6.085 TEKREM 26 : Mushrooms

6.085

31 (Tue) March 2015

Mushrooms

2.5

at Korean Village

-Malate, Manila-

with MG, CT

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Korean Village is a Korean restaurant, specializing in table-top grilling.
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Despite what this image would suggest, the place was quite busy; indeed, the search results from googling “Korean BBQ Malate” seem to suggest that the place is very popular, particularly among locals.

TEKREM (Try Every Korean Restaurant in Ermita/Malate). So long as I’m currently living in Ermita/Malate, a pair of neighborhoods that together constitute central Manila’s closest thing to a Koreatown, and while GMTD was never intended to be a Korean food blog but kinda is, I may as well attempt to eat at all the Korean eateries in the area, including those serving Korean-Chinese fare, and review them here.  Currently 42 known establishments.  Though doubting the discovery of any gems–in fact, I anticipate that most of the places will be similarly mediocre–the project should be interesting, if only in giving me a reason to get out and explore more of my environment.

Korean Village is the 26th restaurant covered.  16 to go.

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The following tiers (“Would I go back for more?”) relate to the overall dining experience, including all the dishes sampled, cost, ambiance, cleanliness, and any other factors that may apply, cumulative through multiple visits (if any)–subject to change.

Tier 1 (looking forward to return visit):

Tier 2 (okay, but not enthusiastically):

Tier 3 (only under dire circumstances):

Tier 4 (to be avoided no matter what):

*no longer in business

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While Koreans certainly do eat chicken, shrimp, and fish, as well as ox tripe/intestine/tongue, and tofu, the items typically wouldn’t be found all in once place, particularly at a BBQ joint; moreover, a self-respecting restaurant, at least one under Korean management, would never charge for mushrooms (see also Gyumon).

The masochistically gluttonous “Try Every” series: (i) TERRP (…Restaurant in Robinsons Place) (see completed 5.247 TERRP 85 KFC : Original Recipe Fried Chicken…);  (ii) TEITY (..Item at Tao Yuan) (see most recently 6.055 The Penultimate); (iii) TERNWPPD (…Restaurant in New World, Pan-Pacific, Diamond) (see completed 6.081 Lobster, Baby.); (iv) TERSK (…Restaurant in St Kilda) (see completed 5.339 Roasted Squid); (v) TEKREM (…Korean Restaurant in Ermita/Malate) (see most recently 6.079 Chosun Set); (vi) TEIBR (…Item at Bistro Remedios) (see most recently 6.070 Chicken and Pork Adobo).

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Banchan (1.75)–color of kimchi = evidence of inauthenticity.
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Spicy Pork (2.25)
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Ox Tripe (1.0)–we keep ordering stuff like this because CT–who is Panamanian, which, come to think of it, is irrelevant–always insists.
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Beef Spareribs (2.0)
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Because everything was marinated, the pans quickly blackened and required constant changing.
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Japchae (2.0)
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Bibimbap (2.0)

The food was kinda meh.  As suggested by the enthusiastic and exclusively Filipino clientele—the business card indicates Filipino ownership—everything is adapted to suit local palates, from the overabundance of options to the underseasoned preparations.  Whatever.

Good to see, however, that Korean cuisine is becoming more mainstream here.

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