Taste Authentic Korean Food at Leann’s Tea House
Lovers of authentic Asian cuisine need not spend further or travel farther to taste real Korean food when in Manila. Leann’s Tea House, an unassuming restaurant located on Mother Ignacia Street, is now offering delicious Korean dishes that are available at budget-friendly prices. What makes these dishes doubly authentic is that the restaurant uses treasured family recipes and only the choicest ingredients to guarantee an enjoyable dining experience. As a family-owned restaurant, Leann’s Tea House chooses to serve flavor and quality rather than quantity.
Bibimbap. Healthy and filling.
The flavor is indeed evident in the bowl of bibimbap–a dish made of perfectly cooked rice and oodles of meat and vegetables. For me, Korean food tend to be all about restraint, which also serves as a reflection of the Korean culture. Dishes are made of a lot of vegetables and very little spices, making them a stark contrast to Filipino cuisine. Surprisingly, though–or maybe unsurprisingly, given the Filipinos’ world-renowned hospitality–Filipinos are embracing Korean food, TV shows, music, and nearly the entirety of the East Asian nation’s culture. And the answer is probably simple. The Koreans have taste! And their food may lack eye-popping flavors common in–ahem–Filipino cuisine, but the harmonious blend of sweet, salty and savory definitely makes up for it.
Bulgogi. A stir-fried concoction of finely sliced beef and vegetables.
Bulgogi has been one of my favorite go-to viands whenever I visit Korean restaurants. The idea of biting into spoonfuls of mildly salty-sweet beef slices and rice just makes my famished self happy all the time that I almost always order bulgogi whenever I get the chance. And if you think Leann’s bulgogi is just like any Korean restaurant’s, you’ll be surprised by how absolutely wrong you are. The beef makes or breaks this dish, and Leann’s hits the spot with its incredibly tender and deliciously fatty meat. And the beef just tastes like cow. You know what I mean.
Japchae. Stir-fried glass noodles and generous amounts of beef and vegetables.
Japchae is my mother’s favorite, and it’s obvious why. At Leann’s Tea House, you get a decent-sized portion (read: good for one person) of a noodle dish that probably has equal parts beef, vegetables and actual glass noodles. Just goes to show that you actually get value for your money at this place!
L.A. Galbi. Sweet and tender beef served with lettuce, onions and garlic.
Don’t miss out on this L.A. Galbi (Barbecued Beef Short Ribs). It’s sweet, tender, riddled with juicy fatty bits, and just overall exuding awesomeness!
So go on, delight your senses with Korean classics like a bowl of Bibimbap for Php210, a serving of Tonkatsu Kimbap (rice roll wrapped in breaded pork) for Php250, a serving of Japchae for Php210 or a plateful of L.A. Galbi for Php420. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, try the somewhat unusual fare like a slice of Hameul Jeon (Seafood Pancake) for Php250 per serving, a bowl of Kimchi Bokkumbap (kimchi fried rice) for Php185 or some piping hot Seafood Doenjang Jigae (mixed seafood in soybean soup) for Php300.
Lunch sets available come with free iced tea. For your lunch you can try seafood ramen, bulgogi rice, spicy pork rice or tonkatsu rice for just Php180 a pop. Available drinks include fresh fruit shakes, Coca-Cola products, San Miguel alcoholic beverages, and soju.
Now that Groupon is offering a gastronomic feast that will appeal to the discerning Filipino palate, who would want to miss out on tasting quality Korean dishes when in Manila?
Click picture to visit Groupon deal.
Leann’s Tea House
105R Mother Ignacia St., Q.C.
Hours of Operation
Tuesday to Sunday 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
