ANNYEONG HASEYO: Korean Cuisines in Davao City

Ever since Korean dramas became widely known in the Philippines, some of us, Filipinos, have embraced their culture, specifically their food and fashion trends. Korean cuisines are more on meat, vegetables, rice and it’s usually in spicy flavor. For the meat, beef is the most expensive in Korea while chicken and pork are just the common ones. One way of how Koreans cook beef is that they’ll marinate it first and cook it on a tabletop grill which is commonly known as Korean barbeque or Gogigui.

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As for the vegetables, cabbage is very essential in Korean cuisine, especially in making their famous side-dish called Kimchi which is obviously made up of cabbage and chili powder. They also like potatoes, cucumbers, lettuces, and other green vegetables. Sea food is also essential in Korean cuisine, and it could be eaten raw, grilled, broiled, dried, or in soup. Another thing that marks their food is the spicy flavor, particularly in their very popular noodle called Ramen or Ramyeon. Ramen or Ramyeon comes in different flavor which the Filipinos seem to like. Here in Davao City, Ramens can be bought in 7 eleven stores, S&R, Arirang, and in the imported section at the supermarkets.

Koreans really love eating spicy food like it’s already part of their culture which explains why Koreans have the prettiest skin compared to Americans. Chili peppers contain powerful anti-oxidant which inhibits oxidation and provides vitamin E which is good for the skin. It also contains carotenoids that can help prevent wrinkles and increase blood circulation, which makes the person to look more youthful. Moreover, Chili peppers provide only 31 calories and no fat and cholesterol. Furthermore, consuming Chili peppers can also activate thermogenesis and increase metabolic rate which explains the slimness of the Koreans. What they eat defines who they are and that’s what make their food interesting.

One of the most common Korean restaurants here in Davao City that has a Korean Barbeque set-up wherein the customers cook the food themselves are Tong-yang, YakiMIX, Itaewon, Samgyupsal, Gangnam, Gui Gui Grill and Seoul Ga Restaurant. Ordinary Korean restaurants can be seen anywhere like Noonsaram, Bonchon and Bulgogi Brothers. My friends and I tried Korean cuisine in Tong-Yang at the Ground floor in SM-Annex. They serve buffet of Korean food in different varieties worth 499 pesos on weekdays and 599 pesos on weekends. Almost everything is raw and you will be the one to cook your own food, though you can ask assistance from the waiters. Yes, it’s quite expensive but I can assure you that you will really get the amount of satisfaction you paid for.

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Another restaurant we visited was Itaewon located at Matina, in front of Malayan Colleges Mindanao. You can choose from unlimited Korean barbecue or just from their menu and we had unlimited Korean barbecue that costs 299 pesos per person. The meat was unlimited and assorted: chicken, pork and beef. The side-dishes and drinks were also unlimited. All I can say is that it’s also very worth it. You will surely leave the restaurant looking pregnant, just like what happened to me and my friends.

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Korean Cuisine is great and all, but we must not forget to support and endorse our own. With all these newly adopted cultures from different countries, we must remind ourselves to appreciate and practice first our own culture.