imported beers, delectable cocktail drinks, whiskey and most of the usual libations one seeks to unwind on a weekend or after a tough day at work. 

 

Need more drink places ideas?  Check out Bar Fly!

Various alcoholic beverages in the Philippines like the local craft beer craze is a new experience for some people. This is a local organic product offered by bars or liquor stores. The Philippine crafted beer has the unique and distinct taste of real beers that you can’t find anywhere else. For beer lovers, this is a welcoming treat. Some owners and producers of crafted beers are also showcasing these organic product in organic trade shows held in different areas like Metro Manila.

The term “craft beer” means beers that are crafted by master brewers, investing plenty of time and exerting more effort to attain the perfect taste of this product. The amount of ingredients is meticulously measured to get the perfect taste for a beer. In actual observation, only a very small percentage of the beer market makes up this type of alcoholic beverage in the Philippines compared to large companies. In reality, advertisements and leverage makes up in the popularity of particular brand of beers.

In Bacolod City, Bogs Brew is one of the famous local craft beers. This is a manufacturer that is rather independent, conventional and quite small.  This beer has become so popular and interesting that some bars and even restaurants already sell this product alongside their dishes. This crafted beer has a local muscovado sugar and spring waters that are an excellent change from the usual beers in the market. The flavor is strikingly different yet it is exotic and unique on its own.
If you want to discover new things, try experimenting on different alcoholic beverage in the Philippines like the local craft beers. There are still many exciting and surprising things you can find and realize in beers. Other great craft brewery includes Great Island Craft Brewery in Paranaque and Pivo Praha in Makati City. You may not know this yet but you can check your internet or friends who love local craft beers as well. Katipunan Kraft Ales offer one of the best craft beers you have ever tasted, the Indio Pale Ale.

 Local Crafted beers can also be available on different favorite places in the Philippines where tourists and locals go on vacays. It is quite fascinating exploring new things and savoring fresh discoveries like the new taste of local craft beers. For those who have not yet experience beers on an exotic note, try one.  Local crafted beers are just as delightful as the many beautiful places in the Philippines.

To get listings on more alcoholic beverages in Metro Manila click the link.

Makati Restaurant List

It is the food which draws people together. For local and foreign tourists, foodies are a way to explore a new place. Dining out around Makati is not a concern at all. There are a lot of places to have a delicious gastronomic delight around this part of the metro. There is a long list of restaurants inManila which are perfect for those who would want to savor the flavors of Makati.

Here are some of the most notable places and food establishments when one is around Makati area:

One of the most posh places to dine in Makati would be the Makati Shangri-La Manila. This is an excellent place for dining with a wide variety of dishes to offer their customers. It is the beautiful combination of Western and Asian flavors which makes the food stuffs offered at this restaurant to be extremely flavorful and unique.

Another nifty place to visit while in Makati is the People’s Place. This is a trendy and modern type of resto which serves Thai cuisine which are deliciously exotic. It has an al fresco bar which can be a perfect venue for a quick gulp of drinks after a long day of work and play. For those who are food lovers, it will be a perfect choice to try out on their signature dishes which include Prawn Spring Rolls, Pomelo Salad and Chicken wrapped in with the aromatic pandan leaves.  Tea lovers will surely love to take a sip of the People’s Place very own version of this popular warm concoction

If it is Indian food you are craving for, the Queens Crystal Garden Restaurant is the choice for you.  This is a fusion of Singaporean, Indian and Indonesian flavors which are blended with a twist for an exotic taste. For those vegans, they have 80 dishes to delight you. 170 dishes are offered for non-vegan in the house. Beef and pork are not served in this restaurant. This is one perfect place to dine for vegetarians. Queens Crystal Garden Restaurant is one of the very best in the list of restaurants in manila which offer vegetables in their dishes.

The Tivoli is on luxury and elegant resto which is found at the Mandarin Oriental in Manila. This food establishment has extremely gorgeous interior designs complete with trellises and gorgeous mirrors to add a different sense of vibe into the venue.  The famous dishes served in this resto would include pan fried sea bass, braised wagyu beef and yummy Lobster bisque with cream. It has a very intimate and cozy alcove which is perfect for those who would want personal and private dinners with a romantic ambience.

