Korean food spices up Conrad Manila

Believe it or not, I have never watched a Korean drama in my life. Nor am I familiar with K-pop groups and solo acts. Just bits and pieces of the Korean wave taking over pop culture all over the world.

However, after several trips to various destinations within the Land of the Morning Calm through the decades, I have been completely entranced by Korean history, tradition, heritage, arts and culture. And cuisine! And so upon receipt of a gracious invite to the Legendary Chefs Series at the Brasserie on 3, Conrad Manila, who was I to say no?

A designated section of the busy kitchen takeover was headed by chefs Younghun Hwang and Junmok Lee, both from the sister property Conrad Seoul, who have masterfully prepared a curated menu of savory flavors, some more pleasantly spicy than others.

The all-day appetizing buffet was a genuine Korean feast, both in sight and taste, with absolute classics and innovative dishes not to be missed!

Well-loved classics included the sundubujjigae, or soft tofu in spicy stew, one of the country’s most popular soups, typically served in a dolsot stone bowl. One more familiar taste was the iconic bibimbap, or steamed rice bowl with vegetables, filled with goodies such as mushrooms, bean sprouts, cucumber, and leafy greens, topped with a sunny-side-up egg.

The rarer — rather not-so-acquainted — dishes included yukhoe, or Korean beef tartare, with Korean pear, honey, pine nuts, sesame seeds, and topped in raw egg yolk, a delicacy for someone more adventurous. Another one was the dakbokkumtang, or braised spicy chicken stew, with hot pepper flakes, green chili peppers, and potatoes. An eye-catcher was the ganjang sawoojang, or soy sauce marinated raw prawn, with a sweet and salty marinade.

Always crowd favorites were the kalbigui, or grilled soy sauce marinated beef, which just instantly melted in our mouths, and the japchae, or Korean glass noodles with various vegetables, quite similar to our own pancit bihon.

A more tactile experience was the gujeolpan, which was a platter of nine delicacies. Arranged in a divided bowl, five ingredients must be of the colors red, yellow, green, white, and black, while the middle contained a crepe as a vehicle to wrap all the tiny slices.

For quick bites, a plethora of Korean street food offers was likewise proudly served. Friends say these are much more recognizable for anyone who has watched Korean telenovelas and the like.

The lineup included tteokbokki, or rice cake with fish cakes and chili sauce, and eomuk, or fish cake with soup, a folk tale held onto for hangovers. Rounding up the roster is dakgangjeong, the classic fried chicken, but with a sweet chili sauce. Lastly, gimbap, rice rolled in seaweed with various vegetables, is considered a cousin of the sushi.

“Many Filipinos are fascinated with Korea’s culture and food. This kitchen takeover by chef Younghun and chef Junmok, our colleagues from Conrad Seoul, will definitely treat our guests to their unique creations and fresh takes on some of the favorite ‘K-dishes’ in the country,” said Fabio Berto, Conrad Manila general manager.

The two Conrad Seoul chefs likewise held a cooking demonstration for seunggiaktang, a colorful treat of steamed fish with various vegetables. For this version, they used our most desired

lapu-lapu as the choice seafood. As far as my taste buds were concerned, it was one for the books!

A noon-to-afternoon of Korean delights was all it took to definitely convince me. There was so much cuisine out there I have yet to explore. Perhaps, I may even become a Korean drama and K-pop fan!