Sampling Korean delicacies at The Greenery in Mabolo
BACOLOD’S ‘KIMSTAURANT’ NOW IN CEBU
One of the more adventurous dishes Cebuanos can try from Korean cuisine is yukhoe. Yukhoe, made of lean beef, has a tart and semi-sweet flavor. It can be made from a variety of meat (such as organs and the like) that must be fresh and properly prepared—as the dish requires very specific cooking and cleaning methods. It is a delicacy and is a favorite of many Koreans.
For those in Cebu who are curious to try more Korean dishes, Kimstaurant—one of the newest Korean restaurants now in Cebu—serves yukhoe in two ways. They have it as a main dish, big enough for the whole family to try, served with sliced pears, and also offers a smaller option for those who just want a taste of it in their yukhoe bibimbap—a rice bowl that has an individual serving mixed with veggies.
“It is one of my personal favorites,” said Peter Kim, owner of Kimstaurant.
The young Korean entrepreneur shared that he was an Economics major who, after studying and traveling around Australia, met a few Filipino friends and decided to try his luck at business by opening a restaurant in the Philippines. According to Kim, he started experimenting on his dishes when he was traveling abroad, where he would cook homemade Korean dishes for himself and his friends who wanted a taste of Korean food.
When he set foot in Bacolod, he noticed that there were not a lot of options for authentic Korean restaurants. He took a shot and started one himself. About eight years later, Kimstaurant is recognized as one of the City of Smiles’ favorite Korean restaurant, and opened its first branch in Cebu recently this year.
The establishment has perfected Korean cuisine from the simple samgyupsal to complicated yukhoe. There’s also the fall-off-the-bone tender beef galbi jjim and mouthwatering Korean-style fried chicken worth trying.
Kimstaurant is located at The Greenery, Mabolo, and also has a selection of unlimited appetizers and all-you-can-eat yakiniku, deji galbi, samgyupsal and kosal, available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.