Resto Feature: Top Dish Korean Restaurant, Makati

June 13, 2011 / 0 Comments
Being an avid Korean food lover, I am always on the prowl for great and authentic Korean restaurant experiences here in the Metro. I have been to Kaya and especially love their Dolsot Bibimbap and I also blogged about this unnamed Korean restaurant here in my blog. A few weeks back, I finally found the time to eat at this restaurant again and finally got its name – Top Dish. Thank you to my good friend CB for showing me this resto. This is really one of my go-to places for an authentic Korean food experience.
The place is quite non-descript with an unassuming entrance and it seems like it’s just an ordinary house outside if not for its white and bright signage in Korean and English. The first time you come here, you’d be amazed because the entrance to the restaurant is also by way of their kitchen. It is kind of weird but works for them fine. It is owned and managed by a Korean couple and they are always very welcoming of their guests. This is also one of those restaurants where I see a lot of Koreans eating inside. Methinks it is a testament of their good food and authenticity in providing and showcasing Korean fare here in the Philippines.
As usual, a wide array of banchans was again served to us. Banchans are the side dishes that all Koreans usually eat with. This is given for free in Top Dish and is something that I really appreciate because I think that if you want to offer the unique and original Korean eating experience that this comes hand in hand with it like how they really do it in Korea. We had some spinach sautéed in sesame oil, sweet potatoes, potato omelets, spicy “dilis”, sautéed bean sprouts, kimchi and some other appetizing stuff. The red pepper paste and soybean paste were also staples at the table.

We ordered their roasted gizzard. It was served together with some fish sauce with garlic bits and jalapeno slices. You eat all of it together and the result was outstanding. I never thought I’d get much pleasure in eating gizzard but the way they presented it and how it is eaten Korean-style made me a convert. It was salty, spicy and had a pleasant chewiness that wasn’t rubbery but just right. I definitely enjoyed this dish.

Then we ordered some of their sweet and spicy chicken. This was fried chicken with a generous slathering all over of the sweet and spicy sauce. This is somewhat similar to what BonChon is offering but I have to say that this fried chicken dish trumps what BonChon has to offer and at a great price. It was still crispy even though it was dressed in a thick sweet and spicy sauce which was finger-lickin’ good. The meat inside was tasty and juicy and just so yummy. I keep coming back to get some more.

We also had some Korean noodles – Japchae which is glass noodles cooked the Korean way. It was just okay but nothing really remarkable as the gizzard and chicken.

I still have a lot of things to try out in their menu and I can’t wait to go back again to test out the other items and see how they hold up to my taste buds but definitely Top Dish is one restaurant you would go back to if you are wanting that authentic Korean eating experience. This is where I get my regular fix. The place is quite small and cozy though and would fit about 16 people all in all.

My Rating:
Price: 9/10 (value for money, around 300/person) not bad for authentic Korean food.
Place/Ambience: 7/10
Food: 9/10
Eating in groups is great so you can share the cost and try out a lot of other dishes too.
Top Dish Restaurant
4890 Durban Street, Makati City near P. Burgos.
For reservations call 758-1122.

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