Somang Kimchi Restaurant

A few years ago, if you would've asked me to try Korean cuisine, I might have shunned the idea right away. But over the years, I realized that it is important for me to be open to new cuisines, not just my favorites, if I want to be a serious foodie. And I am glad I did because I've come to appreciate international cuisines that I never would've imagined trying out for myself, which includes Korean. 

E and I had been planning to try out Somang Kimchi restaurant for the longest time but never pushed through with it. Somehow, I find myself going back to my old favorites i.e. Japanese and Italian restaurants, or even the good old fast food. But I am glad that I finally did because it turned out Korean food is more exciting and creative as I had imagined it to be.

Join me as we glimpse into Korean food with some of the servings I've tried from Somang Kimchi.

Before our orders arrived, we were served with a wide range of side dishes to whet up our appetite for the full meal ahead. These are small servings that were contained in small serving plates. However, I did enjoy digging into each of them because every side dish has something unique to offer. Of course, there is the traditional Kimchi that is probably Korea's most popular dish, which I got to sample despite my aversion for spicy foods. It was surprisingly not as spicy as I thought it would be although the aroma is quite potent. 

The Kimbap is one of Korea's specialty dishes. This is also one of my favorites so I was excited to sample how Somang Kimchi's authentic Kimbap would be like. If I remember it correctly, there were slices of mango, cucumber, crabsticks, and scrambled egg stuffed inside the rice and seaweed. I love the combination of flavors and the fact that there is a slightly sweet aftertaste to it. The serving costs around PhP 150, which is a bargain because you get more or less 10 pieces with every serving. I was actually surprised that it had several slices as I expected approximately half of what was served to us. And if you are going to eat at a Korean restaurant anyway, you might as well try the Kimbap.

Next on the order list is the Squid Bulgogi Noodles. Love this dish! I did not know what to expect and I was blown away. It is simple and the seasoning is not too overpowering, which is why I loved it! The vegetables are cooked and seasoned just enough to highlight the ingredients' natural flavors. Meanwhile, the squid is cooked until very tender that they're easy to bite into. I also have to note that the dish comes with large slices of squid meat so they definitely are not one to scrimp on their ingredients. The noodles that were used for this dish is unlike anything I've tried before. It is light yet filling. The sauce coming from the bulgogi mixture does complement the noodles very well.
 

With new Korean restaurants opening up in Davao, I should have more on my list of options to choose from when I want to explore more of this cuisine. Have you tried Somang Kimchi? If you know of other Korean restaurants, be sure to send details in the comment section so I can try them out, too!

Somang Kimchi Restaurant is located in J.P. Laurel Avenue, beside Chowking and fronting Victoria Plaza Mall.

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