Sunday night's dinner was courtesy of Deal Grocer. The name of the restaurant caught my eye so I decided to buy a coupon and try it out – Hoolala Korean Chicken House.
I don't know why the term "Chicken House" caught my attention. I guess at that time, I found it amusing that someone would name their restaurant that serves chicken as "chicken house." The interior was unique and common at the same time. Unique because of the colorful and huge chicken drawings on the wall and common because the set-up was typical of your usual Korean eatery.
They also had flat screen TVs that showed Korean dramas.
The side dishes were a bit disappointing. We only had three side dishes – the ones pictured above, and some kimchi. At least they were good and refillable. I guess I was always used to Korean restaurants serving a variety of side dishes, not just one or two or three.
Seaweed Rolls
PhP120
The Seaweed Rolls arrived next. We actually made a mistake ordering both the Seaweed Rolls and Japchae since the Seaweed Rolls' filling was japchae. It was actually japchae wrapped in seaweed and deep fried. I'm guessing the whole roll was dipped in a beaten egg mixture since the seaweed was covered in some kind of yellow mixture. The only mistake we made was ordering two dishes which were almost the same but we didn't make a mistake in trying them because they were both good. I was used to the traditional japchae but eating it this time in a roll, with crisp seaweed, was something new and surprisingly good (I was never a fan of seaweed). The dipping sauce complemented it well too. It was perfectly sour and salty, and bit spicy (thanks to the spicy powder I added).
Japchae and Kimchi Fried Rice
PhP120 and PhP55
The original japchae came next, along with the kimchi fried rice. The japchae was really good. It wasn't too sweet unlike the other japchaes I've tried before. I know Korean cuisine can be a bit on the sweet side but the other japchaes I've tried were too sweet for my liking. The Kimchi Fried Rice was so-so. I liked how it was spicy, not just sour-ish, but I've made better Kimchi Fried Rice at home.
Original Fried and Snow Chicken Hot Chili
Half Serving PhP260 and PhP290
6 pieces each
The Star(s) of the Night came last. Hoolala's Original Fried Chicken was similar to other Korean fried chicken restaurants like Bon Chon and Kyochon, but their version didn't have that sweet sauce drizzled on the chicken. As you can see, the skin is crisp. It was also oh-so-good! The skin was not just crisp, it was also delicious. Both the skin and the meat were packed with flavor. Yup, the meat was also really tasty and juicy.
The Snow Chicken was just like the Original Fried, only it was covered in Chili Powder (thus the term, "snow chicken"). We got the Hot Chili version, which lived up to its name. It was really spicy, perfect with a cup of plain rice. Just like the original version, its meat was also packed with flavor and juices.
The Whole Set
Overall, we enjoyed the whole set. The food was great, delicious, and the portions amazing. Our only regret is making mistakes in the pairings when we ordered. Our suggestion is: either get the japchae or seaweed roll, but not both; and get some plain rice when ordering the Snow Chicken. Plain rice goes well with the Snow Chicken (better actually) and the Kimchi Fried Rice goes well with the Original Fried.
Price: PhP200 to PhP300 per person
4 out of 5 for Hoolala Chicken House (add more side dishes, it's the essence of a Korean meal!)
8137 Plaza Ortigas,
Escriva Drive, Pasig
Contact Number: +632 6386465
Contact details courtesy of Zomato.
No comments:
Post a Comment