Filipinos especially Ilonggos are known to be very hospitable and usually welcomes something or someone new with open arms. That is why when the number of Korean tourists, students and businessmen skyrocketed, Iloilo adapted to change and a lot of Korean restaurants were put up.
One of the most popular and most visited is Kim’s Bob Korean Restaurant located in De Leon St. Iloilo City, just along Paseo Iloilo in the same building of Robinson’s Place parking area. You can take a cab or a Villa Jeepney and ask to be dropped off at Robinson’s Place.
Thinking of a heavy meaty meal? Try Kim’s Bob Samgyupsal (grilled pork belly). For only Php 349.00, you can have all the samgyupsal you want. That of course is their specialty, and it comes along with a number of fresh crispy lettuce, which you will use to wrap the juicy grilled meat and you can add in some ingredients like slices of onions, mushroom or kimchi. To make it even tastier, they serve a special sauce with a perfect blend of spicy and salty flavours. You place everything in the lettuce, tightly enclose so that the contents will not end up on the floor, and put whatever you can manage into your mouth – a juicy healthy meal!
The restaurant does not look that appealing and classy from the outside, but the food’s quality is superb. Some fortunate passerby can be drawn inside by they smell of pork and beef being grilled inside. Aside from their famous samgyupsal all you can, their menu list offers a lot of delicious Korean dishes you and your companions can choose from. My top three aside from samgyupsal:
Tteokbokki – the perfect combination of sweet rice cake, fish cake and sweet red chilli sauce. It is said to be a very popular Korean snack and I did not wonder why. I can eat an entire plate of this! Sweet, spicy and delicious.
Gimbap or Kimbap – another famous and loved dish which looks like Japanese sushi. It is made from steamed white rice which they call bap and various other ingredients like egg, ham, cheese, kimchi and other delicious ingredients, depending on what specific type of gimpab is being made. These ingredients are neatly rolled in a gim, a sheet of dried laver seaweed, and then cut and served into bite-size round slices.
Japchae – dish made from dangmyeon, sweet potato noodles, stir fried in sesame oil. Combined with a variety of vegetables, usually carrots, onions and mushrooms, served with beef which is seasoned with soy sauce and with a contrast but tastier effect of vinegar.
These and a lot more, coupled with their very accommodating service, and the cozy interior which makes you feel welcome and at home as you cross sit on their floor – all contribute to why it has gained a lot of patrons. They are very famous for the generosity of their servings without sacrificing the quality. Who says you have to be in Korea to experience authentic Korean dishes? When we are talking about Korean food, Kim’s Bob has surely brought Korea in Iloilo City.