Tiger Kitchen is now open, offering luxury Korean BBQ and unique, authentic Korean dishes for lovers of the cuisine and newbies alike. Located at Newport World Resorts, the restaurant aims to “broaden the horizons of Filipino diners by offering an extensive array of Korean BBQ options, beyond the classic samgyeopsal.”

Restaurant Story

Store Manager Kim Binna shared, “While samgyeopsal holds a special place as Korea’s soul food, we aim to introduce a variety of port and beef BBQ choices that showcase the rich diversity of Korean cuisine.”

Their commitment goes beyond their wide menu, but also in their use of dry-aged meat. Kim added that they are particularly proud of using this technique because aging their cuts in a low-temperature environment greatly enhances the meat’s flavor and makes it more tender. Kim also revealed that Chef Ji Young Jin has over 20 years of experience, including having worked in a five-star hotel in Korea.

“This expertise is evident in our dishes, which are continually updated to introduce new flavors and experiences,” she said.

What’s the Vibe and Venue Like

Tiger Kitchen’s space is the perfect blend of modern chic, authentic Korean elements, and cozy comfort – wooden chairs, shiny metallic accents, and a mix of round and long tables for groups of all sizes. It’s the kind of place where you could easily imagine K-Drama stars having a romantic dinner date – or a dramatic breakup, depending on the episode.

“Our interior combines a calm and luxurious atmosphere, perfect for various gatherings, whether it’s a casual meal with friends or a formal company dinner,” Kim explained. They also have VIP rooms for a more private, exclusive experience.

Definitely not your typical Korean BBQ spot in Manila, their offerings are not unlimited, they cook your meat for you, and they serve one-of-a-kind dishes that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere (we’ll explore this in a second!).

How Much Does It Cost

Tiger Kitchen has three premium meat sets: the Mixed Beef Set (P3,700), Beef Set (P3,500), and Mixed Pork Set (P1,700). Their ala carte beef options range from P800 to P2,100. For premium pork: their Black Pork options are around P1,500 for 200 grams, while their Iberico pork options are P1,200 for 200 grams. On the other hand, their regular pork ranges from P650 to P700.

Moving forward to their special dishes, their large hot pots range from P1,800 to P2,200. But these are massive – we kid you not. A hot pot can serve five people, maybe even more if you’re eating grilled meats and other dishes too!

The rest of Tiger Kitchen’s menu’s prices vary, from P400 for a Dosirak (lunch box) or P500 for a Kimchi Fried Rice, all the way to P1,300 for Galbi-tang (Short Rib Soup) and P1,200 for Haemul-bokeum (Stir-fried Seafood).

What is the Menu About

Korean BBQ places are all about the meat. While they offer the usual favorites like Chadol Bagi (Beef Brisket), Woosamgyup (Grilled Beef Loin), and Daepe Samgyupsal (Thin sliced Pork Belly), it’s their premium selections that really set them apart from most K-BBQ places. Black Pork and Iberico, what more do you want right? But for first-timers, you should order one or two of their meat sets! The beef triumvirate with Kkot-Deungsim(Rib-Eye),Chimasal (Beef Thin Flank), and Chekkutsal (New York Strip Steak) is a sure-fire winner.

Aside from their meats, they’re serving some serious surprises that lovers of Korean cuisine will be thrilled to see. For one, their Spicy Chicken Soup with ramen and fish cake – it’s comfort in a bowl, with a kick. But if you’re seeking something more adventurous, they have unique offerings such as the Gobchang Jeongol (Beef Tripe Hot Pot).

Overall, while Tiger Kitchen is primarily a Korean BBQ spot, you can also opt not to grill anything and go for their wide array of dishes, soups, and appetizers. They’re just as filling and freshly made by a highly-experienced Korean chef.

What Did We Try

For our first choice, it was a no-brainer to go for their Beef Set. Grilled to a perfect medium-rare, the meats were delicious, tender and juicy (pun intended). Plus, they were cut into bite-size pieces for us – this is where you go to if you want to be pampered, honestly.

