Ye Dang Korean BBQ Restaurant

After trying and discovering several authentic Korean restaurants in Manila, the boyfriend and I finally decided to try one of the most talked about Korean restaurants in Manila -- Ye Dang. But we just couldn't find the right time to do so. It was always closed whenever we'd get there since it closes earlier than the restaurants around it. After trying to reach the restaurant before closing time several times, I was finally able to try Ye Dang. Sadly, Gus wasn't available because of work so it was just the family and I.

Each table in Ye Dang has its own grilling pan and exhaust. The exhaust was cute -- it was like a toy spring you can pull and push, depending on how much of the grill smoke you want to inhale or smell like. :p In short, it was adjustable. It was fun seeing people pull and push whenever they have to cook something on their table.

Like most Korean restaurants in the country, free appetizers were served first after we placed our orders. They had the usual appetizers like sweet marble potatoes, tofu, radish and cabbage kimchi, fish cakes, and some greens. I really loved their potatoes, kimchi, and greens. The radish and cabbage kimchi were opposites -- one was a bit spicy, the other just right. The potatoes and greens had so much flavor in them, but just enough to stimulate your taste buds.

We got the Korean restaurant staple -- fresh and marinated beef and pork for grilling. Their grilled meats were reasonably priced. We ordered samgyeupsal (pork belly), kalbi (grilled sweet beef ribs), and usamgyup (beef belly). It came with the usual greens, garlic, and sauces, if you want to eat it Korean style -- rolled in leaves.

Usamgyup, Kalbi, and Samgyeupsal

(P300, P350, P240)

Grilling time! Grilling your own meat is a must, if you want to feel the whole Korean dining experience. If you can, use chopsticks to make it feel more oriental. :) While grilling is fun, you should always watch out for the meat sticking to the grilling pan. That's the only thing I don't like when grilling food -- some of it sticks to the pan. Less food for my hungry tummy.

Aside from the grilled meat, we also ordered two kinds of soup -- Korean Traditional Ginseng Soup and Beef Short Ribs Soup with Rice.

The price of the Korean Traditional Ginseng Soup was a bit too steep at P600. It tasted a bit like our Chicken Tinola, without the gingery flavor and vegetables, a little more bland than what the Filipinos are used to. But with the softness of the chicken meat, bones included, I guess they had to price it this way. The chicken was so soft, you can use your chopsticks to easily take the flesh off the bones. 

The Beef Ribs Soup was priced just right at P250. They used real beef for the dish, not just beef bones boiled for hours to release its beefy flavor. You can see chunks of it in the soup, though that's pretty much all you'll see -- beef and soup, plus some leeks. This dish is exactly what it says it is -- beef ribs and soup, plus a cup of rice on the side. But don't be dismayed, it's still a good soup to try if you want to warm your tummies.

That ends our dinner at Ye Dang (no pineapple for dessert, boohoo.) The food was alright, it didn't taste bad and the portions weren't bad either, but I wouldn't call this the best. I think it's just the most frequented and popular, but I still prefer Jang Ga Nae along Escriva Drive. Ye Dang is still part of my Top 5 Korean restaurants though. Maybe if their service improved a bit, it could go a notch higher on my Korean restaurant list. Their attendants were so slow and a bit inattentive. It feels like their minds were wondering off elsewhere even if they are attending to your needs. Strange.

Price Range: P350-500/person

3.5 out of 5 for Ye Dang

Ye Dang Korean BBQ Restaurant

Meralco Avenue,

Pasig City