Soban K-Town Grill

K-pop has truly taken the world by storm as a lot has already been influenced by anything Korean - from music, fashion, skin care, to food. And speaking of food, we had the chance to try this newest Korean restaurant in Robinsons Place Manila in Ermita. Soban K-Town Grill serves unique Korean-Mexican dishes other than the usual you've probably tried in some other Korean restaurants out there. 

During our visit, we had their Premium BBQ Combo Set, which is already good for a group for 3-4 persons. The set comes with 180g USDA Choice Premium Marinated Beef, 180g Pork Belly, 180g Boneless Fried Chicken, 1 Japchae, 1 Pajeon, 1 Egg Casserole, 1 Half Gimbap, 4 unlimited kimchi fried rice, soup, and side dishes.

The Kimchi Fried Rice already has this quite strong but not-so-spicy taste so better pair it with the non-marinated meat because it might just overpower those barbecue-flavored meat. Still depends on your preference though. The caramelized Boneless Fried Chicken is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Kimchi side dish is good and well-seasoned. It's crispy and it's not that spicy. I'm used to putting gravy on my mashed potato but theirs doesn't need it at all. Their mashed potato has corns and raisins that kind of mixed together adding flavor to it. They also have other side dishes like the peanut and anchovies and kangkong but there's really nothing special to it. As for the meat, their beef hanger steak is my fave! It's a bit sweet and really tender - just don't overcook it. For the pork belly, you can choose up to 2 flavors but I suggest you get at least one serving of the regular/plain pork belly. The side dishes will add flavor to your bite anyway when you mix it all together. I tried the flavored one and it tastes like tocino for me. It's their bestseller according to them so might as well give it a try.

Kimchi Fries is basically french fries topped with cheese, roasted pork bits, and kimchi. I love anything with kimchi so I'll be biased. This one's really good and they're quite generous with the toppings. I find it quite pricey though at P199 per serving. 

Japchae

Gimbap 

Coffee Crepe

Hey, they also serve beers!

All these are priced at P2,200. There may be some Korean buffet restaurants that offer the same at a much cheaper price but the ambiance, good service, and the quality of the food is what sets Soban apart from the rest.

Does this post make you crave for Korean food? Go ahead and visit Soban K-Town Grill at Robinsons Place Manila. You can also find them in Eastwood Mall, Greenbelt 3, ATC Corporate Center, and SM City North EDSA.

Photos by: John Nico Mullet