Matgalne: A new Korean buffet in the Metro!

Last week, I had been craving for samgyupsal and Korean food in general. What better way to satisfy this craving than to eat in a Korean buffet restaurant! :) It was my birthday week too so yay for guiltless spending of money!

I had been in this place once when the clinic I am training at decided to have a party here. It's also just a few blocks away from the clinic so I convinced my friends to spend my birthday having dinner there~ :D

Here is the route for those who will be coming from Taft Ave. I will include 2 options this time! :)

OPTION A:

1. Ride an LRT line 1 going to Baclaran and get off at EDSA station (fare is 20 pesos if you are from Balintawak and Roosevelt, 12 pesos if you are from Quirino, Vito Cruz, Gil Puyat and Libertad station, and 15 pesos for everywhere else). The train drivers usually say "EDSA-Pasay Rotonda" when you arrive at the station.

2. Go to the exit and take an overpass to go to the MRT line 3 (North Avenue bound). You can either pass through Metropoint mall or just cross the bridge to get there.

3. Buy a ticket going to Ortigas (fare is 12 pesos)

4. Once you are in Ortigas, you walk to the back of SM Megamall. You'll be seeing BSA Twin Towers condotel and the adjacent St. Francis Square. Beside St. Francis Square, you'll see a perpendicular road. This is Dona Julia Vargas Avenue.

5. Just walk along Dona Julia Vargas Avenue and you'll be seeing streets parallel to SM Megamall. You'll see Ruby Road (the one with McDonalds near it), then Emerald Ave/Ortigas Jr Ave., and then Garnet Road, and then Sapphire Road.

6. Turn left on Sapphire Road (landmark is Caltex gas station) and you'll see a building with a huge "Office Warehouse". You either walk through the sides of that building or go around it and there you have it on the second floor! :D

OPTION B:

1. Ride an LRT line 1 going to Baclaran and get off at Gil Puyat Station. Cross the road (going to the road opposite to Roxas Boulevard) and ride a bus going to SM Megamall.

2. Get off at SM Megamall and go to the back of the mall using the passage at the center (the one immediately beside Convergys building). This is Dona Julia Vargas Avenue.

3. Read step 5 and 6 from above. :)

I decided to eat there during my birthday (November 6) and invited a few friends to join me. We (buffet buddy, Lorainne, and I) arrived at the place around 6:30 in the evening and there were lots of vacant seats (probably because it is a weeknight). The place was kind of cozy, not too much smoke, although you'll know that the patrons grill when you go inside judging by the smell. The place has enough space for lots of people too, the tables aren't too cramped and the buffet table gives easy access and has room for everyone to dig in.

Each table for 4 has one grill, it is not attached to the table so you can move it anywhere in the table if you wanted more space for you to eat.

The staff greeted us loudly after we came in and a girl immediately escorted us to a vacant table. She also asked us if we want the food to be served already or are we still waiting for someone else. Of course, we said to bring the food pronto. 8D

What is good (BEST!) about Matgalne as compared to other Korean buffet restaurants is the fact that they do not only serve unlimited samgyupsal (pork belly), but they also serve unlimited chadolbaegi (beef!!!!)~!! <333

Enough of the talking, here are some of the pictures of the food! :D Sorry for the crappy photos and limited quantity of the food in the photos. I took this 30minutes to 1hour before their closing time so we can't really expect the trays to still be full of food. These are usually full, promise! >_<

Pan fried mushroom!

The pan fried mushroom tastes like egg. At first, I thought it was pork omelette so I tried it, but when I took a bite, I was surprised that it was so squishy. I even thought it was tofu omelette if I didn't go back to the buffet table to actually look at its name. The mushrooms didn't have a distinct taste, it's mostly egg you'll be tasting.

 Soy bean paste soup!

I wasn't able to fully taste the soybean soup because I am not really fond of soup. But Chris and Lorainne said that the soup actually tastes good. When I tried it once, I can say that it was pretty tasty. There was a fresh feel to it and it actually takes away the "umay" once you get too used to the food.

 

I think this was stir fried spicy pork? Sorry I forgot! D:

I wasn't able to taste this one too, but Lorainne said that it was spicy. Too spicy, she might add. :)) Aside from that, she wasn't able to describe the taste in detail.

 Got tired of eating savory food? They have banana fritters too! :D

I tasted this one when I went here the first time. Being the hungry being that I was back then, I didn't look at the name and thought it was dynamite so I got 2. I was actually surprised when I took a bite and realized it was sweet. I thought it had raisins too (and I hated raisins!). Anyway, the sweetness of the fritters wasn't overwhelming. In fact, I think they didn't even use sugar in this because the only thing I was able to taste was the sweetness of the banana. Not sure if it will put you off though, seeing as we Filipinos really loved our turons sweet.

 

Kimbap

Their kimbap was okay. It had the taste of a regular kimbap (with the cucumbers and other stuff). No complications, just plain ol' kimbap and I think it's okay. (Could've been better if it had been reheated though xp)

My beloved. LOL joke, this is just kimchi haha!

