Dining Snippets: Joeun K Gui x Raging Bull Burgers x Stockwell Café and Lounge
JOEUN K GUI (Previously CHAGHAN GUI)
With all the unlimited Korean barbecue concepts popping up, it’s getting a bit tricky choosing where to go. Selection is getting similar, and prices are getting competitive. For me, it all boils down to a few non-negotiables: food safety/handling (we don't want to be stuck in the toilet for hours right after), convenience (location, reasonable waiting time), and the banchan. The banchan may be treated as mere sidekicks; but I believe they have the power to make or break a meal.
UNLIMITED ALL BEEF AND ALL PORK (P499)
Joeun K Gui’s Unlimited All Beef and All Pork features a familiar assortment of marinated and non-marinated meats such as the Pork Gochujang (a personal favorite), the Marinated Bulgogi, and the Pork Samgyupsal. A couple of their servers were snobbish, but the warm and eager-to-serve demeanor of their fellow staff members made up for this. In terms of convenience, Joeun K Gui had an unfair advantage over other similar concepts as it is just a mere 10-12 minute walk from my house. Its banchan selection and quality is strikingly superior. Most restaurants would just have a handful of sides you end up availing of refills, but Joeun K Gui makes it difficult as the sides actually clamor for space in your stomach intended for its grilled meats.
Joeun K Gui
GF, PGHI Hotel, 1235 E. Rodriguez Avenue, New Manila, QC
Date of Visit: August 10, 2018 with Lily Chua and Jem Chua
RAGING BULL BURGERS
MIGHTY BEAST (P275)
A casual offshoot of the Raging Bull Restaurant, the Raging Bull Burgers offers a stripped-down limited grab-and-go menu consisting of burgers and sides. It has very limited seating capacity so it’s best to come in with a lot of patience. It helps that their service crew are more than enthusiastic to banter with and entertain their hungry patrons.
NAKED FISH (P275)
My friend Hazel and I were having a difficult time choosing which burger we’d like to have. Since we were both eyeing the Naked Fish and the Mighty Beast variants, we decided to just split both variants so we could have the best of both worlds. The Mighty Beast is the classic variant served by Raging Bull Burgers; featuring a hefty 1/3 pound Angus beef patty and huge slices of maple bacon; which promise a meaty flavorful bite. For those opting for a lighter alternative, the Naked Fish features an equally meaty grouper fillet patty wonderfully paired with an addicting zesty tartar sauce. If I were to choose between the two, I’d go for the Naked Fish solely because of how amazing its sauce was! You can't go wrong with either though!
Raging Bull Burgers
30th St, Shangrila at the Fort, Taguig City
Date of Visit: August 15, 2018 with Ina Chua, Angelli Dykimching, and Hazel Yap
STOCKWELL CAFÉ AND LOUNGE
GRILLED PORK CHOP (P220) and LONG BLACK (P110)
I never thought I’d find the perfect plate of pork chop in a coffee shop; but somehow Stockwell Café and Lounge serves up Grilled Porkchop, which is perfectly cooked and reasonably priced. For a price of P220, you’re served with a hefty serving of tremendously tender meat (yep, no need for knives here) which is juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Added to that is that it comes with a lip-smacking gravy that’s perfect when drizzled over some hot rice. To make the dining experience even better, Stockwell has a pretty decent coffee selection as well. For those looking for a sweet cup of coffee, my mom swears by their 50/50 variant.
Stockwell Café and Lounge
61 Scout Tobias St, Diliman, QC
Date of Visit: August 27, 2018