Beyond the grilled meats, we went for the Gobchang Gui (Beef Small Intestines) Soup, Spicy Chicken Soup, both the Mul-naengmyeon(Cold Buckwheat Noodles) and Bibim-naengmyeon (spicy version), and Kimchi Bokeumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice). To make each bite unique, they also served an assortment of Banchan(Kimchi, stir-fried potato and vegetables, dried fish flakes, soy eggs, radish kimchi, and seaweed).

What We Liked

As you can probably tell, we were practically rolling out of the restaurant when lunchtime ended. For a Korean BBQ restaurant, the other Korean dishes held up well against the grilled meats. They were not the side dishes or extra food that you would anticipate. As we mentioned, you can enter this restaurant, not choose a single grilled meat, pick a couple of their other meals, and walk out completely happy. It’s an authentic Korean restaurant that also has a BBQ grill – and we mean this in the best way possible.

But we’d be lying if we said that the BBQ dishes weren’t our favorite. That New York Strip Steak? It’s the stuff of dreams – thick enough to satisfy your meat cravings and so tender that you completely ignore your brain telling you that you’ll be in a food coma later. Grilled to medium-rare perfection, it had just enough scorch but was not too burnt.

Their Spicy Chicken Soup also stood out as it 100% delivered on the spiciness. You can ask them to add some water, however, to turn the heat down a couple of notches. To turn this red-hot soup into an even more of a comfort dish, they also add a couple of sticks of fishcake and ramen noodles. If we were in our pajamas and relaxing on our sofa with a K-Drama playing, this dish would’ve completed that experience.

We also have to hand it to their cold buckwheat noodles. Whether it’s the original version or the spicy one – we prefer the latter! – you can never go wrong with this. The interplay of temperatures and flavors when you eat it with freshly-grilled meat drove us speechless. Oh, and before we forget, make sure to add a dash of vinegar and hot mustard to further elevate these cold noodles!

Lastly, we couldn’t miss their Kimchi Fried Rice! While we’ve made this dish ourselves dozens of times, Tiger Kitchen’s version is one-of-a-kind. They use some of the soup from the Gobchang Gui (Beef Small Intestines) and the result? More flavor, more complexity, and more reasons to ask for seconds!

What We Didn’t Like

Every bite is unique in Tiger Kitchen – meat mixed-and-matched with an assortment of banchan, with or without greens or grilled onion and mushroom, paired with cold noodles and other dishes, etc. To sum up, there are limitless options to enjoy your meal, and no chopsticks- or spoon-full is the same.

For those who are new to offal, however, the Gobchang Gui might be an acquired taste. While adventurous eaters may love this soup, those with more sensitive stomachs may not be so thrilled. The Spicy Chicken Soup may be a bit of a challenge, but adding water can help those with lower spice tolerance levels to try out this dish.

Lastly, while there are plenty of choices on their drinks menu, we would’ve loved to try out some Korean hot tea such as Bori-cha (Barley Tea).

What You Should Order

Given their plated menu, you can expect to spend around P6,000 for two to three people. Here’s what we recommend: the Beef Set (P3,500), Bibim-naengmyeon (Spicy cold buckwheat noodles, P570), and Spicy Chicken Soup (P2,000).

Needless to say, this restaurant is not a budget-friendly option, but you do get what you pay for and by that, we mean high-quality meat, impeccable service, and authentic Korean cuisine. Just remember to bring your appetite and maybe a loose dress or stretchy pants – trust us, you’ll need them.

In the end, Tiger Kitchen is where you want to go if you want to feel like Korean royalty. If you want to treat yourself, celebrate a special occasion, or go all out and try something different, then this Korean BBQ spot is highly recommended. Just be prepared for the food coma that is sure to follow – it hit us like a ton of bricks on our way home. But isn’t that the ultimate sign that you had a truly comforting and filling meal?

Location:Tiger Kitchen, Ground floor in front of Hotel Okura, Horizon Center, Newport Office Bldg., Pasay City

Contact Details: 0968 730 1843 or email them at thetigerkitchen.adm@gmail.com

This food review is based on a complimentary media tasting provided by Tiger Kitchen in exchange for a truthful review and no compensation. The opinions expressed within represent the views of the author.

Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Delish Eats reviews here.