6.075 Hwangso / Hwangso

6.075

21 (Sat) March 2015

Makchang

1.5

at Hwangso Makchang

-Malate, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines-

with JR, TL, CT, BB, DRC

Try Every Korean Restaurant in Ermita and Malate (23) (see all posts TEKREM)

Surveying the Korean eateries, including those serving Korean-Chinese fare, located in the neighborhoods of Ermita and Malate, nearby work and home. Minimum of 1 dish per place. Currently 45 establishments. Though anticipating that most of the places will be mediocre, I look forward to exploring more of my environment.

On Adriatico, nestled between Go! Kizip and Assi Mega Mart.

Second locations; just opened a couple months ago.

Hwangso Makchang is a Korean restaurant. Specializes in Korean BBQ, including intestines, beef and pork. The name of the place means “cow (hwangso) lower intestine (makchang).”

Our old friend and colleague JR is back in town! Now with WR KHM as the NCD focal point, he’s in town to support the country’s MOH delegation at a meeting next week concerning the RAP on DBM (If you don’t already know any of these abbreviations, then you don’t need to). Given a list of options for his welcome back dinner, he opted for Korean BBQ.

Minimal sides, which generally would be acceptable at a bare bones BBQ joint like this, but only if the prices were concomitantly low–not the case here.

The chili soy dip was nice, tangy with a bit of kick.

Makchang (1.5): unlike pig makchang, which is more intestinal, the cow version here would appear to be closer to the upper digestive tract, one of the animal’s stomachs; no flavor whatsoever, bleached into oblivion.

* * * *

28 (Sat) Mar 2015

Buffet

3.0

at Hwangso-Ga

-Ermita, Manila-

solo

Try Every Korean Restaurant in Ermita and Malate (24) (see all posts TEKREM)

This post covers two restaurants, same dish, different dates. I will do this more often to accelerate the completion of TEKREM.

Located next door to the original Hwangso Makchang restaurant, and directly across the street from my apartment building.

Hwangso-Ga is a Korean restaurant. Buffet, including table-top grilling.

From the outset, I was very impressed by the spread. More than double the number claimed on the poster at the entrance, I counted 46 items, plus dips/pastes/condiments, as well as bibimbab, noodles, and unlimited meat for the grill. Just 499 won at lunch.

Despite all indications to the contrary – a buffet, a cheap buffet, Korean food, in Ermita, at lunch, by myself – I enjoyed the experience. Most important, everything tasted authentic, just like it would be at an equivalent establishment in Korea. Granted, nothing was all that great, but good enough. And so much variety, I had a great time sampling it all.