The kimchi was soooo nice and I am not saying this just because it's my beloved, Haha! Their kimchi is really nice to the palate. It wasn't too strong and overpowering (unlike the extremes I have tasted before), yet it didn't lose the authentic flavor of kimchi and its Korean-ness. It wasn't too spicy, and the flavor and aroma stays even though you grill it. (Yes, I do grill kimchi too!)

Sweet potato! :)

Breaded fish cutlet :)

Their breaded fish cutlet stays true to its name, it is breaded before anything else. O.O Actually, the only thing I was able to taste in this dish is the breading. I didn't taste the "fish cutlet" at all. The fact that it was cold too probably added to the slightly disappointing taste. Plus points for the sauce though, it was really nice!

 Salad island!

This dish had no name but based from my friend, this is just rice with chili paste wrapped with lettuce.

Lorainne tasted this one since I tried to shy away from rice while I was here. She said there was nothing special about it, just rice wrapped in lettuce and topped with chili paste.

 

Japchae!

Best japchae I have ever tasted! What I loved about their japchae is that it isn't as sweet as the japchaes in other restaurants. It tasted more savory than sweet, and I liked it better that way! The food was cold but it didn't make the food less delicious.

They also have japchae wrapped in seaweed and egg (which I forgot to take a picture of!) and it was nice too! The food was cold though (I had to grill the thing as well), so it will probably taste better if it was fresh from the pot.

 Deep fried mashed potato balls

Ever since, I had mashed potatoes as one of my first mature food loves. I was actually elated when I saw that they have these, but I forgot them until Lorainne got some and I ate one. Their mashed potato is actually good. There was a hint of salt and pepper underneath and there was an undertone of sweetness to it as well (probably they put milk or cream?). The breading and the texture was also good because they included bits and pieces of potatoes in it too.

 Seasoned baby aster

What is also fascinating about Matgalne is that they have a "make your own" bibimbap and soft noodle station! They even have laminated cards in these sections (in English!) so people will not get confused! :)

Laminated instructions~!

 

 Ingredients for the soft noodles!

 

 My masterpiece! :D 

The broth was actually nice. It had a flavor that is just right (when it comes to saltiness?) and it complimented the noodles and the vegetables well.  

Wasn't able to take a picture of the laminated instructions of bibimbap. Sorry. #sorrynotsorry

 

Ingredients for the bibimbap!

  

 My other masterpiece!! :D

I actually liked this! 8( But when Lorainne tasted it, she said it isn't good. T.T I am going to justify it by saying that the vegetables were really tasty and there was a unique flavor to every ingredient that complimented everything else. You know that feeling when a cookies and cream ice cream melted and got mixed with a belgian chocolate ice cream? And then they were frozen again? Yeah, that kind of feeling. It was very tasty and the chili pepper paste wasn't too spicy too! I think I put too much onions though, and since it was raw, I think my breath changed after I ate it. Haha!


And, last but not the least... hail~!

Samgyupsal (pork belly) and chadolbaegi (beef)

I actually forgot to take a picture of our first plate since we got carried away when it was placed in front of us, so this is our 2nd batch! For the taste, you'll actually know that the pork isn't that fresh when you grill it. There is that smell from when you store pork in a fridge that is not evident when the pork is fresh, but nevertheless, it is still okay. The pepper paste was good too but I think it was a bit on the salty side? Not that I am complaining though, I liked my food salty so I drowned the pork and beef there. 8D We had 8 pork refills and 9 beef refills. Surprisingly, I wasn't that full as compared to when I eat at other non-Korean restaurants (probably because of the veggies overload?) #sorrynotsorry Hahaha!

The servers were also very prompt and alert whenever we ask for refills, whether it be water, pork, or beef. The lady who attended us was also kind enough to change our grilling plate when it became too sticky (because of the kimchi I grilled! sorry!)

We decided to call it a day (regretfully!) when we saw that we were the only ones left inside the restaurant (it was past 9:00pm I think?) Haha! Nevertheless, we all had a good time.

Overall, my Matgalne experience was awesome! We (Lorainne and I) consider it as the best Korean buffet restaurant in the Metro as of yet! The food was very satisfying, the place was very homey, and the staff were very prompt, kind and alert to the needs of the customers. The best part of this food trip is that everything comes at a cheap price of 399 pesos, inclusive of everything! That is unlimited samgyupsal, chadolbaegi and Korean food for only 399 pesos! Comparing it to other restaurants that offers a plate of samgyupsal for 300 pesos, what else can you say? :D

I wasn't able to meet the owner personally, but I'd want to, someday! (I have heard that she stays at the restaurant during some days!)

What do you say about this restaurant? :D

Matgalne:

ORTIGAS BRANCH:
2F Millenium Place Bldg.,
Meralco Avenue Ortigas Center,
San Antonio, Pasig City, Metro Manila
Tel #: (02) 632 – 9714

MAKATI BRANCH:
4768 Kalayaan Avenue Corner Mariano Street,
Poblacion Makati City, Metro Manila
Tel #: (02) 890 – 2949