Romantic Baboy | The place to be for meat lovers.

With the growing popularity of K-dramas, K-pop, and just about anything Korean, it's no surprise that samgyeopsal (Korean barbecue) also became widely known in the Philippines. Over the past few years (and most especially during the height of the pandemic), samgyeopsal restaurants have popped up in literally every street and corner in the metro, and even in the provinces.

Among these restaurants, the most popular would have to be Romantic Baboy. Established in 2018 with its first branch in Tomas Morato, Quezon City, Romantic Baboy is one of the first samgyeopsal restaurants to offer an eat-all-you-can menu. Now with almost a hundred branches all over the Philippines, it's no surprise that Romantic Baboy is a household name when it comes to Korean barbecue.

Romantic Baboy - the place to be for meat lovers.

There are currently six Romantic Baboy branches here in Laguna, and thankfully, one of those branches is in my hometown. The San Pablo branch opened in July 2021. Back then, they were a lot more stringent when it comes to health and safety protocols, like doing temperature checks, filling out health declaration forms, and presenting vaccination cards. These days, they're a lot more lenient - they just ask you to fill out their log book with your name, contact number, and time of entry. 

After logging in, you will be asked to wait a bit as they prepare your table. You will be ushered to your seat once they've set the table with banchan (side dishes), sauces, melting cheese, and lettuce. Likewise, the grill will be ready with fresh charcoal underneath, and seasoned egg on the side. 

Ready to grill!

Romantic Baboy's selection of side dishes includes kimchi, danmuji (pickled radish), coleslaw, pa muchim (scallion salad), eomuk bokkeum (stir-fry fish cake), and goguma mattang (candied sweet potatoes). I actually like their scallion salad, which reminds me of the pa muchim served in my favorite samgyeopsal restaurant in Hongdae. Their fish cake is okay too, but I do believe my version of eomuk bokkeum tastes better, haha. 

Banchan galore!

As for the dipping sauce, they have the traditional ssamjang, sesame oil, salt and pepper, and spicy sauce (which kinda looks like a watered down version of gochujang to me). I usually dip the meat in ssamjang and sesame oil, because that's how they usually do it in Korea.

The Romantic Baboy menu.

They also have a seasonal menu.

Speaking of meat, Romantic Baboy has eight types of meat in their regular menu. This includes Herb Samgyupsal, Woo Samgyup, Moksal, Daepae Samgyupsal, Yangnyum Galbi, Jeyuk Style Daepae, Bulgogi, and Spicy Beef. To start your grilling experience, you will be asked to choose three different types of meat which will be served in wooden platters. Marinated meats, on the other hand, are served in bowls.

Herbed Samgyupsal.

Daepae Samgyupsal.

I've pretty much tried them all, and the Herb Samgyupsal is my hands-down favorite. If you prefer a shorter cooking time, Daepae Samgyupsal is a winner too, since the meat is thinly sliced. Their marinated meats (particularly the Yangnyum Galbi and Bulgogi) are pretty good as well, but they tend to burn the grill faster and make the flames flare up. 

Grilling!

They also have a special menu and a seasonal menu. Included in the special menu are Cheese Scallops, Smokey Samgyupsal, and Bulgogi Chicken. Listed on their seasonal menu are Mak Chang (pork entrails) and Smoked Duck. The meats on the seasonal menu are hard to come by, while the Cheese Scallops are a must-try. They're chewy but super tender, and they taste like the sea, if you know what I mean.

First batch of meat. :)

As I have mentioned earlier, it's eat-all-you-can at Romantic Baboy. Everything on their menu is unlimited, so you can always order for more. Even the side dishes are unlimited, too. (I usually ask for egg, cheese, and lettuce refills, hehe.) You can also ask for rice and gochujang jjigae (Korean spicy stew), which they will also refill if you ask for second, third, or more helpings. All these for only Php 549. Definitely worth the price, if you ask me.

Samgyup buddies. :)

Overall, I love the food and the service of Romantic Baboy. I've visited the San Pablo branch four times to date, and it's been a great dining experience every single time. The food is great, the staff are cordial and friendly, and the restaurant is clean, spacious, and fully-airconditioned. I also like how well-lighted the place is, with huge, glass windows that give you a nice view of the sky and cars passing by.  

