The Joys of Korean Food

Michael Versteeg
Jul 9, 2015
5 min read

I must say that Korean cuisine is absolutely delicious, it is unique, it is fun, it is healthy, it is a bit overwhelming but it is so so good. I personally love the food and i can't understand why it took me so long to write an article about it! Now, this restaurant, the name is 4.15 Korean BBQ is one of the newer ones and i haven't written yet about the Korean places i like to go to the most. But the most prevalent type of food you will see when entering any Korean restaurant is the BBQ or "samgyeopsal" Now, samgyeopsal actually refers to the cut of meat and not the method of cooking it. When you are eating samgyeopsal, it is referring to pork belly. And this cut of meat is the most, i would say available. Any Korean Joint will have this and most places advertise it is as a "samgyeopsal" resturant. However, there are pleny more cuts that have a bunch of different names. Good thing that there is an English menu.

In Korean BBQ, you are in charge and you essentially cook the meat using the grill infront of you. If you are quite uncertain on how to do it, the staff of some places will actually help you if you ask. But if you have ever cooked a piece of meat in a pan, it's really the same thing. Same cooking rules apply, the longer you leave it on the grill, the more it cooks. Hopefully not till the the point of overcooking!

The great thing about Korean cuisine is the "banchan" which are the little sidedishes that come with any meal. Most traditionally, you would have a bunch of little dishes, usually 4 - 5 on your table and these are all different sides. In the picture above, the banchan was actually on the sides of the grill, which was new to me as well. Banchan can be different at all times, but there will always be kimchi, and it's a good thing that there will always be kimchi. Kimchi is the national dish of Korea and is a fermented side dish made of vegetables, primarily cabbage and a variety of seasonings, the flavor of kimchi is often spicy and sour. And it is extremely healthy and really good! As mot people, in the beginning, i didn't like it. I thought it smelled like feet and i dont want it. But when you keep trying, it just gets better and better and i have caught myself numerous times going to a Korean restaurant to buy just kimchi and have a little midnight snack. Koreans eat Kimchi on a daily basis, it's sort of the cleanser after a meal. Normally, i have my kimchi chilled. But in this restaurant they served it warm, which was interesting. I can't say that i didn't like it, it was just a bit unfamiliar. Other sidedishes can be: radish kimchi, japchae (stir fried glass noodles), mung bean sprouts, cucumber kimchi and a lot more.

When you are eating Korean BBQ, lettuce will always be provided. This is what you do with it:

1. Take a leaf of lettuce

2. Place your meat on it

3. Take the "ssamjang" red thick spicy paste, absolutely delicious and spread a bit over the meat.

4. Take the salt and pepper and sesame oil mixture and spread that on it as well.

5. You may take a bit of your side dishes or all of it and place a bit of it on your leaf.

6. Then, just put it all in your mouth and enjoy all the flavors!

When going for Korean BBQ, a perfect companion is the alcoholic drink, Soju. Which is basically a distilled, vodka like, rice liquor. It is essentially the Korean equivalent of Japanese Sake. In Cebu, there are many restuarants that offer "unlimited" samgyeopsal. Which is awesome, but after a while of eating, you are going to hit a wall. Your stomach can't take in any more food! That's where, in my opinion, Soju comes in. A shot of Soju will allow you to eat for another 20 minutes! This is not scientific fact, but it just seems to work! Soju is the most popular drink in Korea and is making it's way all over the world. It can be mixed with Sprite or with beer but straight up, is just as good, it's clean and smooth in taste.

So about 4.15 Korean BBQ, it is owned by a Korean and she is very active in her restaurant, which i like to see. The way you get to grill your food is also unique compared to all the other Korean restaurants, most of them have a burner that is fired up with butane gas. But this place actually does it through real hot coals. Making it feel a lot more "barbecuey". There could be a difference in flavor, but in the end, how you cook the meat will matter, whether it is medium rare or well done. So if you know how to cook meat, you will be more than fine cooking in a Korean place.

Most people tend to take pictures of their food before they eat, when i am eating Korean, i always like to take a shot when everything is finished. Because it always leaves a lot of empty plates, i think it's fun to see. Me and Suzette can easily accomplish this together! Bellies are extremely satisfied.

So, if you would like to try out some Korean, there are plenty of places that you can go to. Eating Korean might sometimes get pricy however, the cuts of meat could be a bit on the higher side and some of the non-BBQ dishes are mostly over P250. But the sheer amount of side dishes you get, makes it all worth it. And eating at an eat-all-you-can can equal to a lot of good food and a lot of value. At some places, you can even refill side dishes for free if you are not eating unlimited! The beauty about Korean food is that it takes a while for you to feel full, everything always seems so light, filled with vegetables. But, when you do get full, a shot of Soju is in order. It will really help!

If you have never tried Korean food, i suggest that you do. It is by far, one of my favorite cuisines. If you are not going to eat BBQ. Try the following dishes instead:

- Bulgogi (thiny sliced marinated beef)

- Gajajang (noodles in a black soybean paste)

- Bibimbap (very popular Korean dish and extremely healthy)

- Kimchi Jigae (Kimchi Stew)

- Budae Jigae (Korean Army Stew, has a bunch of ingredients)

Try some Korean food soon, gather a bunch of friends, it's a lot of fun and a unique experience. I personally can't wait to go to Korea and just eat!