my korean drama addiction has reached a new level.. i've been eating and making korean food this past month. i think it all started when i've begun wondering if i could survive a week in korea.. since supposedly, i cannot tolerate spicy food. i said supposedly, cause it turns out that i luuurrvee spicy korean food. what makes korean food spicy is mostly because they put chili powder and/or hot pepper paste, and i found out, i pretty much love it. (so i guess what i can't really tolerate is the thai chilis, i find most tom yums were too hot for me) i love kimchi, i love everything pickled and spicy. i love all the little side dishes they serve you in korean restaurants. they are easy enough to make, but if i didn't have helpers who helped me with the prep work and cleaned the pots and pans after i used them, i would've probably been too lazy to do them. (so good thing i'm in the philippines hehe)
first is i finally found the courage to go inside a korean restaurant. i've been a tiny bit afraid because koreans here don't really mingle with us filipinos.. of course it turned out i was worried about nothing. most korean business owners i've encountered are really friendly and even talk to me in their broken tagalog. (i guess that's good business acumen hehe) the first korean restaurant we went to is the one nearest to us, ICHEON restaurant located in Sumulong Highway, here in Antipolo.
In total, i've been there 3 times already! the first time, i was with the boys and 2 of my HS friends...it's better to go there with a big group.. so you can try more dishes! the price and serving sizes are really meant for sharing. 2nd time, i was just with raymond and the kids.. we already knew what to order. 3rd time, i was with my Dad, who happily enjoyed it! (though he didn't admit it haha. My dad is not really adventurous when it comes to eating)
ICHEON restaurant in Sumulong, Antipolo
These are accumulated photos from my 3 visits in the restaurant:
Some grilled meat.. think this was samgyupsal (pork belly) and.. a beef one, forgot which.
grilling lady
finished product. you wrapped them in some lettuce leaves and put some hot pepper paste.
the side dishes and bibimbap; looove the side dishes, bibimbap was okay
bulgogi.. this one tasted great
kalbi jim (beef short ribs) my favorite korean dish.
grilled saba
pork mandu 
first time i went there.. we ordered a lot!
yes, i definitely liked the food for me to go back again and again to this restaurant. it tasted authentic and a lot of koreans eat there. the price is expensive (around 300 per dish) but the serving sizes are generous. the first time, we spent around 3k(! see above photo). the 2nd time, pangs and i spent 650php.. that's the bibimbap and bulgogi, and drinks. and probably an extra rice. when my dad and I went there, I spent 400php i think. the beef short ribs and extra rice. it was more than enough for us to share, plus the side dishes are all refillable. (so cool!)
can't wait to go back again hehe.