Lunch time at Romantic Baboy.

Romantic Baboy at night.

Romantic Baboy opens at 11am and operates until 10pm on weekdays. On weekends, they are open until 11pm. The restaurant gets pretty busy in the evenings so I suggest you come early, especially if you're dining with a large group. 

Romantic Baboy

2F Lynderson Arcade

San Roque - Sta. Monica Road

San Pablo City, Laguna

Foodie Goodie | Gimbap (Korean Sushi Rolls).

If we're friends in Facebook or in real life, then you probably know how much I love gimbap aka Korean sushi rolls. I especially love the gimbap from Gwangjang Market for many reasons - they're cheap, very filling, and exceptionally good! It's no surprise that they're called 'mayak gimbap'. 'Mayak' means narcotic in Korean, and yes, you can easily get addicted to those flavorful sushi rolls.

I've tried the gimbap of some of the Korean restaurants here in my area, and although some of them were quite good, they were still a bit lacking to my palate. Why, you ask? Well, most of them don't use danmuji (Korean yellow pickled radish). It's one of the basic ingredients of the traditional gimbap, and makes your gimbap a lot more flavorful because of its sweet/sour flavor and crunchy texture. 

As such, I finally decided to just make my own gimbap, complete with danmuji and all. Thankfully, I easily found danmuji strips, along with many other Korean sauces, condiments, and cooking ingredients on Shopee. (Will do a separate blog post about this later.)

And with that - because you asked for it - here's my version of Yachae Gimbap or vegetable gimbap. This gimbap uses very simple ingredients, making it the most basic among all the gimbap varieties. 

Easy Gimbap (Korean Sushi Rolls)

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (Japanese short-grained rice)

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 pack Aji Savor on Rice (or any furikake of your choice)

5 sheets gim (dried seaweed/nori)

Filling:

1/2 carrot, julienned

1/2 cucumber, cut into strips

5 crab sticks, cut into half lengthwise

5 danmuji strips

2-4 ham slices, cut into strips

2 eggs, beaten

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix well, and make sure that both salt and sugar are completely dissolved. 

2. Pour the mixture over the rice and toss until the rice is well-coated.

3. Sprinkle the Aji Savor on the rice and mix well.

4. Preheat a pan/skillet. Add a dash of cooking oil and let it spread around the pan. Add the beaten egg, cook both sides over medium heat. Once cooked, slice the egg into long strips.

5. In the same pan, cook the carrots, ham slices, and crab sticks for about a minute each, separately.

6. Arrange all your gimbap ingredients in a plate (or two) and prepare to roll.

We're ready to roll!

7. Place a sheet of gim on top of a bamboo mat, with the shiny side of the sheet facing down. Place a scoop of rice on the gim and spread evenly so that the rice covers about 1/3 of the gim. Add more rice if needed.

8. Arrange the filling on top of the rice close to the side towards you. Place one danmuji strip, one cucumber strip, and 2 crab sticks. Then add the egg strips, ham strips, and carrot sticks. 

9. Lift the entire bottom edge of the gim with both hands and roll over the filling away from you. Put pressure on the roll using the bamboo mat. 

10. Repeat steps 7-9 for the rest of the gim and the other ingredients. 

Get it, let it roll!

11. Place all of the gimbap on a chopping board. Brush each roll with some sesame oil and sprinkle with some roasted sesame seeds. 

12. Using a sharp knife, slice the gimbap into bite-size pieces. 

13. Squeeze some Japanese mayonnaise on top of each piece, and serve with some light soy sauce on the side. 

Gimbap + brownies :)

 Here's a list of ingredients that you can also use as filling for your gimbap:

• Spinach
• Canned tuna
• Bulgogi
• Kimchi
• Sliced cheese 
• Eomuk (fish cake)
• Tonkatsu
• Luncheon meat 

Enjoy! :)

Foodie Goodie | Sarang Mart Korean Grocery.

