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| Samgyupsal is still a thing! |
I thought my wife is already out of the
samgyeopsal train but here she is again. This is our recent samgyeopsal experience since our famous
Samgyeopmasarap in SM Marikina review and base on our view count for that article, the hype is still strong on this one so we’ve visited the closest, legit and OG samgyeopsal joint in our place.
Romantic Baboy in E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Libis has been one of the pioneer restaurant chains that started the hype of samgyeopsal. This restaurant has been making a buzz around social media because of its cheesy samgyeopsal and stem of a rose for the hopeless romantics.
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| The cheesier, the better! |
I'm with my wife (
prncsbgnn), our daughter and my brother, fellow foodie U2 (
u2hteofisto). We got here around dinnertime on a Sunday but to our surprise; Although the place is full, we did not wait for long for us to settle down, there are waiting seats outside the restaurant and stores around for you to visit.
Upon entering, the smell of grilled food immediately surrounds you - it's like a warm welcome hug from the gods of samgyeopsal.
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| Confused? No worries, they have a big-arse menu for you to check! |
We all chose the unlimited pork and beef samgyeopsal (PHP499) which comes with rice, veggies, 6 kinds of unlimited refills of side dishes,
gochujang jjigae.
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| Not interested in the unli-experience? Try their a la carte and set dishes |
They also have rice bowls, noodles and type of
jjigae (which is a Korean version of stew) for light eaters.
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| Let's begin! |
They gave us different side dishes;
Japchae, coleslaw,
Kimchi chicken popper, stir-fried fish cake and scallion salad which I devoured right away.
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| Let's start grilling and eatin' |
The real magic starts when they assemble the grill and the assortment that comes with it. You will have a slot on the side of the grill for the egg, cheese, and kimchi.
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| Daepae Samgyupsal |
Daepae Samgyupsal - thin-sliced pork belly which is perfect for that unadulterated
ssam (or samgyeopsal wrap). Best if seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper, easy and quick to cook.
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| Herb Samgyupsal |
Herb Samgyupsal - a thick slab of pork meat seasoned with herbs and spices. This is by far my favorite as it has a balance of fat and lean meat to it. I like it with cheese and kimchi.
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| Moksal |
Moksal - a slice of pork neck seasoned with herbs and spices. Tough but the juiciest of all of their cuts.
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| Woo Samgyup |
Woo Samgyup - this is a beef belly cut. One of the best especially if cooked medium-well rather than well done for the beef to fully release the juice and flavor. The thin slicing also gives a more tender texture and a more succulent flavor.
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| Their sauce is also refillable as well! |
Slightly dip your beef with the sauces provided, wrap it in lettuce, and then dunk it in your preferred sauce.
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| Romantic Bulgogi |
Romantic Bulgogi - they could have improved the presentation for this meat. Cooked it on medium-well as you will still have succulent juices trap inside the meat fibers, combining it with the sweet and sour sauce, the result is awesome.
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| Spicy Beef |
Spicy Beef - this is
daepae samgyupsal on steroids although it's not that spicy. I was a little disappointed in how weak the spiciness is.
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| Curry Beef |
Curry Beef - it's using the
woo samgyup cut with curry sauce on it. And like the previous dish, the curry flavor is not that strong.
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| Yangyum Galbi |
Yangyum Galbi - if you want a melt-in-your-mouth experience, this beef short ribs' flavor will surely linger in your mouth.
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| WeTravelFearlessly team featuring Romantic Baboy |
We're full and I think this will be our last samgyeopsal for a while (lol). My wife is happy, my tummy is full, what else can you ask for?
Overall, this is the best samgyeopsal restaurant we've ever been into, far better than Samgyeopmasarap in SM Marikina. There is room for improvement, but they are all overshadowed on how good the service is and how amazing their food is. I hope they read this and invite us over again for another round of review on their jjigae and sides!
- Food
- The pork and beef cuts are legit; they are not using a substitute cut from other parts. 6 of their 8 cut selection stands-out to me. The juiciness of the meat, the on-point seasoning and the consistency of the cut.
- Two of their cut selection needs more improvement, their curry beef and spicy beef - the flavor is just too weak to stand out.
- Place
- They have a parking area. Stone's throw away from Eastwood City and very accessible as they are located on the main highway.
- The restaurant is well ventilated, well lit, and air-conditioned.
- Service
- One of the things I like most is their service. From our experience from similar restaurants, they cut-off the portion of the refills and also they tend to hide from the customers just to lower their upkeep, but here, they are the ones who will ask you if you want more! They are just polite and very attentive.
- Price
- The price is fair - for PHP499, you'll get a lot of sides and other stuff with you!
Let's rate them, shall we?
Food: 4/5
Ambiance: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value for money: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.75/5
What does Zomato say?
Location: Intrepid Plaza, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Libis, Quezon City, Philippines
Operating Hours: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Contact Number: +63 2 9879808
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