For New Year’s day, Mom chose the Korean restaurant in the hotel
They had a private room enough for us which had a beautiful view
It’s Traditional Korean as well so it was set meals
And this is what most chose
Restroom
To veer away from korean bbq, we wanted to have other korean dishes like beef stew, chap chae and others. So we asked help from the concierge and they recommended this place. I don’t have the name anymore, it was in Korean! What I want to show here is a Traditional Korean meal. It’s like having a degustation or Chinese Lauriat meal
They have different set menus and varying price ranges
We just chose the cheapest 
since we just wanted to try and see what it was all about. Some couples ordered one meal and just shared. It’s a good thing they allowed
There were many food stalls all over the city and because it was winter and freezing, it was so tempting to really just grab something hot in the street! I have no idea what they are and did not even bother to ask due to the language barrier. We did not get to try any except for the siopao looking one and the castañas
Another Korean BBQ restaurant!! YUMMY!!!!! My brother was in the food committee so he was in charge of the restaurants. He read about this from the internet It was near the hotel. After this, we had to take a break from all the beef we have been eating. But we love korean BBQ!!!
Before going up to the room, we saw the chefs slicing the beef :-)
You have to remove your shoes to enter the room ;-)
After a tiring tour day, we just wanted to eat nearby the hotel. So we just asked the concierge for recommendations for Japanese restaurants. We walked near the hotel in a nearby mall and tried Kisara. Japanese food in general is expensive in Korea, from what we heard. And based on our experience in this restaurant, it is nothing that great. It’s regular Japanese food.
My favorite dish was the one my brother Quito ordered!! SUPER CRISPY UNAGI! He ordered two dishes with unagi and wow!!! I wish I ordered it.
The rest of the Japanese dishes which were okay, nothing spectacular. But presentation is good.
Dessert is always fruit with a little pastry
meritz tower B1 (yeoksamdong), Seoul,
02-2018-0904
The reason we could not shop well was because we were already hungry!! We asked our tour guide to take us a traditional korean bbq restaurant and she took us to this place! YUMMY!!! And it was half the price of Arirang and good for 19 people!
I love how they served the bulgogi!
Same thing here, she will not let us cook! Superwoman cooker, we had three cookers for the table and she cooked for all three!! :-)
We arrived already in the evening and Korea is an hour advanced from Manila time. It takes about an hour depending on traffic it could be more, to get from Incheon airport to the city. We checked in the hotel and we were very hungry! Everyone suggested Arirang which was highly recommended by our friend, Grace. The earlier group had eaten there the day before and warned us that it was expensive, but we still went since it was nearby the hotel and we were very hungry
Our table! That thing from the ceiling is the exhaust which is adjustable. Cool!! The only place we have seen that had that feature. You still smell korean though but atleast it is not smoky while you are eating
It was expensive for us! But later on we realized that Korea is expensive really. ( For easier conversion, it is around 1,000 won to 1US$. ) In most of the restaurants we went to for korean BBQ, these were the prices. But of course the quality of the beef is really good though portions are small. But at the end of the trip, Arirang was one of our favorites and we went back again on our last day!
Free soup Pumpkin soup
Then they brought out all the condiments for the bbq
This was everyone’s favorite which you cannot also find in other bbq restaurants. It’s an onion condiment that you eat with the korean bbq
Then a guy brings the charcoal to the cooker
Tongue! Yum around the tongue is the Chadol bagey or marbled thin sliced beef
The server is the one who cooks, we noticed that in all restaurants, they are the ones who cook, they won’t let you cook! :-)
I love it that they put pepper on the tongue while cooking
then squeeze fresh lemon
The most expensive dish on the menu, the Charcoal Grilled King size Prime Rib
we ordered also the Chuck Flap tail which she said was the neck I think and it was also really good - it’s the small pieces beside the king size rib
Korean side dishes
Bulgogi which was not on the main menu - we ordered this in our second visit already
James likes eating raw beef
Marbled Thin Sliced beef which we figured was Chadol Bagey! Later on we tried to avoid this as it is mostly fat! But YUMMY Of course!
YUM YUM! Pajeon!! We loved this in Arirang since it was very crispy! Make sure it is crispy because that is how we got it! YUMMY!
Chap Chae
Their dessert is always fruit - we were looking for the usual rich sweets, but they don’t have! We were thinking maybe that is why the Koreans are so slim! :-) Very sweet and gigantic pears!! Only a slice though!
It’s the company and the fun that counts! We had a great dinner and enjoyed! My two boys are there also on the side
Lucille invited us once again to her home…It seems like she is doing it every other year
Previous Entries: From the Kitchen of Lucille December 17, 2007
Lucille’s Birthday Treat January 8, 2009
Here she is welcoming us as we arrive and take note of the parol on top of her. She is part of the group from St. James Parish in Alabang who sold these beautiful parols last Christmas
She is always proud of her two children who are presently studying abroad
Our group photo taken by Lucille’s Staff
She had different cocktail drinks for us since we all had dietary requirements - buko juice for me, orange and apple for the others
It was Lucille’s birthday and we made her cook for us again! WE LOVE IT!! Quoting here a note from Det who said it very well:
Dear Lucille,
Many thanks for being the usual gracious host!
Each year, as December comes, I always look forward to your birthday lunch! What I most love about visiting your home (apart of course from the very good food) is how I feel the warmth of your hospitality; how each year you have transformed into an Oprah a Martha Stewart which you do so well with your own personal touch and style! The only downside is, each time I leave your beautiful home, I always ponder about having a sabbatical even just for a month so I get to learn “your favorite things.” It has always been my dream to become a home maker but sometimes life takes you to a different path which of course I can’t complain!
Cheers to you birthday girl and cheers to loving company and a friendship which will forever be in our hearts!
Always,
Det
And Mother Butler Lucille says our grace before the meal
The buffet
This was the highlight of our meal. Lucille’s homemade Cochinillo!!!! YUMMY!!!!!! It was half a piggy and it was really really good!!!!!
Here it is again up close
and we had other Filipino dishes
Luzanne insisted on having her cochinillo with Mang Tomas sauce!! It’s a good thing Brenda had some with her. Luzanne can finish almost half the bottle
LOOK AT THAT YUMMY COCHINILLO!!!! Homemade dishes are more meaningful and taste much better!!! And Lucille’s cooking is always WITH LOVE!
And dessert
Happy Birthday Lucille!!
And Lucille shares with us her FAVORITE THINGS
Her waring smoothie blender! We all want one!!!
and she made a fresh strawberry smoothie for us using fresh Holly’s yogurt
previous entry: Lucille’s Smoothie Recipe June 10, 2011
Fresh super sweet Mangoes from her farm in Cebu!!!
Fresh super sweet pineapple with champoy powder
and her Viking oven where the cochinillo was cooked. It has to be big enough to put the little piggy in
And we all exchanged gifts for christmas and we all support our very own
Brenda from the commissary she works in
Triumph underwear from Det
Lucille will always shop at Rustan’s! Forever Rustan’s loyalists just like all of us!
Golden Spoon from me :-)
Taken with an
Tito Ralph brought in Jamon Serrano from Spain. He has a few pieces left. It’s a beautiful gift or perfect for your buffet celebrations. New Year is still coming up. It comes already with the stand to put the Jamon in. It’s only P 15,000.00 for the whole Jamon
Please contact Ralph Joseph at 0917-842-6450
It comes in this box
and this is the stand that it comes with
He also has Champagne Nicolas Feauillatte Palmes d’Or 1996 Robert Parker 98 points for P 6,000.00
