Clark Pampanga: Korean Food in the Philippines
Korean food is one of my favorite types of food to eat. When prepared by a skilled chef, Korean food can be highly sophisticated and absolutely delicious. At its’ best, Korean food can be the epitome of civilized dining. Unfortunately, at its’ worst, Korean food can be truly awful.
The secret to good Korean food is rooted in ancient Confucian philosophy: It is a question of balance. Texture, flavor, and health, all in perfect balance. This is what skilled Korean chefs excel at preparing: Salty vs. Sweet; Spicy vs. Mild; Sour vs. Bitter; Green vegetables vs. Red vegetables; and so on…
Meals are traditionally taken “family style” with everyone sharing. Koreans typically use steel or silver chopsticks that can be very slippery and difficult to use (Most places let you request bamboo), along with a spoon. Meals are accompanied by an array of side dishes, known as banchan, sometimes numbering as many as twenty. Rice is always present at Korean meals, as is the ubiquitous kimchi (pickled cabbage). An interesting note: There are over 200 different varieties of kimchi, ranging in spiciness from none (sweet) to flame thrower. I believe each and every Korean lola has her own recipe, and each one firmly believes that hers is the best. No matter: I like it, and some of the varieties can be very, very good. The other food that is famous in Korea is BBQ: Mostly bulgogi and galbi. Both are made of marinated beef, and are normally grilled at your table. Korean beef is normally extremely high quality, rivalling the best Japanese Wagyu or Kobe beef, and nearly as expensive. Another Korean dish is bibimbap: Rice with assorted vegetables and meat. Bibimbap is concerned with presentation… Everything arranged beautifully and in balance. It can truly almost be considered a work of art when properly prepared.
Working in Seoul, I often get to experience Korean food at its’ finest, and I’m very lucky in that respect. When I travel there, I normally eat Korean, with one exception (A brew pub chain, called Wa-Bar that makes their own beer and sausages… Across the street from my normal hotel. Who can pass on beer and sausage? Not me!).
Today was Father’s Day, and as such, I got to choose what we had for lunch. Despite the fact that I will be traveling to Seoul next week, I had a taste for Korean food. Sounds easy, right?
The Philippines counts over 1 million visitors per year from Korea, as tourists, on business, and as students attending English language schools. Good Korean food should be a cinch to find, then, in Manila. One thing that I’ve noticed about many Koreans (and many Japanese, too) is that when they travel, they tend to stick to Korean food. Unfortunately, many of the Korean restaurants in Manila leave a lot to be desired. Manila, in this regard, is hardly unique. Outside of Korea, Japan, or parts of the United States, good, authentic Korean food is rare. Here, Korean restaurants often add Japanese food on the menu, and they tend to tone down the spiciness of Korean food. Also, the quality of Filipino beef is normally nowhere near that of Korean beef, so I tend to stick to pork, seafood, or noodle dishes here.
The best of the lot, in my opinion, is Seoul Restaurant in Quezon City. Authentic? Sort of. Is the food good? Well, they do a pretty good job, especially if you stick to the standards. Seoul Restaurant is located in Quezon City, in Holy Spirit, near Commonwealth. Read a review of the place here.
On my last trip to Seoul, my boss gave me some “ready made” cryovac meals to bring home. I mentioned that Rebecca had never tried Korean food before, so he gave me some to give to her. His friend manufactures these meals, and I’ve been taking a look at ways to potentially sell them here in the Philippines. Rebecca is an adventurous eater, and she liked them, as did her family. The pictured product is a type of traditional Korean soup made with a cow’s blood pudding: Not my favorite, but they have varieties made with beef or ribs also.
Finally, Rebecca is determined to try to make her own kimchi. A Filipino palalok is not very different than a kimchi jar from Korea (The clay jars used for making patis should also work well). I brought back several Kilos last year, of several varieties, and, though it it available in SM and elsewhere here, the freshly made, “non-bottled” kimchi is the best. If all you have ever tried came in a supermarket glass jar, then you’ve never had the real thing. What’s in kimchi? Cabbage, salt, chills. That’s it, though many varieties use other vegetables (like radishes, long onions, or carrots) or add garlic, soybeans, or other seasonings. I’ve been told to bring home a few kg of Korean red chili this trip for our great kimchi experiment. We shall soon find out how it turns out!
Source: http://liveinthephilippines.com/content/2010/06/korean-food-in-the-philippines/
Recent opinion survey of frequent travelers heading north towards Subic and Clark Pampanga revealed that the number one most frequently visited fine dining restaurant in Pampanga is Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar located in Clark Philippines.
Hong Kong-based Yats International built this restaurant in 2000 to provide a world-class cozy fine dining restaurant, as well as business meeting facilities and venues for private dinners and social functions in Philippines Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone. North Luzon Pampanga Angeles City Clark Philippines was selected for this restaurant because of safety, clean air, absence of traffic and proximity to Manila and Subic. Clark Freeport is located near Manila and Subic. Diners from Manila and Subic can travel north along North Expressway and arrive in Clark in about 70 minutes without having to go through city driving, making this fine dining restaurant very convenient and accessible for guests from Manila.
Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar is general regarded in the Philippines as the best fine dining establishment in the country. Wine Spectator Magazine’s gave out Restaurant Wine List Best of Award of Excellence to 788 restaurants in the world. Yats Restaurant is the only restaurant in the Philippines to receive this award in recognition of its famous 2700-line restaurant wine list that has attracted many wine lovers to visit Clark Pampanga frequently to wine and dine.
Wine tastings are held regularly at this fine dining establishment, each event with a different theme. Popular themes include a tasting of 15 different Cabernet-Sauvignon-dominant red wines, old-world compared against new-world wines and a tasting of 50 years of aged vintage wines.
In addition to the wine cellars of the fine dining Yats Restaurant, more selections are available from the largest wine shop in Philippines, another property of Yats Wine Cellars called Clark Wine Center just 3 minutes away. Guests do not have to pay corkage fee for wines purchased from Clark Wine Center’s Wine Shop. 0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 for Ana Fe.
Group dinners, family dinners with children, private parties, social or corporate functions and events can be held in this popular restaurant in Clark Pampanga.
For comments, inquiries and reservations click on Click here for inquiry and reservations
Restaurant@Yats-International.com
(045) 599-5600
0922-870-5178
0917-520-4401
Ask for Pedro and Rechel
Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Philippines? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.
Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar
Mimosa Drive past Holiday Inn, Mimosa Leisure Estate,
Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines 2023
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay
For any assistance in planning and organizing a wedding ceremony, indoor or outdoor garden reception or to find other wedding service providers, Click here to contact us click here
For assistance in hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines, log on to
http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com
To buy wine in Manila, Pampanga, Angeles City, Clark or Subic please log on to http://www. ClarkWineCenter.com
To inquire with the highly recommended beach resort hotel in Clark Pampanga visit http://www.ClearwaterPhililippines.com
For more information about Clark, Pampanga, Philippines log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com
