Bibimbap Friday Misery At Kogi Bulgogi Eastwood

I've read at least 5 blog reviews highly recommending Kogi Bulgogi's affordable and delicious authentic Korean cuisine. And so we went, two Fridays ago, and tried hard to digest what affordable and delicious authentic Korean cuisine really meant.

Kogi Bulgogi, owned by Pepper Lunch Food Co, failed to impress us that night. The food was decent but we kept wondering why it was highly-raved.

That Friday Night's Woes:

1. The long wait time for seats and for the food to be served. This is the least distressing because we had to understand that it was a Friday night (the place was seriously packed!). But because we had to endure, we expected quite highly from the meal we're about to to gobble up. There were free seats along the veranda but we preferred dining al fresco sans the cigarette smoke. 

2. Squished customers + more. By the time we got seated, we realized that the table for six we arranged for was a makeshift. My sister was closely beside the ice cream freezer while my brother sat 'neath a dripping aircon. My bf had to sit still lest the rear leg of his chair slides off the decorative gutter.

I know we could've refused to be seated in such manner but we were utterly famished that we, again, endured (and smiled for the photos).

3. Food Quantity. Chef Frugal must've prepared our bibimbaps himself. You can barely distinguish the meat in each dish.

Dulsot Bibimbap (Beef, veggies and egg)

Salmon Bibimbap (Salmon, veggies and egg)

Sae-u Bibimbap (Shrimp, veggies and egg) has the most appreciable quantity of meat in it

A photo of their bibimbaps on the menu

Also their usual 6-7 plates of Banchan (appetizer) was reduced to 5

We also ordered Haemul Tang (spicy stew of mixed seafoods) because of how yummy it looked on the menu

We waited to be served with soup where the seafoods are almost popping out of the pot. Unfortunately, all our crustaceans may have fallen deep into the pot's abyss

Nothing much about their Jjajangmyeon (Wheat noddles topped with black soybean sauce with diced meat and vegetables)

I can't say it was a completely terrible experience though. The food was decent and we liked Kogi Bulgogi's neat and sophisticated interior. The customer service was fairly okay but I'd like to note that only the trainee (I forgot to take photo) had commendable performance.

Overall, I'm not crazy about this place. Food is definitely affordable but there are other Korean food joints that give you more value for your money while letting you experience authentic Korean dining (within the radius of de Leon Street, Holy Spirit Drive in Don Antonio Heights, Commonwealth). 

DID YOU KNOW THAT: Bibimbap is concerned with presentation… Everything arranged beautifully and in balance. It can truly almost be considered a work of art when properly prepared

I hope Kogi Bulgogi does something about their bibimbap. The quantity is very disappointing for its price.