Newly opened samgyeopsal restaurant Mr. Hong’s tickles Filipinos’ palate with its unlimited barbecue selection served with lechon sauce.
Along with unlimited servings of lechon sauce, guests can also enjoy unli kimchi, lettuce, marble potatoes, onion leeks, bean sprouts, fish cake, steamed egg, cheddar cheese, and other side dishes and dips.
“We studied the existing establishments and we added some elements that we know people will be looking for, then streamlined the food and service,” said Mr. Hong’s president Paul Izon Reyes. “Ours is simply good Korean food, slightly tweaked to please the Filipino palate.”
Another unique feature is its table mechanism, a first-of-its-kind in the Korean BBQ industry. The tables can be minimized or extended as needed.
“It is difficult to eat alone in some samgyeopsal concepts because all their tables are for sharing, and are fixed for groups of four to eight. That’s the tricky thing. Our tables, however, can accommodate one to four persons. For bigger groups, the tables can be extended to accommodate up to eight persons or more,” explained Reyes.
While waiting for their turn to be seated, guests are invited to wear the hanbok, Korea’s national dress, and take photos with the Korean elements stamped in all corners of the restaurant. A mural collage features Korean pop culture such as Gangnam characters, Taekwondo matches, and K-Pop bands, among others.
The name Mr. Hong’s was inspired by the first Korean national Reyes met when he was a child. Moreover, the Korean symbol of “Hong” means “big.”
“Our goal is to grow big and we teach our staff to practice becoming ‘big’ everyday, in the effort they give to serve every guest, the goals they have for the restaurant, and even in their personal visions. We encourage them to think and feel big,” Reyes said.
Mr. Hong’s Unlimited Samgyeopsal has branches at Vista Mall Taguig and Starmall Alabang. Its third store at Starmall Edsa-Shaw will open this month.
