Girl Meets Grill and Meats at Sariwon Korean Barbecue Restaurant, Fort

Korean food has always been right up there in the top cuisines I favor, other than Mexican and Japanese.  My exposure to it started when I was working for a Korean company at least 7 years ago and my Korean boss frequently treated and brought us to great Korean restaurants in town.  One of my favorites then was Ara restaurant near the Makati City Golf.

Last April, I finally set foot in Korea which was for the longest time I wasn’t too excited to tick off my country list for various reasons.  Lo and behold, I fell in love with Seoul –the weather and the food. 

Cherry Blossoms!

It is such a progressive country and almost reminded significantly of Japan, maybe just 2-3 notches lower.  I had so much fun in that trip that I wanted Bubba to experience it as well. 

As soon as we got back from Taiwan last May 1, I immediately booked Bubba and me a trip there during mid-Autumn festival in September-October.  There are just too many restaurants to scour and conquer –I felt that we missed during the April trip.  There’s one I can’t wait to share (blog post coming soon) when Grace and I dined with Didi and Edmund at a Korean barbecue restaurant, which we really went out of our way to find in a country foreign to us.  I’m also keen on checking out Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation series in Korea and checking out his recommendations.    

Watch the Sariwon VIDEO!  Check out that big hulk eating grilled Korean meats.

While I await that Korea trip in a few months, let me share with you a new Korean grill restaurant to spot at Bonifacio High Street Central.  It’s just above Jamba Juice and two Thursdays ago, Chris and I trooped to the area to try it out.  The restaurant’s divided into pockets of dining areas, maximizing well the spaces while equipping each table with its own built-in smokeless grill.  Some semi-private corners or booths also have a cavity in the wall for extra space –especially needed when the banchan is served.  

Banchan is the variety of small dishes served in the middle of the table to be shared.  In Korean Royal cuisine, they serve 12 kinds of small-plated dishes.  At Sariwon, there are usually at least 6 kinds. 

On the Table

So Gal Bi PHP 545 / 280g

Juicy and tender marinated USDA Choice beef short ribs grilled with exclusive cutting technique that ensures the perfect texture and flavor

Bubba and I never fail to order So Gal Bi every time we go Korean dining.  Sariwon’s marinated beef ribs aimed to satisfy and it hit the mark, serving a delicious piece of meat cooked in front of us.  Of note is the fact that the beef cuts were still juicy until almost the end of our meal.

The beef ribs seeped its ganjang-based (Korean soy sauce) marinade with an alternating flavour that’s garlicky and caramelized.  Sariwon’s So Gal Bi arrived with a plate of lettuce, mint leaves and fresh garlic cloves to wrap the meat and rice with.  Bubba’s favorite part is the red soybean paste –which is his favorite for its semi-salty, pungent appended flavor that has a mild kick.

Dak Galbi PHP 350 / 250g

Grilled boneless chicken delicately marinated overnight in a secret spice sauce

This was averagely okay with some strong flavors but not outstandingly remarkable for me.  We finished half of the plate and reserved room more for the So Gal Bi and Bulgogi. 

Doenjang Chigae PHP 250

Sariwon’s partially cloudy soup with soybean paste, cubes of tofu and vegetables spiced a little bit

This is usually the best palate cleanser when you want a break from the Korean barbecued meats.  The warm soup is soothing and the soft crunch of the tofu, celery and white radish add character to the soup.

Haemul Pajeon PHP 350

Popular Kimchi or Seafood pancake that I also never forget to order!  In Korea, I couldn’t stop eating this Korean dish.  Sariwon’s Haemul Pajeon serves to satisfy with beautiful pancake batter interspersing with green onion leaks, kimchi and pieces of seafood.  Bite size squid, oyster and shrimps give a meaty texture to the dish.

Sariwon Bulgogi PHP 545 / 150g

Silky thin slices of USDA Choice beef grilled at the table.  Served with fragrant signature Sariwon sauce and freshly made potato noodles. 

The sauce of Sariwon is made fresh from their kitchen using 12 different fruits and vegetables including apples, pears, pineapples, onions and celery then blended with red wine and simmered for 3 hours. The brown sauce has that slightly sweet and tangy flavour to accompany Sariwon’s specialty barbecue dishes.

Sariwon’s Bulgogi was the highlight of the entire meal for me –my favorite of the night.  The bulgogi meats were cut perfectly thin with enough balance of marbling and lean meat. 

It’s inherent light sweet and soy undertones behind that beefy flavour made me quite a happy person.  Some bites release a smoky sweet flavor.  When they say, legendary bulgogi in their menu, they had the right.

Sariwon Korean Barbecue restaurant is a local franchise of a popular Korean restaurant chain.  A Korean chef that Sariwon flew in manages everything that goes in Sariwon’s kitchen to guarantee freshness and cooking techniques that set the quality standards and authenticity of Sariwon.  While I eagerly anticipate my next trip to Seoul, I’ll let Sariwon satisfy the Korean food soul in me.   

Sariwon Korean Barbecue

East Block (above Jamba Juice), Bonifacio High Street Central,

7^th cor. 29^th Street, Taguig City

(632) 621 3205

Sariwon Korean Barbecue Flickr Album

Sariwon VIDEO