YOOGANE: KOREAN DINING EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER!

Have you caught the latest Hallyu? For those living in the boondocks, Hallyu means Korean wave or anything that describes Korean culture’s growing popularity. Undeniably, K-POP fever is everywhere and so does Korean-inspired restaurants that cater to both fans of Korean cuisines and those that are just curious what the hype was all about. Joining the hallyu craze is a newly opened restaurant called YOOGANE (pronounced as Yoo-guh-nee), located at the ground floor of Il Terrazzo Mall in Tomas Morato (just a few steps from the Morato Boyscout Circle, near ABS-CBN).

The K-POP bug must have bitten me recently that I seemed to frequent Korean dining establishments lately. If you’re looking for a break from the usual fare in the metro, treat your taste buds with something new and exciting from YOOGANE. Savor lip-smacking Korean dishes that are sure to titillate the senses without costing a fortune. With its inviting K-Pop inspired interiors that seemed to have come straight out of an MTV Korean version—it spells adorably C-U-T-E loud and clear! Yoogane’s perfect laid-back ambiance and excellent food cooked right in front of you, makes it truly a perfect dining destination not just for the whole family but also for the whole barkada or clique. The resto even plays K-Pop music videos on their flat-screened TV and you’re sure to find their colorful walls awesome.

K-POP videos can be seen from the tv.

The walls scream K-POP!

Colorful walls + comfy seats make this resto a must-visit!

But what I liked best about Yoogane’s interiors are their couch seats—they are arranged in such a way that each customer had some sort of privacy of their own as they watch and wait for their meals to get cooked. 

The staff makes sure your food is served right before you. 

 An establishment may have the most spectacular views and facilities, but if the food is crappy, chances are your guests may not be returning anymore for a visit. Luckily, for Yoogane, that wasn’t the case. It looks good and tastes good as well.

Discover Yoogane’s best-kept secret as you sample Marinated Chicken Galbi Rice. It promises to fill your tummies without hurting your pockets. There’s char-grilled chicken galbi, marinated seafood galbi, and Chapchae—the glass noodle dish we all love. A variety of side dishes complement your meal such as golden mushrooms, my favorite Ddukboki (Korean rice cake), Mozzarella Stuffed Ddukboki, plus they also have noodles like Udon noodle, ramen noodle, and potato noodle. Never miss an order of Korea’s famous Beef Bulgogi with sesame seeds—premium thinly sliced beef, worthy of pleasurable devour and greed. 

Marinated Chicken Galbi rice with melted Mozzarella cheese!

The Marinated Chicken Galbi rice reminds me of Jambalaya—a Cajun dish of rice, shrimp, chicken and vegetables. But Jambalaya is a dish originated from Louisiana, France, not Korea. They had the same spicy flavor; both had vegetables (although Marinated Chicken Galbi only had Ddukboki and loads of onion leeks) too. I guess the only difference was the addition of mozzarella cheese on the rice itself. The oozing cheesy goodness of mozzarella on top of the rice perfectly goes well with its burst of flavors and aroma. It makes the rice a bit sweet and salty, and in the process lessens the hot spicy taste of the said dish. The minute I had a spoonful of it, I knew I was hooked right away! That was how good it was. It felt like I was eating pizza with some textures and I had to constantly remind myself that I was putting on rice (that means carbs!) and loads of them. I am amazed how the fork-tender chicken became soft when it’s only stir-fried by the waiter for about seven to ten minutes. And I’d have to say that it actually penetrates all the flavors of its meat and gochujang chili pastes.

Marinated Chicken Galbi with onion leeks. 

Sweet and salty Chapchae.

Again, for those who do not like spicy foods, maybe you could skip this one and order Chapchae instead. But for Koreans and those who like their food spicy, this marinated chicken galbi rice wasn’t really that spicy. In fact, some even use the complimentary kimchi (a Korean staple dish of fermented green leafy veggies in gochujang chili paste) to add some more spice to this dish. If a spicy appetizer isn’t your thing, apart from kimchi, there’s complimentary turnip slices and shredded cabbage with mayo for you to munch on. Yoogane even had Yakult  (yes, that lactobacilli shirota-strain mini bottle drink) to help diminish the spicy after-taste. 

Kimchi, Slaw Cabbage Salad and turnip sticks as appetizers. 

Beef Bulgogi

Experience the best gastronomic flavors in town as Yoogane serves authentic Korean dining food with Korean dining experience for everyone any day of the week. You’re sure to get your cravings fulfilled with its delightful offerings.  Starting from the appetizers all the way down to the beverages (they have Soju too!), get absolute value for your money as you indulge in nothing but ultramodern Korean dining experience, only at Yoogane.

Yoogane is located at the ground floor of Il Terrazzo Mall, Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

Security Blanket thanks Yoogane and Barbie Barbieto for the invite.

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own.