The Tin Hau is another restaurant in Makati which is designed with exquisite antique bricks along with their china cutlery for dining. The warm and welcoming ambience of this place draws in a lot of visitors. This is one of the best in the list of restaurants in manila which would allow their clientele to savor the delicious taste of seafood and Chinese dishes altogether.

 

Breakfast Restaurant List in Metro Manila

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but if you're a busy bee or a night owl, you might not get to eat any breakfast. But if still want to grab some breakfast meals although not necessarily in the morning during breakfast time, here are the list of restaurants in Manila which serves breakfast meals all day.

Pancake House. By the name alone, you can be sure that you will be able to grab some pancakes at any time of the day. But they do not just serve pancakes; they also offer several Filipino breakfast meals such as Tapa and Bangus which is perfect for I can’t survive without eating rice.

Heaven 'n Eggs is also on my list of restaurants in Manila which serves all day breakfast. Why? Because their menu is essentially a breakfast menu with the various selection of breakfast meals from American breakfast steak to tapsilog; from pancakes to adobo flakes. I also recommend that you visit their restaurant during the hours when they serve breakfast buffet.

And what is breakfast without coffee? That is why Figaro is also included in my list of restaurants in Manila which serves the best breakfast. Aside from their barako coffee to perk you up, they also serve Filipino breakfast such as Marinated Bangus, Beef Tapa, Skinless Longanisa, Scrambled Egg, and the like.

Tapa King is also another restaurant which offers all-day breakfast at an affordable price. And their specialty of course is Tapa! It is not the Tapa or the meat alone that makes the meal so palatable. In fact it is the sauce that makes their Tapa really flavorful. With meals roughly at the same price range as that of Tapa King, Rufo’s is also a strong contender for an all-day breakfast place. They offer a bunch of “silog” or sinangag (fried rice) and itlog (egg) in their menu but they are famous for their Tapsilog which comes with a perfect sauce. Another really good Tapsilog place which is friendly on the budget is Rodics. Rodics’ rendition of Tapsilog is different from its competitors because their Tapa looks more like corned beef.

Last but not the least, I also recommend that Kanto Freestyle Breakfast be included in your own list of all-day breakfast places. They offer gourmet breakfast at an affordable price. I highly recommend their Batangas Tapa, Lucban Longanisa as well as their fluffy pancakes, especially their mixed berry pancake.

The five big Fastfood Chains in the Philippines

Well, who doesn't love fastfood sometimes?  I have to admit that I probably eat fastfood at least five times a week on average just because its convenient and the price is right.  In case you are new to Manila these are what you can expect almost everywhere.

McDonald’s. Mcdo as Filipinos fondly call it is an international fast food chain which has captured the the taste buds of the Filipinos. They are very famous for their burgers and chicken. They also have cheaper offerings such as the Crispy Chicken Fillet which costs 45 pesos. They also have a reasonable delivery fee of 40 pesos and they have no minimum order required before they deliver you their food.

Jollibee. As Mcdo’s close competitor, Jollibee also makes it to my list of restaurant in Manila which offers fast food. What I love about Jollibee is that they understand the Filipino palate quite well and that they tweak their menu to suit the way of life of the Filipinos. Personally, I really like their Lumpiang Shanghai and their Burger Steak. Jollibee also has cheaper offerings for those who are on a tight budget – the 39ers which cost 39 pesos.

Chowking. Chowking is perhaps the most popular Chinese fastfood restaurant made famous by their dumplings and lauriat meals. This is perfect for Chinese food lover on-the-go. Whenever I dine at their restaurants, I always order Tofu or Kangkong to make my meal a bit healthier.

KFC. Kentucky Fried Chicken is also another internationally known brand which has penetrated the Philippine Market. They’re fried chicken is famous in the country. Although KFC originated from the US, they understand the market very well and they know that Filipinos are looking for a good value for their money which is why they offered their streetwise meal. Another uniquely Filipino KFC experience is how KFC “taught” its customers to treat the gravy as their soup.

Burger King. Burger King also one of my favourite fast food restaurants because of their mouth-watering burgers. What makes me love Burger all the more is their free wifi connection as well as their charging station – perfect fast food place for the techie Filipinos.

Looking for numbers and locations?  Click the restaurant directory.