Cebu remains a favorite destination of Koreans. In fact, at least a million Korean tourists visited Cebu last year. And while there is no shortage of Korean restaurants in Cebu, a brand from a neighboring city decided to open here, hoping to take its share in the growing Korean market.
Say hello to Kimstaurant! Kimstaurant, which is said to be the best Korean restaurant from the City of Smiles, has made its way to Cebu. Not a lot of people may know it, but Kimstaurant has been silently operating for a little over a month now at the Ground Floor of The Greenery.
Kimstaurant Cebu has a ground floor and a mezzanine.
Last week, I was at the media preview to get to know the restaurant and its offerings.
Kimstaurant was established in October 2010 in Bacolod City. It is located at Mayfair Plaza along Lacson Street. Since then, Kimstaurant has become a go-to destination for locals, encouraging general manager Peter Kim to branch out to Cebu. “I confidently know that, just like our main branch, Kimstaurant will be a big success here.”
A time-tested favorite from Bacolod, Kimstaurant brings the Land of the Morning Calm within reach, with ingredients imported fresh from Korea to ensure the most authentic taste. Here are some of their bestsellers.
Dolsot bibimbap (P280) – sizzling stone pot rice mixed vegetables, beef, kotsujang (Korean chili paste), and egg
Japchae (P300) – Mixed dish of boiled bean threads, stir-fried vegetables, and shredded meat. I actually thoroughly enjoyed this. Bonchon used to serve my favorite Japchae, but looks like this one will challenge that.
Beef Galbi Jjim (P400 – half/P750 – whole) – braised short beef ribs. This one is an instant hit. Fall-of-the-bone tender beef which are very rich in flavor. Our table loved it so much, we had to order a second serving.
Soy Sauce Chicken (P400 – half/P750 – whole) – Bon-Chon style fried chicken made from a recipe by their general manager himself. At this point, I already knew I overate as I couldn’t count how many pieces I ate.
Samgyupsal (P280) – Kimstaurant also has a varied selection of Yakiniku, including Deji Galbi and Ko sal. Diners can eat all they can from 11am to 2pm.
These come with unlimited servings of side dishes and appetizers, including kimchi.
Kimchi Jjigae (P250) – Kimchi and tofu stew and plain rice
Yukhoe (P750) – Korean-style raw beef with egg. General manager’s personal favorite. This one was quite a challenge. Aside from medium rare steaks, I’ve never really anything as raw as this. I waited for the other media peeps to try it first to see their reaction, but they smiled after so I decided to try it out. Surprise, surprise! It’s like eating salmon sashimi with a light fruity flavor.
P.S. You also have to their their Korean Aloe juice. It’s very refreshing.
Satisfy your cravings for Korean food at Kimstaurant, now open in Cebu at the Ground Floor of The Greenery, along Pope John Paul II Avenue, Cebu City.
They are open daily from 11am to 11pm.
Make your reservations by calling +639459885541.
For more information, visit their website at http://www.kimstaurant.com/ , or like them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/kimstaurant