This was true of the Korean restaurants in Cebu. A lot of Koreans are in Cebu for vacations or business, and some have decided to stay for good. Naturally, some enterprising Koreans put up restaurants to cater not only to Pinoys but also to fellow Koreans, just as Paulina Lee did when she and her family opened the Han Gang Korean Restaurant in Pusok, Lapulapu.

Korean Bacon on Lettuce Salad (fusion)

Korean cuisine generally consists of a wide array of panchan—little bowls of side dishes—to go along with more substantial offerings. Panchan includes a variety of the famous kimchi, salted fish, and namul—an assortment of crispy vegetables distinctly flavored with sesame oil and/or seeds.

Korean cuisine is also a colorful feast for the eyes. The assortment of vegetables prepared for each meal creates a rich, vibrant marriage of hues that invites you to have a bite and enjoy the flavors: the white, red and green mix in kimchi reflects its subtle, pungent yet hot flavor; the white and yellow speckled potato salad is sweet to the senses; and the green spinach is tangy-cool to the taste buds.

One dish that encompasses the rainbow of colors, flavors, and textures is the classic rice dish bibimbap. This is a bowl of steamed rice topped with meat strips, spinach, mushroom, carrots, bean sprouts, scallions, and a sunny side-up egg, along with the indispensable fermented chili paste called kochujang.

At Han Gang, as you wait for your order, Paulina will immediately serve you with free panchan consisting of an assortment of kimchis and namuls: the cabbage kimchi; Oi Sobagi or cucumber kimchi; radish; tempura; bean sprouts; spinach; potato salad and fresh Chinese cabbage or petchay; and fresh garlic slices and chili peppers. One must not forget the fiery kochujang.

Koreans eat the fresh petchay leaves just like pita bread: they fill it with kimchi or some namul, fresh garlic, and kochujang. The cabbage kimchi is so truly hot that I immediately tempered it with a spoonful of the potato salad, which was creamed with boiled egg, some finely grated carrots, and seasoned with salt and a hint of sugar. I also loved the blanched bean sprouts and spinach—it’s simple, yet the sesame oil and seeds exude a nutty and aromatic flavor. You may dip your fork or chopsticks in kochujang if you prefer it hot. The cucumber and the radish kimchis are less spicy than the cabbage kimchi. It more closely resembles the cucumber salad and the pickled papaya that Pinoys prepare.

Aside from the essential kimchi, Koreans are also known for their bulgogi or marinated beef kebab. At Han Gang, Paulina cooks the beef on a hot plate with lots of shallots, sliced sweet onions, and carrots. She marinates the thinly-sliced beef strips in soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, black pepper, minced garlic, and sesame seeds.

Beef bulgogi kind of reminds me of Pinoy tapa, with the special aroma of sesame giving it a distinctly Asian touch. What’s so special about Han Gang’s beef bulgogi is the super tender imported beef they use. You will never get a tender local beef unless you boil it for an hour or so. The thin slices also allow the marinade to seep through the meat thoroughly.

If you prefer something spicy, you can opt for the pork bulgogi. It carries the same name but is seasoned differently. Instead of soy sauce and sugar, kochujang is used to make it biting hot.

For a light meal, the bibimbap would top the list of choices. The seafood soup that is spiced with red chili is also a good choice.

Paulina boasts that she only uses fresh vegetables in cooking. Customers are assured of freshness as Paulina prepares the food herself daily in Han Gang’s kitchen. Without any formal cooking lessons, Paulina relies on her senses, memory, and observation in preparing Han Gang’s daily fare. She prepares food the way she remembers her mother doing it, devoid of any non-Korean influence.

Special ingredients like kochujang and sesame oil are imported from Korea. Paulina reasons that some items, like the sesame oil, have to be from Korea, as those made elsewhere taste different.

Despite having to import some ingredients, Han Gang’s prices, ranging from P200 to P300, are affordable, especially if you take into account that one main course order can actually feed two persons (or three on the diet). A platter of beef bulgogi is P300, while the pork bulgogi is P250. A bowl of bibimbap is P200.