The PolyHobbyist: korean

If there's something that I'm quite hesitant to try despite being a self-proclaimed food lover, it is to eat a completely different cuisine. For the record, I never tried Korean before thinking that their taste buds have a higher level of tolerance when it comes to all things spicy. But when I saw this unique place of what it seems to me like a "Train to Busan"-inspired restaurant in Facebook, I began to think twice. Then I saw that it is a Korean BARBECUE restaurant. That keyword really spoke a lot to me. And I knew I had to drag Chad into eating Samgyeopsal which he ecstatically accepted. What happens next? We got a reservation for two after a few days!

Overloaded Mural Cuteness!

Brace yourselves K-pop, Korean Drama fans and food lovers alike! The coolest and newest Korean Barbecue place has finally arrived! Aaaand just a fair warning, this is a photo heavy post. Aaaaand you might just get your samgyeopsal cravings working. *wink* *wink*

This train won't leave you, unlike your ex :P

At first, I thought that this may be inspired out of Train to Busan but when I read the other reviews, this concept came from the owners' love for travel and barbecue. Finding this place won't be a hassle as this protruding train is very visible to everyone.

Must Knows

Seoul Train is located at 28 Sergeant Esguerra Avenue, South Triangle, Tomas Morato, Quezon City
I highly recommend to get a reservation instead of walk-ins because the seats are very limited(There are only 6 tables available on the main dining area). You can contact them through facebook or via landline: 02 2872446 for a reservation.
They're open from 11 am to 2 pm and from 5:30 pm to 10 pm
There's somehow like a minimum order when you dine there. You should get either one of their premium meats which costs around 800 to more than 1000 pesos or order two of their barbecue meals.
Budget for 2 is a minimum of 1200 pesos when you have such a hungry tummy,
Dining time is limited due to other reservations but I think the time they gave us is enough for us to enjoy the food
They have a VIP room which you can get for P3000/table on weekdays and P5000/table on weekends.

The Train and the Station

I won't mind waiting here as long as I get those toys!

I really admire how consistent this restaurant is when it comes to their theme. From the sound of a choo-choo train to the K-pop music videos being played on a screen in the dining area. This place is too cute not to be noticed! They even have toy vending machines and toy cranes which I guess is for the people in the waiting area.

Despite being a small restaurant, I found it to be spacious. I can move freely. Even when the dining area is full, I still feel comfortable. You don't even need to worry about smelling like barbecue when eating because they have an exhaust on top of every grill.

Dinner on board the Seoul Train

The Ultimate Samgyeopsal Experience

And the most important part of this post, foooooood! Seoul Train offers a lot of Korean dishes including the popular Bibimbap, Japchae and of course! Samgyeopsal. But it being a barbecue place, they require you to avail their korean barbecue dishes. We ordered, Woo Samgyup, Samgyeopsal, and Kimchi Bokkeumbap(Kimchi Fried Rice).

I must say, they have the best service quality I ever had. They even cooked the barbecue for us which is an advantage for me because I can snap photos without worrying that our meat may get burnt. They are also very approachable and attentive.

Kimchi Bokkeumbap (P260.00)

I've known Kimchi ever since I started to watch Korean Dramas. I even remember Gu Jun Pyo munching Kimchi in Boys over the Flowers so I thought maybe Kimchi is delicious. Until the time I got to try it in a Korean noodle restaurant to which I really didn't like the taste. But Seoul Train's Kimchi Bokkeumbap or Kimchi Fried Rice is a completely different story. It is served in a sizzling bowl with a sunny side up on top. I really liked the right amount of spice it has. It is amply seasoned and the serving is just right to be shared by me and Chad. I even ate it with our barbecue and they blended well on my tastebuds.

Woo Samgyup(P400.00) and Samgyeopsal(P350.00)

Lettuce and Sides

As for our meat, we had thin(Woo Samgyup) and thick slices which we used for our Samgyeopsal. Just note that this is not unlimited so that's really all that we had plus a refill of lettuce. I liked the thin slices more because the thick one combined with the other dressings won't fit into my mouth. And I'm just surprised that I loved adding Kimchi to my Samgyeopsal. They also have special sauces where you can dip the meat which add a different kind of taste to your Samgyeopsal. It's a good thing for me that the sides are not that spicy. You can add chilli on your samgyeopsal if you want a spicy one.

Seoul Train gave me a very good impression of authentic Korean dishes. There's none that I didn't like during our dining experience. From the meat to the sides, the quality is A+! And just like what Chad and I both said the moment we leave this establishment, we will always come back here every time we crave for Samgyeopsal.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. Plus I'll be making a video of this for my latest blog project! Enjoy the rest of the photos! ;)