Cycle 5 – Item 2

26 (Sun) February 2014

Godeungeo Jorim

1.5

at Masan Garden

-Bel Air, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines-

with Uncle CS +1

Masan Garden is a Korean restaurant.

Yet another dinner with my Old Man’s kid brother.

On this third occasion, I didn’t mind going for Korean.

One of the older establishments on the block, frequented largely by Korean expats – like my uncle – who’ve been around Manila since before the proliferation of Korean restaurants throughout the city; none of the K staff at WHO, who’ve been here for a couple years at most, had heard of it.

As with the vasty majority of Korean places abroad, the Masan Garden menu is eclectic, comprising the cuisine’s most famous/popular dishes, as well as some Japanese dishes – as opposed to in Korea, where each place tends to specialize in a specific dish/genre/style.

While the side dishes weren’t too bad, the mains fell short in both taste and authenticity.  The godeungeo jorim consisted of what I assume to be local fish, which was fishier, smaller, and seemingly bonier than Korean mackerel.  And the sauce was too salty, too sweet.  Oh well.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN PHILIPPINES)