Sam Won, Anyone?

With the influx of Korean nationals to the Philippines not so long ago also came the popularity of Korean cuisine. I, however, was a late bloomer when it came to appreciating Korean food. I remember tasting bulgogi for the first time in 2007 while I was in Singapore with some friends. It was quite a traumatic experience, as I vividly remember not enjoying that meal very much. It probably wasn't the best place to experiment.

And so even when Korean restaurants sprung up one by one in Manila, I never felt the urge to try any of them. Until I met Sam Won. C has been talking about Sam Won for quite some time now and when he finally took me there, I somehow regretted not having met her sooner.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted by two friendly Korean ladies who immediately took us to our table. After giving our order, our assigned server quickly arranged the cooking area to mark the start of our sumptuous meal.

Charcoal is always good :)

All set!

Before our actual orders arrived, our server brought in the entourage of Korean appetizers ranging from sweetened peanuts, beansprouts, kimchi, fish cake, raddish, shrimp cake, and boiled potatoes. Each one offered a unique taste in my mouth - sour, sweet, spicy, tangy.

Delicious appetizers to start off the meal (free!)

We ordered beef belly (Usamgyup) and pork belly (Samgyupsal) for the grill, which our very helpful server cooked right in front of us. There really is something about having your food cooked in front of you - it kind of makes it more delicious, because you're being served something literally fresh off the grill.

Our pork belly (P270) and beef belly (P330)

We were given a variety of leaves for our pork and beef wrap, as well as chilli sauce and sesame oil (my favorite!), and chilli paste and garlic (describing these items is making me drool at this very moment).

Fresh leafy veggies

Chilli paste and garlic

Chilli sauce and sesame oil

Biting into the wrap released a dozen different flavors in my mouth. There was salty from the meat, spicy from the sauces, the taste of garlic from the fresh garlic pieces, and the sour-sweet-spicy taste of kimchi, too. For each wrap, I would try to add in something different so I could get a variety of flavors each time.

C's wrap. At this point we almost finished the appetizers, hence the scarcity of toppings.

Making the wraps would get your hands a little dirty, so if you're going on a date for the first time and you're out to make a really good and neat first impression, well, I'm not sure if you should take your date here. But, if on your first date you wanna have lots of fun getting your fingers messy while enjoying the delicious meal, then by all means, go on and get to know each other in Sam Won. :)

Anyway, what went really well with the meat was their Jap Chae. I absolutely loved their Jap Chae. The glass noodles were so firm that even I chewed on it for two minutes, I didn't feel the noodles break at all. I obviously didn't have a problem chowing down the well-cooked noodles. The meat and vegetable toppings were served generously, too. It was the right blend of sweet and salty, plus it wasn't dry at all. 

Yummy Jap Chae (P330)

For refreshments, they served us cold tea, which I think is their version of water. Even though it was virtually tasteless, it somehow added a kick to the entire meal.

 

Cold tea

That day that we went to Sam Won, I was suffering from a bad case of cough and colds. And while Korean food wouldn't be my go-to comfort food whenever I'm sick (that would probably be fast food most of the time), I was quite happy with how Sam Won temporarily relieved my bad health day. 

And having a delicious meal is always a great way to start an even better weekend :)

 THE GOURMANDE'S SCORE: 5 out of 5

Sam Won Garden is located in Aguirre Avenue corner Ramirez, B.F. Homes, Paranaque. For reservations, call 825-1144.