If there's one thing I truly, madly, deeply, miss about Korea (aside from my husband, the temperate climate, and the super fast internet speed), it's the food. I usually order Korean food stuff online, but today, in this hot and humid weather, I suddenly craved for Korean ice cream. Of course, I can't order that online. Good thing there's a newly-opened Korean grocery smack dab in the middle of the city, located five minutes away from where we live.

Annyeong, Sarang! :)

Sarang Mart Korean Grocery recently opened their second branch in San Pablo City, right across the Human Heart Nature Concept Store in Barleta Street. Their first branch has been operational since 2016, but not many people know of this gem since it's located in the outskirts of San Pablo City.
This new branch is a lot more accessible, and if you'll be visiting for the first time, the location is very easy to find as it's near the San Pablo City Cathedral.

 If you're a fan of Korean snacks, love stocking up on Korean condiments, or simply in the mood for some Korean ice cream, Sarang Mart is the place to be. They pretty much have everything in stock - ramyeon of all brands and varieties, ice cream of all kinds, dipping sauces in different sizes, and Pepero and Binggrae Milk in different flavors.

Jin Ramen on sale. 

Samyang and Chapaguri, as seen on the Oscar winning movie, Parasite.

Yue's all-time favorite Nongshim ramyeon.

Gochujang, Doenjang, Ssamjang.

Cledor goodies.

My all-time favorite Bungeoppang ice cream.

Classic Melona.

Pepero flavors (OMG the Nude Cream Cheese is the bomb)!

They also have frozen food products like eomuk (fish cake) and mandu (dumplings), and fermented food products like kimchi and danmuji (pickled radish). They even have enoki mushrooms, which are quite difficult to come by in supermarkets here in San Pablo, as well as king oyster mushrooms.

Eomuk - perfect for cold, blustery days.

Photo credit; Sarang Mart Facebook page.

Photo credit: Sarang Mart Facebook page.

In the mood for samgyup? Sarang Mart has authentic Pork Samgyupsal and Beef Bulgogi which you can grill in the comforts of your home. If you don't have your own grill pan yet, Sarang Mart has you covered as well! They have grill pans for sale, as well as the ramyeon cooking pots (you know, the gold tin ones) that you see in Kdramas.

Beef Bulgogi and Pork Samgyupsal.

I hope they'll have Oreo O's in stock next time I visit. Yue has been asking for his favorite cereal for God knows how long, but I don't have the time to go all the way to S&R just for that. Also, this COVID-19 scare is deterring me from traveling outside the city and making me want to stay home most of the time.

On that note, I wish you're all safe and sickness-free wherever you are. Stay healthy, and always keep your hands clean! :)

Sarang Mart Korean Grocery
Barleta Street. cor. Gen. Malvar Street,
San Pablo City

Foodie Goodie | Seoul Kitchen.

I've been wanting to visit Seoul Kitchen for the longest time, ever since I saw photos of their food on my friend's Instagram feed. My friend raved about them, which made me want to try their food even more. I promised myself (and Yue) that we will dine at Seoul Kitchen if and when we visit Los Banos, and that chance finally came yesterday, on the day Yue took the UPRHS Entrance Exam.

Located within the vicinity of the UP Los Banos campus, Seoul Kitchen is a charming and casual neighborhood restaurant that serves classic Korean food. Seoul Kitchen reminded me of the mom-and-pop diners (they call it 'sikdang' in Korea) in our neighborhood in Seongsu-dong, and this place gave me so much Korean feels from the get-go. I mean, just look at the facade of this lovely little restaurant - roof tiles, silhouette of the N Tower, and a sutgarak (long-handled shallow spoon) on the restaurant's logo.

Seoul Kitchen in Los Banos, Laguna.

The place was packed with patrons when we arrived - students, couples, even families with little kids were there at Seoul Kitchen. I actually loved the busy atmosphere, because to me, that equates to good food at a good price. One of their staff ushered us in, and we were lucky to chance upon an empty table that's spacious enough to seat our group of five.

Seoul Kitchen is abuzz during lunch and dinner hours.

