A Bulgogi Brothers dinner

OKAY, it’s now time to try out what’s inside the malls after exploring the nooks and crannies of Davao and discovering the delights of locals and migrants alike.

Friday night was spent at one of SM Lanang’s newest, the Bulgogi Brothers, a Korean restaurant chain.

Still trying to stick t a healthy diet, Korean food is among the healthiest with their love for vegetables and chili, I opted to stay away from what the attendant said was their specialty – the barbecues.

I grabbed the Dubu (tofu) steak, which was served with a mound of bean sprouts and a sprinkling of ground meat, their seafood noodles whose main ingredient (aside from the noodles) is dried seaweed, and seafood bibimbap.

You’d smell of the food once you leave, I was warned. I didn’t heed the warning.

Warning: the servings are to share, so don’t go there alone not unless you intend to just order one.

I loved the tofu best. It was chewy and didn’t have that crumbly tofu texture but was not the very soft Japanese tofu either. It was more on the chewy side, just the way I like it.

The seafood noodles was okay, if you are into noodles. But as all noodles go, best when eaten steaming hot.

The bibimbap had enough of the “tutong” that makes bibimbap more fun to eat.

You also get bottomless servings of appetizers, kimchi among them, you just have to ask for refills. I ploughed through two servings of three appetizers – the Chinese cabbage kimchi, eggplant with sesame seeds, and some pickled vegetables. You also get a serving of a piece of boiled corn with some boiled quail eggs, and a cup of corn hair tea.

I miss the fiery Korean chili, however, that we enjoy a lot in the local Korean restaurants here. Obviously, the Bulgogi Brothers, being a chain has tamped down the fire to cater to the greater majority who can hardly hold down one chili finger.

To go with my food, I got the raspberry mint tea.
Everyone else inside was ordering the steaks and the whole place was filled with the sound of sizzling meat. Along with the sound, the aroma… the aroma that goes home with you. But then, I’ve been warned, weren’t I?

I’d have grabbed a Melona or two, but my tummy refused to take in more. At home I comforted my bloated tummy with a mug of coffee.