Ho Galbi

Maria Celina Sarah Espela

2.0

A few weeks ago ( I can't remember when exactly), website sent me a 1000php gift certificate for Ho Galbi. I was super excited! I mean, you know, free food. Unfortunately we hadn't gotten around to it till earlier today. We availed their lunch buffet which was 399/person.Their selection was pretty limited, even for a lunch buffet. It was just one long table, a sushi bar with a drink station in front (choice of lemonade, iced tea or water and ice from a mini cooler), hot pot mini table and the ice cream / dessert station. Most of the food didn't have labels on them which was hard because you won't know what you'll be eating. I do appreciate restaurants who label their food or those who put short descriptions on them, I wish Ho Galbi did that. In my mind, this Korean restaurant would serve flavorful Korean dishes. Like the ones my Korean best friend used to cook for me or at least like the ones in top Korean restaurants. It sadly did not meet my expectations. The whole time we were eating we kept waiting for the wow factor, you know, when your mind would register it as really good Korean food and you'd get more of it on the next round, when your mind would say I'd have lunch here again tomorrow and bring all my friends; that never came. The food was good, it wasn't what I expected, but it was good. I was still satisfied with what I ate and the hot pot I did like because of the sweet soup. Like I said in my other buffet review, I do appreciate a buffet with unlimited drinks, so that's a plus.There was this weird thing during our meal though... This guy wearing civilian clothes kept going at our table, adjusting the extra seat and the stove. He never explained what he was doing which was a bit rude since we were at the table and we didn't know what he was doing. We were surprised because that's never happened at any other restaurants we've been to. I guess there's always a first.I can't say if what I ate was worth 399. Maybe if they widen their selection a bit (yes, even though it's a lunch buffet) or improved their facilities. I believe that people should get their money's worth. So I'm happy that this meal was free! -That's my take away in all this. Anyway, I always try to encourage people to try it out before they judge based on what other people, including me, say. Thank you website for sending the Gift Certificate! Happy Eating! :)-E

Dannreyes18

4.0

First of all, thank you website for sending me GC worth P1000 for Ho Galbi! Who wouldn't want to eat for free?! :)Was so happy knowing I will eat here for free, prior to receiving the GC, we were really planning to dine here to try some good Korean cuisine. Upon entering the restaurant, we were very much welcomed by the staff...the place was spacious, had a second floor, and with chill music making it cozy enough to dine at. We had the option to order a la carte or go for the dinner buffet for P699. Initially, we opted for just the a la carte. But with all the preparations the staff was doing - bringing all the food out to the buffet table, and varied choices actually shown, with only 3 minute passed and we changed our minds haha! We went for the dinner buffet! The waitress was kind enough to tell us that buffet was a better choice since almost all the food in a la carte are available in the buffet.So there, first I got their Kimchi as an appetizer. It differed from the Kimchi bought in the supermarket since it was not so strongly flavored, and was light and crispy all the way, which I really liked. Too bad I was not really able to take pictures of all the food, because I came hungry and excited, and it was kind of panicking choosing what to eat! You can see the picture I uploaded to get a glimpse of how many choices there were!! Came back for more Kimchi then I got some baked potatoes in light cream, which I don't know the title/description (I hope they indicate labels in the buffet though so people know what they are eating). Got some good fried rice for sharing which tasted like Yang Chow. Finally going for meat - I got the Galbi JJim which was braised short ribs with special sauce and veggies - the ribs was so tender and really complemented its sweet and a bit spicy sauce. Next I saw some pansit which looked so nice, then the waitress told me it's Korean style pansit Sogogi Jabche - glass noodles, with beef, onions, bell pepper in soy sauce. I really loved it, I kept coming back for it really, the taste was so light and flavorful, you will definitely be satisfied even if you only eat the noodles I swear.As seen in my picture, a variety of meat is shown, in all sizes and shapes! We ordered a plateful of the korean barbeque known as Bulgogi, there are two types I forgot what they are called! We had the option to grill it on our table but we just had them cooked by the staff.... so we can eat other food while waiting! Haha. So while waiting for our barbeque, I got some fish and chicken fillet, of course with my favorite pansit on the side. I think I also was able to taste some of the fried squid as well! Then tan tan tan tan, the barbeque arrived! And it was absolutely cooked to perfection! Thinly sliced as requested, tender yet so flavorful!!! Finished the whole plate, of about 6 slabs in a few minutes! ;) Ahhh... 699 bucks for eat all you can Korean food for dinner is definitely worth it! A cozy resto in Tiendesitas with spacious parking, great food, varied buffet choices (drinks and desserts included)....what else can you ask for? Was sooo full we didn't have room for dessert...but no worries, coz we are going back anytime soon! Thank you very much website again for the sweet treat!! :)

Armand Ramadhan

2.0

The taste is not Korean Authentic at all. Better go to a hole in a wall Korean resto in Makati with same price.

Reny

4.0

I came to Ho Galbi expecting an open air buffet; while not a big restaurant, there is a pretty good selection that definitely gives bang for the buck. We could choose from four kinds of sashimi - tuna, tuna belly, salmon, and lapu-lapu. The latter was a treat, especially. There is also a small selection of makis (California). A pre-order of sashimi was delivered to our table.A very polite wait staffer volunteered to set up our tableside shabu-shabu on an induction cooktop stove. She combined soy sauce and peanut sauce, noodles, greens, corn, some surimi (that's the Japanese word for their processed meatballs and fishballs, ha ha ), some seafood and meat. We had that together with some very delicious grilled meat and seafood, which I picked out, handed to the server for grilling, and was also delivered to our table.Watch out for very fresh, very delicious salmon, which their cooks grill to just the right amount of juiciness, not overcooking it. That along was worth the visit. There was more to pick from at the pre-cooked station, which unfortunately isn't kept heated, so perhaps it won't be for everyone, but there's meat stews, japchae, and different kinds of rice to pick from. Coffee is included, as is an unlimited amount of Big Scoop ice cream, which comes in vanilla, chocolate, and green tea. The place has a homey feel, nice quiet music (old Standards, great fun!) but be warned there are no sneeze guards or covers to the food, if that's a concern.

Abdurrahman KARAKELLE

4.0

Serving authentic Korean cuisine in an art themed setting is Ho Galbi at Tiendesitas.Evidently, Ho Galbi has that cozy atmosphere with walls decorated by nice paintings. Though specializing on Korean cuisines, its interiors have that Filipino touch with its ceiling designed with local Philippine mat (banig), wooden tables and rattan chairs. The white walls made the place looked simple yet classy.Ho Galbi prides itself with their Korean barbeques with their imported meats. They will be the ones to grill it for you. Just get some at the buffet table and ask a dining staff for assistance. They also have Chap Chae, the favorite Korean stir-fried noodles. Together with my plate of Chap Chae are Grilled Mussel in Mozarrela Cheese and Shrimp Teriyaki which are both overly good (they easily got empty in the buffet table). Another signature Korean dish that they have is the Bibimbap that literally means mixed rice. We also had some Shabu-shabu that we cooked on our own. Their dessert does not have much variety consisting of fruits and some pastries.If you’re not that hungry, you can opt to order their ala carte meals. But if you want to try a lot from their menu, go for their lunch or dinner buffet.Lunch Buffet: PHP399 (Mon - Fri, 11AM - 2PM), PHP699 (Sat - Sun, 11AM - 2PM)Dinner Buffet: PHP699 (Daily, 6PM - 11PM)For more travel and food reviews, visit my blog at: