The Best Spots to See in Korean Town Pampanga If You're A First-timer

Samgyeopsal refers to sliced pork belly. In most Korean places, diners cook it on the grill on the table. To eat, add your choice of vegetables and ssamjang (a seasoned mixture of chili paste and soybean paste), wrap the mix in lettuce, and then dip it in gireum-jang (sesame oil with salt and black pepper). Some of the side dishes that go with this dish include pickled and stir-fried vegetables, egg pudding, miso soup, sweetened, boiled baby potatoes, fishcakes, and tofu.

Locals have grown fond of this dish because of its unique taste and preparation. That’s why it’s no surprise that many unlimited samgyeopsal restaurants in Angeles City, particularly in Korean Town, have opened. Here are some of the well-known ones!

1. Jang Soo Korean Restaurant

Operating Hours: Daily, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Jang Soo Korean Restaurant offers an unlimited samgyeopsal for PhP290 per person, with unlimited side dishes and drinks. Although the place is not as clean and cozy as most restaurants, its rate is cheaper, and the food is tasty, so it gets crowded quickly.

2. Yu Ganne 2 Samgyupsal Galbi

Operating Hours: Daily, 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Just a few meters away from Jang Soo is Yu Ganne 2 Samgyupsal Galbi. Its unlimited samgyeopsal promo is at PhP250, and this already includes unlimited side dishes and iced tea, and a slice of watermelon and Melona ice cream. It also has ala carte menu options and an unlimited samgyeopsal and buffet offer for PhP299.

For a different kind of unlimited samgyeopsal experience, go to the inner streets of Korean Town and look for Clark Renaissance Hotel, a European-inspired four-story hotel. The place offers a buffet dinner and unlimited samgyeopsal combo at PhP500 every day, with free use of the swimming pool and videoke thrown in the mix.

May 2020 Update: Clark Renaissance Hotel is temporarily closed.

Cap off your sumptuous Korean samgyeopsal feast with sweets and desserts. Since there are various Korean desserts available, we’ll break them down. It’s a short walk from the restaurants to Korean Town’s coffee and pastry shops, so you’re just a few steps away from satisfying your sweet tooth cravings.

1. Jiin Bakery and Coffee or Mr. Parks Bread and Cake

Already full? You’ll make some room for these irresistible bread and cakes from either Jiin Bakery and Coffee or Mr. Parks Bread and Cake. Both offer freshly baked loaves of bread and elegantly-designed cakes. The bestsellers in Jiin Bakery are its matcha flavored cookies and the mini seashell pastry, while Mr. Parks is known for its mini-cream puffs, which you can take home in boxes of the 20s and 30s.

Try some bingsu, a popular Korean shaved ice dessert topped with fruits, condensed milk, cookies, cakes, red beans, and/or ice cream if you want cold treats. To get this in Korean Town, head to Snow Bingsu where you’ll be greeted by an Instagram-worthy ambiance perfect for selfies and groupies. Here, some must-tries are the Green Tea Bingsu, Oreo Bingsu, and Mango Bingsu. The restaurant also has other food, drink, and dessert choices, including waffles, frappes, and smoothies.

May 2022 Update: Snow Bingsu is permanently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Coffee en Tree

Operating Hours: Daily, 12:00 PM to 3:00 AM

For those who chill after dinner with desserts and coffee, Coffee en Tree is the place to be It is located on the third floor of the Ecco Building to view Korean Town. Aside from coffee-based hot and cold drinks, tea and cakes are also available. Don’t miss its green tea latte, green tea frappe, and green tea cheesecake.

Operating Hours: Daily, 24/7

If you’re not up for a dine-in experience and want to enjoy Korean food and treats in the comfort of your home, you can go grocery shopping at either IM-Mart or Sing-Sing Hi Mart. You’ll find various Korean items at almost the same prices in both stores. Below are some of our recommendations.

For something to munch on, you can get assorted snacks such as chocolate, milk, or strawberry-covered breadsticks from Pepero; choco-filled biscuits; custard cakes; different variants and fillings of choco cream pie; and Ghana chocolate bars.

Another Korean supermarket bestseller is Melona Ice Cream. It has a creamy consistency and comes in refreshing, fruity flavors like honeydew melon, strawberry, mango, and banana. For a cheaper deal, you can buy a whole box. Another unique Korean cold treat is bungeo-ppang, which translates to “carp bread.” It is composed of a fish-shaped wafer stuffed with vanilla, strawberry, or red bean-flavored ice cream.

You might already be familiar with the trending spicy noodle challenge, and if you want to, you can actually try it for yourself! You can find packs of fire noodles in both Sing-Sing and IM-Mart. However, if you can’t stand too much chili but still want to have hot Korean noodles, you can buy a variety of a whole pack of ramyun (noodle soup) instead.

You can also recreate a samgyeopsal feast complete with side dishes at home, as IM Mart and Sing-Sing Hi Mart also offer frozen slices of pork belly or beef cuts and different choices of side dishes, fresh lettuce, and ready-made ssamjang.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more restaurants and dining options in Pampanga and Central Luzon!