[a Korean foodie haven: LEANN'S TEA HOUSE]

Our family will always be drawn to anything Korean, especially the cuisine. The ban chan or side dishes, the grilled meat or galbi & the spicy soups are our usual orders whenever the cravings come.

A couple of weeks ago, I got another shot at trying Korean fare at LEANN'S TEA HOUSE, this time with some new mommy blogger friends. I just couldn't pass up on this chance for another dining experience, even if it meant taking the taxi from a mall where I parked my car which was under the number-coding scheme that day. The love for Korean food just beckoned. :)

I arrived at the restaurant & caught some of the ladies already enjoying some barley tea time. I liked the simple dining area set-up on the second floor with the drop lanterns, dark-colored booth seats & Asian bric-a-brac providing the cozy ambience.

Getting right down to the food. For starters, they served us the banchan, an assortment of side dishes like the bean sprouts, spicy cucumber slices, mashed potato, & kimchi. The potato salad became  an instant favorite! :)

Then came the appetizers, the Hameul Jeon (seafood pancake)  & Japchae (glass noodles mixed with beef & vegetables).  They did not scrimp on the ingredients & both were cooked just right,  the noodles were still firm & the vegetables retained that crunchy freshness.

The Spicy Daeji Gui (spicy pork barbecue) had that sweet-spicy kick,

but was toned down by a warm, hearty Seafood Doenjang Jjigae (mixed seafood in soybean soup).

The classic Bibimbap (mixed rice  with beef, assorted vegetables & egg) is quite filling by itself. the sauteed & well-seasoned vegetable toppings were not a mushy bunch at all. The gochujang (chili pepper paste) made it more flavorful, though I wish I had a fried egg instead of the fresh one.

Or you can have the lean & well-marinated Galbi, (grilled beef or pork) for a healthier option. My family is used to wrapping the meat slices in greens but pairing it with rice worked just as well.

If you like eating rice rolls, you should try their Tonkatsu Kimbap because it is given a new twist. The rice roll is wrapped in breaded pork so you get that crispy yumminess. :) Very filling!

On the other table, we also had bowls of Shabu-shabu, a merry mix of fresh vegetables, slices of lean meat & assorted balls, 

which you can cook in two kinds of broth - the regular & the spicy. 

I opted for the spicy broth, a taste which I probably acquired from my hubby. ;)  

The delicious food we partook was paired with either a smoothie or a soju cocktail. I went for the non-alcoholic one, the Tropical Four Seasons (a masterpiece combining  mangoes, watermelon, fresh oranges & pineapple). Sweetness was just right with all the fruity goodness. :)

My seatmate, Rosemarie, wanted to try something chocolatey, so we shared the Paradise Passion (a unique concoction of peanut butter, banana, vanilla & some oreo). This beverage cum dessert would surely be a hit with my daughters. :)

Finally, we had cups of hot tea. I got the honey jujube (Korean date) variant, which I think worked well as an after-meal drink.

LEANN'S TEA HOUSE is a Korean food specialty restaurant owned by a Chinese family. According to Ms. Jiselle Chua, the gracious hostess/restaurant manager,

they take pride in not using MSG in their dishes, so the customers are assured of delicious, healthy food, not to mention, also affordable. 

Check out the place. It can be found along Mother Ignacia St. in Quezon City. They are open daily except Mondays.  For other inquiries & details, you can go to their Facebook page.

Thanks for the lovely time, ladies! Till our next food adventure. :)