authentic taste of Korea in the PH

When it comes to authentic Korean food, Rodem Farm and Garden Restaurant is one of the best places to enjoy an authentic taste of Korea. Located in Silang Cavite, this restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes that will surely satisfy your cravings for Korean cuisine. From Bibimbap to Samgyupsal, Rodem Farm and Garden Restaurant has something for everyone!

Location

When traveling along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, you’ll notice their large signage right in front of Unioil, Soga Miga, and other nearby cafes.

Arrival

We were greeted in Tagalog by two Koreans. It was heartwarming to witness other races greet you in your own language. I believe they are the restaurant’s owner or manager.

Farm Fresh Vegetables and Korean Grocery

You can see their grocery store right after entering the entrance; here you can purchase Korean cooking materials, snacks, noodles, and frozen goods. Fresh veggies and fruits, such as Korean pear, are also available, which I rarely see in supermarkets.

Indoor or Outdoor Dining

You can dine either outdoor or indoor; for the outdoor, there are large and small Kubo (nipa huts) to choose from. The nipa huts are encircled by mosquito netting, so insects and flies won’t bother you while grilling. It can get too hot in the summer, but we dine around October, so it’s not that hot; also there’s an electric fan inside that you can use.

The main large public room or the smaller group rooms, both of which are air-conditioned, are your options for indoor dining.

The staff will leave you with the menu, and when you’re ready to order, they have this button with a “bell” sign; simply ring the electric bell, and the staff will come to grab your order as soon as possible, or if you need anything else. You can check their FB Menu Album for their full menu.

Korean Side Dishes (Banchan)

After ordering, the staff immediately served us a set of banchan or side dishes. They serve the following for us: Gamja Jorim (Korean Braised Potatoes), Kimchi (Napa Cabbage), Soybean Sprout (Kongnamul-muchim), Korean Radish Kimchi (Kkakdugi), Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi), and different kinds of korean dipping sauces and seasoning.

Following are the accompaniments for samgyeopsal, the ssam veggies or leaf vegetables that are used to wrap bite-sized pieces of meat. And the fact that they serve more varieties of greens is what makes this establishment stand out. From various lettuces to kkaennip (perilla leaves), which I hardly ever see in Korean restaurants in the Philippines, I also tasted the Cheongyang chili pepper, which I found to be a pleasantly surprising good partner for the meat. It had a somewhat sweet flavor and was only mildly hot.

As they have a lettuce farm and other vegetables right at the back of the restaurant, you can see the freshness of the ssam vegetables they serve here.

What we ordered

We started with their Unlimited Samgy/Usamgyup package, which is a combination of pork and beef meat. and cost us ₱650.00 per person, we paid for four pax and a total of ₱2600.00 for the set.
They gave us two kinds of meat, and it was really good.

We also ordered Budae Jjigae or Army Stew which is a sort of Korean stew that consists of ham, sausage, Spam, baked beans, kimchi, instant noodles, and gochujang. The dish was made immediately after the Korean War’s armistice, using scrounged or smuggled excess supplies from US military stations. The presentation and flavor of the stew were excellent; the stew was placed on a portable stove on the table to keep it warm. (₱800/small, ₱1400/large)

After that, we tried their Haemul Pajeon or Korean Seafood Pancake is a type of Korean pancake that prominently features green onion or scallion. This Pajeon was among the best I’ve tried here in the Philippines, and the dipping sauce that comes with it was a perfect complement. (₱450.00)

Finally, I made sure to try their take on Galbitang or Beef Short Rib Soup, which is what I normally order when I visit a Korean restaurant. This variety of guk, or Korean soup, is prepared mostly from beef short ribs along with stewing beef, radish, onions, and other ingredients. However, in my opinion, it falls short of what I had at Seoul-Sky Restaurant, and I prefer this dish better when it is served with clear soup. (₱450.00)

Conclusion

The pricing is slightly higher than other samgyup restaurants, but I think it’s worth it. I also like the place’s spaciousness and the variety of dining options, so I’m going back. The food and service are excellent, and I can definitely tell that it has a very Korean vibe. Also please watch my short reel below!