Lining up to place our order. :)

Seoul Kitchen observes a 'Pay As You Order' policy, and you have to go to the counter to place your order. I was kinda expecting that it will take awhile for our food to be served, but much to my surprise, the waiting time took no more than minutes (or maybe even less).

Seoul Kitchen is jjang! :)

The kids had Oriental Chicken Pasta, a soy-garlic based pasta with chicken cubes, mushrooms, and nuts. The taste reminded me of Yellow Cab's Charlie Chan, and Yue absolutely loved it.

Oriental Chicken Pasta, Php 150.

I, on the other hand, had Soy Chicken Bibimbap. This dish is one of  Seoul Kitchen's bestsellers, and I love that they used kongnamul (soybean sprouts), and not mungbean sprouts. If you want spice in your bibimbap, you can order the regular Bibimbap at the same price.

Soy Chicken Bibimbap, Php 160. Gimbap, Php 110.

We also ordered Jjampong, a seafood ramyun with mussels, squid, and a medley of vegetables simmered with Seoul Kitchen's special seasoning. This dish is rated with two chilis on the spice meter, but my friend who ordered this (and can handle spicy food well) said that the spiciness was quite tolerable. 

Jjampong, Php 145.

Of course, I had to have their Tuna Kimbap - rice wrapped and rolled in seaweed, with tuna and mayonnaise. I had been dreaming about mayak kimbap (aka the famous rice rolls sold at Gwangjang Market) for God knows how long, and having a taste of Seoul Kitchen's gimbap sort of eased my (Seoul) homesickness.

Tuna Kimbap, Php 125. 

Seoul Kitchen also has coffee, tea, and an array of desserts on their menu. I would have loved to cap our meal with a bowl of bingsu (shaved ice dessert), but my stomach refused to take any more food. Haha! Aya, Yue's friend, did try the Mochalatta, a frappuccino blended with chocolate and coffee and served with a generous portion of whipped cream. The frappe was gone before she can even put down her spoon. :)

Mochalatta (Pint), Php 150.

If you're into Korean food or fusion cuisine, I suggest you try and visit Seoul Kitchen. Not only is the food good and authentic (the restaurant is co-owned and managed by a Korean national), the prices are quite affordable, too. Plus points for the cozy, Korean ambiance, and the friendly and approachable waitstaff. 

Al fresco dining, anyone?

Daume ddo bayo, Seoul Kitchen! See you again!

Seoul Kitchen

9005 Pearl corner FO Santos st., Umali Subd., Los Baños, Laguna 
0930 662 0977

Foodie Goodie | Hongdae Hits!

Aside from its reputation of being the trendiest and most vibrant neighborhood in Seoul, Hongdae is also a treasure trove of delightful eats. From meat buffets to chicken joints, to cozy cafes and dessert shops, Hongdae has it all.

It's no secret that this youth-culture hub is one of my favorite places in Seoul, and I never miss the chance to visit this area whenever I'm in the country. I had all the more reasons to hie off to Hongdae during my most recent trip, as my friends who were also vacationing in Korea at that time were staying at AirBnBs within the district. Thanks to our 'mini reunion', I was able to discover these restaurants in Hongdae and enjoy good food while catching-up with the girls.

Gochangbok's Good Restaurant 착한 식당
If grilled meat is your thing, Hongdae is the perfect place to be. There's a so-called 'Meat Street' in the neighborhood where you'll find more than a dozen barbecue restaurants lined up in one area. We somehow ended up here while looking for a place to eat, mostly because my friend Ela had been craving for authentic samgyeopsal since she arrived in Korea.

One of the more prominent meat restaurants in the area is Gochangbok's Good Restaurant, which is especially popular among office workers. Thankfully, we came after the lunch crowd has dissipated and we had no trouble finding seats at the first floor of the building.

Gochangbok's Good Restaurant.

Both floors of the restaurant are usually packed after office hours.

We ordered samgyeopsal, of course, which was priced at 7900 won per serving. Ela ordered three servings (one for each of us), plus three bowls of rice (because rice is life, lol), and an extra soondubu jigae (silken tofu soup) for Maan.

