Before Korean restaurants started popping up in Tomas Morato, there was Chung Mi Rae, probably the oldest Korean restaurant in the area. It is located along a small street and is quite dark so it is hard to find. Furthermore, the sign says Korean delicacies which one might mistook it for Korean desserts.
The interior is clean and simple, with so,e Korean artworks hanging on the walls. The second floor is where the kitchen is. Many Chinese and Koreans dine here as well. Service, although friendly, is super slow, so it is not recommended to enter here during a famished state. There are only 3 staffs, so it takes awhile before your food goes to your table.
The food, on the other hand, is delicious. They offer a lot of varieties for their banchan. I love the spinach pancake and the caramelized flattened tofu best. Since we are just two and we are craving for some soup on a rainy evening, we opted to order the Budae Chigae. The medium sized version costs about Php830, but the servings are good for 3-4. I remember each of us having three full bowls. The dish is very authentic and complete. I love the blend of ingredients which included: ham, sausage, bacon, tteokbokki (korean rice cakes), enoki mushrooms, tofu, and kimchi. When we asked for our bill, they also gave us free Korean ice cream.
Chung Mi Rae has been in the area for almost 10 years and with good reason. Food is delicious, and price is reasonable. read more