GeumSan Korean and Chinese Restaurant
GeumSan is a popular Korean restaurant due mainly to the Hanbok competition and the variety and amount of side dishes available in their salad bar. The food? A 9/10, if you please.
Samgyetang (Php380) - spring chicken soup with ginseng.
There are dishes that remind you of home; where every sip comforts and every aroma soothes. It is the kind that that only a bowl of hot soup can bring on a rainy day. GeumSan's Samgyetang does exactly that. Consists primarily of a whole young chicken (poussin) - filled with garlic and rice -, scallion and spices, among them jujube and Korean ginseng. Truly a best seller, it is fork tender, smokey and savory, but light. Feeling down? Try a bowl of samgyetang and eat all your worries away.
Samgyeopsal (Php 300) - pork belly
Although the pork strips were unevenly sliced (some were thick, others are thin), it had a three-part interstitial fat and meat, an indication of authentic samgyeopsal. The greens were not that fresh, I can see sum brown cuts on the leaves. Although they taste the same, Seoulga's samgyeopsal is superior to GeumSan's.
Dakgangjeong (Php 380) - boneless seasoned spicy chicken
Yangnyeom Chicken (Php 400) - seasoned spicy chicken
Dakgangjeong is basically chicken meatballs in spicy sauce and peanuts. Yangnyeom chicken would be a better choice beacuse meatballs tend to be dry. Again, Seoulga's yangnyeom chicken tastes way better then GeumSan's version.
Haemul Pajeon (Php 300) - seafood and green onion pancake
GeumSan's seafood pancake was so huge that it won't even fit in a photo...Joke.
I failed to capture its enormity prior to the attack that commenced. Nevertheless, the haemul pajeon was delicious paired with its dipping sauce. There was green onion, squid, shrimp, and red bell pepper engulfed in crunchy pancake flour and egg. If you can have pancakes for breakfast, you can also have pancake for dinner. It was that savory and filling.
Jeyuk bokkeum (Php 250) - spicy stir-fried pork
The pork was tender, and the cabbage and carrots were fresh and crunchy. It was deliicious but Seoulga's version was better opinion because the latter had a much flavorful sauce than the former.
Japchae (Php) - Korean glass noodle stir-fry
GeumSan won this round against Seoulga. The glass noodles were al dente, the mushroom was chewy and sweet, the veggies were fresh, and the beef strips were tender. It was a very satisfying stir-fried noodle.
Tukbaegi Bulgogi (Php 280) -Korean Style Beef in Hot Pot
A dish made of tender beef strips in kimchi stew and glass noodles topped with soft tofu. Another Korean comfort food that satisfies all the types of taste that your tongue can recognize. Spicy and sour from the kimchi, salty and savory from the beef, umami from the anchovy-kelp based broth, bland from the glass noodle, and sweet from the soft tofu.
Tteokbokki (Php 180) - Rice Cakes in Hot Sauce
Topped with boiled egg, the rice cakes were chewy and the sauce was spicy, savory, and delicious.
Korean food is guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds and fill your stomach so what's not to like?