Samgyeopsal! :)

Our orders came with side dishes such as acorn jelly soup, coleslaw, and lettuce salad. I especially enjoyed the coleslaw, and even helped myself to a refill at the salad bar in one corner of the restaurant. They also gave us a bowl of gyeran jjim (steamed egg) - soft, silky, and seasoned just right.

Coleslaw, Korean style.

No wonder this restaurant is such a hit among yuppies. Awesome food, great ambiance, budget-friendly price...Gochangbok truly lives up to its name of being a 'good restaurant'.

Address: 331-18 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
To get there, take Hongik University Station (Line 2), exit 8.

Chicken and Curry Goon 치킨앤 카레군
Next to fish, chicken is my son's most favorite protein in the world. And while there may be a proliferation of chicken restaurants in Seoul (there's bound to be one or two in every corner, lol), Yue's primary complaint is that they're too spicy for his taste. We almost always resort to McDonald's or Lotteria's Chicken Nuggets whenever he's in the mood for chicken, but we took a stab at this cute restaurant which we came across while walking along the streets of Hongdae.

Chicken and Curry Goon.

I was initially worried that they would not allow us to enter since most beer-serving restaurants do not allow kids in their establishments. However, the staff of Curry Chicken Goon were more than welcoming, and we were able to order without a hitch. Maybe because it was lunch time and none of the customers were having beer anyways? 

Chicken + Curry.

The chicken sets seem to be the more popular items on their menu, so we ordered the Onion Cream Chicken Set which comes with a salad, cheese fries, and more than a dozen pieces of fried chicken topped with heaps of onion slices. The serving is huge, and good for sharing between three people.

Onion Cream Chicken Set, 22800 won.

The servings are huge!

Even the salad is good for sharing.

Yue fell in love with the chicken at first bite. I did, too! Its crispy on the outside and flavorful all throughout (not just the skin, mind you), and best of all, it's not spicy! The fries were just as tasty - cheesy, creamy, with just the right crunch. The price isn't so bad either, considering you can feed a family of three with just one set.

Address: 164-11, Dongho-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
To get there, take Hongik University Station (Line 2), exit 9.

Deux Copains 듀꼬뱅

Nestled among the alleys of Donggyo-dong is this cozy neighborhood bakery called 'Deux Copains'. The name means 'two friends' in French, and this place is perfect for coffee dates or small, intimate gatherings with friends.

Deux Copains.

This is one of the very few places in Seoul that sells croissants, and I was pleasantly surprised that theirs taste the way a real French croissant should be - crumbly on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and 'ears' that are crispy, crunchy, and browned to perfection.

Croissants of all kinds.

One of the rare occasions that I ordered iced coffee - Caramel Latte, to be exact.
It was so damn hot that day!

Someone's having a blast. :)

Yue enjoyed their pastries, but he enjoyed the free wi-fi more, as this place was actually a Pokestop and had several gyms nearby. (If you're playing Pokemon Go, then you know what I'm talking about.) That being said, if you're the kind of person who likes to 'work' at coffee shops and need wi-fi to get your job done, drop by Deux Copains for croissants, coffee, and a nice and quiet working environment. 

Address: 204-58 Donggyo-dong Mapo-gu

To get there, take Hongik University (Line 2), exit 2.
Go straight to the Hyundai Gas Station on the right side, then go straight for 30 meters to the right from Porutua across the street. Go straight for about 100 meters after turning left at the Oriental medicine store.

Churro 101 츄로101
I've said it before, and I'll say it again - the churros from Churro 101 are the best in Korea, if not the world. This snack shop is the place I frequent the most whenever I'm in Hongdae (you can read all about it here and here), and I'm so glad my friends enjoyed their churros as much as I did.

Churro 101 is love! 

Churro 101 recently introduced new flavors to their menu, mostly green tea based because matcha is all the rage in Korea these days: Green Tea Chocolate, Green Tea Chocolate Almond Cherries, Green Tea Chocolate Strawberry Crunchy, and Green Tea Chocolate Coconut Citrus. However, my perennial favorite will always be the Deep Fried Oreo Churro.

Deep Fried Oreo Churro... yum! :)

Address: 346-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
To get there, take Hongik University Station (Line 2), exit 9.