2.10.2015

Beyond Pan Fried Rice: O'Rice Korean Restaurant in BGC

Beef Stew, Bulgogi, Kimchi, Pajeon -- these are just some of our usual orders when dining in Korean restaurants. Among Asian cuisines, my family often goes for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. There aren't too many Korean restaurants we frequent, so I'm really glad we discovered the recently opened O'Rice and were able to try new exciting dishes.



A few weeks ago, I shared with you our overnight stay at F1 Hotel with my some of my blogger friends. As if our staycation was not enough, we also got invited to dine at O'Rice Korean Restaurant, thanks to Jane who got us all together that weekend of the Papal visit.  The timing was perfect since it's very near the hotel. So, after we all checked out, our families proceeded to have lunch at O'Rice at Forum in BGCThe fun continued as we enjoyed each other's company over delicious Korean food.


Look how bright and colorful the restaurant is! It's our first time here and the place is quite comfortable. The atmosphere is vibrant and cheery -- a casual dining place that's definitely a good choice for families and friends looking for a friendly and affordable Korean restaurant.


The specialties were served and we started with the Army Base Stew.  This ramen noodle dish is mixed with ham, sausages, ground pork, mushrooms, tofu, and vegetables in a flavorful broth with a mild spicy kick. 


I'd say the stew is an interactive dish because it's served on a tabletop burner where diners can "cook" and serve themselves.

Here's a trivia I read in the menu:  
Army Base Stew (Budae Jjigae) is the first recorded fusion dish made after World War II.


Next came the Sausage Bacon Fried Rice, perfect for meat lovers, especially bacon lovers like me! =)  This big bowl of kimchi fried rice (sort of rice topping dish) is an explosion of flavors, from the rice to the sausage and bacon, then drizzled with honey mustard and teriyaki sauce. I suggest you order this with a more simple dish to counter the rich flavors -- malasang malasa ito, and it can be shared by two or three people.


O'Rice Beef Bulgogi Fried Rice is my favorite among the dishes served.  It's perfectly marinated in their special mix of soy sauce, onions, grated pear, and honey. The fried rice is mixed with bean sprouts and green onions.  Both kids and adults can't get enough of this dish. This bowl was wiped out fast!


Andong Chicken Stew looked like afritada with sotanghon. It didn't stand out, and compared to the other dishes, it tasted bland for me. I learned it originated from the Andong province, it is slow-cooked with potatoes and glass noodles in a special broth.


Another favorite from O'Rice is this colorful Pan Bibimbap. It's a mixture of sliced beef and veggies, served with kochujang (red pepper paste) and topped with fried egg.  The medley of flavors complemented each other, including the avocados! It's a surprise winner for me since I rarely order bibimbap.  Our server mixed it for us on the spot for our convenience.


All the dishes served were pre-ordered by our host, except for this one -- I didn't get the actual name of this chicken dish we ordered for the kids.  I think it's crunchy garlic chicken with a mild sweet-spicy glaze sprinkled with peanuts.  We had the glazed, and one bowl without it for the little ones who can't take anything with heat. The kids loved it, I loved it -- both ways! =)


Sushi rolls in a Korean resto, why not? The moms agreed the Tuna Kimbap is delish! It's filled with creamy tuna flakes with rice, kani strips, and fresh vegetables, wrapped in seaweed.  The Spicy Pork BBQ Kimbap was good too, with thin pork strips, veggies and kani.



For our beverages, most of us ordered their very refreshing house blend iced tea, while the boy had his usual ripe mango shake.  They come in these cute mugs too!

I was so full. But still, I made room for dessert. O'Rice also has a freezer full of.... what else, but imported Korean ice cream! Service deluxe from their very friendly and competent food attendants. 

We all grabbed our choice of ice cream sticks, sundaes, and ice cream sandwich. My frozen vanilla sundae was light, not so creamy. It's individually packed in this very handy plastic cone holder, which came a cover.


Here's a peek of their menu.

O'Rice offerings are truly value for money. I wish they open more branches, particularly in my side of the hills. =)  The resto has the same owner as Yoree Korean Barbecue Restaurant, located just beside O'Rice.  I have yet to try Yoree.

I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at O'Rice Korean Restaurant. That's the truth. I highly recommend it to families looking for hearty, authentic, reasonably-priced Korean specialties. Many thanks to O'Rice for hosting this lunch for our families. Really good food and in good company at O'Rice!

Jane, Aencille Santos (center), me, (seated) Cai and Tina.

Get the latest updates and promos from O'Rice Facebook page: ORiceKoreanFriedRice



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