JINRO Korean Soju Brand in the Philippines

I was watching Korean drama last Friday when I realized I only have one bottle of soju in the fridge.  I knew from my heart that it wouldn't suffice because weekend for me only means Kdrama marathon coupled with whatever Korean food I could make from my humble kitchen, and of course, soju.  I figured I need to refill my stock of my favorite JINRO - the most well-known and I must say, well-loved Original Korean Soju brand in the Philippines. 

I know I am not the only one here in our country who have developed a palate for Korean Soju. As a result of our exposure to Hallyu or Korean wave, be it KPOP or Korean dramas and variety shows, we have somehow immersed ourselves into Korean culture.  And truth be told, Korean food and beverages we usually see in our favorite Kdramas played a big part in that culture. 

Personally, it was my exposure to Hallyu and some Korean friends that opened my eyes to the wonderful world of Korean food and drinks. Long-time readers of this blog know that I even started my own YouTube channel wherein I share some Korean recipes I have learned all these years. Now what I am going to share here on the blog is my love for Korean Soju - JINRO Korean Soju brand to be specific.

Kimchi Kingdom: Korean Food Delivery Service

I cannot stress enough on this blog how much I love Korean Food. And if you are a long-time reader, you would probably know. I love dining in Korean restaurants, I even have a YouTube channel where I share some of the Korean food recipes I cook, and since we are still in a community quarantine, I figured it's high time to try Korean food home delivery available in our area.

Enter Kimchi Kingdom - a Korean home food delivery service that offers home cooked Korean meals beyond your usual samgyupsal.

Thanks to my Korean friend who taught me how to cook Korean food, I somehow know my way around this cuisine that everyone seems to love. So really, I cannot say pass when offered to try Korean food others cooked. Kimchi Kingdom takes pride in the fact that their authentic Korean dishes are cooked by Korean mother (eomma/eomoni) so I figured, it is legit to have a roof-high expectation.

Honey Danji Korean Restaurant, Ortigas Center Pasig City

Rarely do I encounter people who loves Korean food as much as I do - I'm talking about the whole shebang beyond samgyupsal, of coure. But luck is on my side these days that new found friends share the same appreciation. This led me to this tiny Korean restaurant in Ortigas Center Pasig City one afternoon when everyone could ever think of is good servings of food to celebrate an end of work week. 

Welcome to Honey Danji, a small but nonetheless legit Korean restaurant manned by a friendly ahjumma who is more than willing to serve good Korean food to those who are interested enough to indulge. 

Seoul Barbecue Korean Restaurant, Libis: Gettin' Jiggy with Budae Jjigae

I was not aware of the existence of Seoul Barbecue Korean Restaurant along Libis in Quezon City until recently when my cousin suggested to have a dinner there one night. Being managed by Korean, it is said that Seoul Barbecue offers authentic Korean dishes. I can't really say no to Korean food these days so I thought why not.

It was a cold rainy Friday night and we were starving - a hot and hearty stew needed to happen.

Located just right in front of Eastwood, an area where restaurants are aplenty, Seoul Barbecue wasn't really something I usually notice when visiting Libis for some dining engagements. But that night, we were a bunch of hungry kids with a delicious mission - Korean food.

Sariwon Korean Barbecue at Greenhills Promenade

When conversation about the Best Korean Restaurants in Manila occurs, I always notice that Sariwon Korean Barbecue Restaurant which now has branches at BGC and Greenhills is almost always part of the discussion. Some of my favorite Manila food bloggers and other food enthusiasts have raved about Sariwon being one of the best when it comes to well executed Korean dishes. I cannot blame them, I myself is a fan.

Sariwon which originates in North Korea pride itself for being named as the Best Korean Restaurant by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. This success was brought outside Korea for the first time when they opened their first branch in the Philippines, specifically at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig couple of years ago. Its presence at our local restaurant scene soon picked up and this year they have opened another branch located at Greenhills.

Online food sites and other media outfit have talked about the legendary bulgogi recipe of Sariwon’s Mrs. Boon-Im Koo which uses 12 kinds of fruit for marinade in lieu of the usual sweeteners. Most of us are also well acquainted with Sariwon’s history from way back 1938 by now. Hence, this time, let me just show you my recent visit to Sariwon Korean Barbecue’s newest branch at Greenhills Promenade.