Nolboo House Restaurant

OK, here comes a post about my favorite Korean restaurant everrrr, Nolboo House or Nolboo Jib in Korean!  My favorite, that eventually became OUR favorite, that's me and the husband.

I discovered this restaurant about 4 years ago.  A friend mentioned it to me after a jogging session along the old Baywalk.  I tried it out, and well got so impressed that until now I keep on coming back.  My Korean friend JinYoung and I used to sate our cravings for Korean food there when he was still studying here in Manila and when he returned to fix some documents, we again dined there and he met the then-boyfriend Melvin who is the husband now. :)

Here're us the night before the husband's 30th birthday!!

Sad, wooden chopsticks, I prefer the old stainless steel ones!!

He prefers to have beer while waiting for the food!

And here they are!!!

Kimchi Stew (김치찌개)

My all-time favorite!!  Nolboo really has the best-tasting kimchi with all flavors blending in so richly and when made to kimchi stew, we can really get teary-eyed from its spiciness and tastefulness!  I swear, they have the best kimchi stew, not to mention the generous slices of tofu and one serve of rice that comes with it!

See that thick slice of tofu?!

The other food we ordered was bibimpap or mixed rice.  This is enough for both of us.  Rice plus the sautéed vegetables and egg can make the stomach bag nearly full.

Bibimbap (비빔밥)

As the name indicates, it should be mixed before eating.

I'm always the one doing it.  Put in the pepper paste and mix!!

The rest of the food are the free appetizers that are served before the main menus.  I wasn't able to take photos of each so my apologies if all cannot be seen closely.  The next time we dine there, maybe July, I'll make sure I have a pic of each of the appetizer.  But prolly not the same appetizers as in our previous visit because they usually change once in a while.

 

I get so thankful when they have tofu included!!

steamed okra.

Kimchi!! (김치) 

On one visit with JinYoung, they served us 2 kinds of kimchi.  One which was newly made and one that has already stayed in the refrigerator for a long time and is already good for making kimchi stew! 

Here's all of them.  Even with only two main orders, we were already soooo full and satisfied.  I haven't mentioned, the appetizers are refillable. *wink*

All these for roughly Php 550.  I can't remember exactly how much the kimchi stew is,  it's Php250-Php300 I guess, and the bibimbap is Php250.  I hope Nolboo hasn't changed the prices because they're really reasonable for this amount of food!

That's I and the man I have influenced into eating Korean food, especially the not-so-nice-smelling kimchi.

  BURP!

The food that we have tried is limited to only a few dishes that are cheaper and good for two people.  I sometimes order the same food I ordered in the previouse visits, why?!  Oh because I don't get tired of eating my favorites especially that they are so delicious!!

This place is quite famous to Koreans.  It gets more packed when the evening is getting late. The staff  is so accommodating and friendly unlike in YeDang, another Korean resto we tried but definitely not worth our comeback.  Will post about it soon!!

my VIP card.

We miss Nolboo.  If only it was nearer we would come so often.  It is located along Roxas Blvd, just before the right turn to Gil Puyat Avenue.  When you are near the area, and you love Korean food, there's no sense wasting time. :p

The Great ARIAKE!!

The husband and I spent the first Saturday of the birthday month in an ocean adventure where I met and shed some tears over the cute sea lions, Icys and Isabel.  For the second Saturday, we decided to do what we love the most, EAT!!  Lucky I was able to steal a deal in the bulk buying website CleverBuy (thank the heavens for bulk buying!!!).

We headed to Tomas Morato in Quezon City to have a taste of  the Japanese food Ariake Restaurant is offering.  It had been a while since our last gastronomic adventure so I was quite giddy but not so expectant.  I didn't expect a lot from the resto.  Not seeing much reviews led me to the assumption that not a lot of people dine at the place and rave about their experience. 

the entrance

We were the first guests who came so I savored the freedom of walking around and taking photos.

waiting...

 three tables with cushioned benches...

the table beside ours... pretty arrangement!!


to the restrooms.

the jar guards the restroom door...

closer look of the sushi bar... and that's Drew sitting!!

After some waiting, the food came and I had to put the camera down.  I totally failed to brace myself for what I called the "Ariake love" at first bite!!!  The love came without warning.

ok he's excited to eat!

The husband, while chewing his first makizushi, made his "oh-this-is-so-yummazing" face with closed eyes.  I always know when he finds the food delicious, because he makes that face...and this time, he even yummy-cussed!! After taking some photos I joined him in the feast, and indeed, the food was really namit!!

Let's have a closer look to the dishes that were included in the deal.

Special Makizushi Deluxe - 5 kinds!

They have the best maki sauce!  I had to ask for some when we took the leftover food out.  What we thought was Japanese Mayo was actually their home-made maki sauce according to Drew.  He gave us some to take home!

Yakitori  

We took home what was left of this too and gave my sister some.  As she put it, the barbecue sauce was perfect!!! True.  6 sticks of this perfectly-sauced meat!

Yakiudon

I'm not a big fan of pancit but I loved their yakiudon...the taste of the pancit alone was flavorful already, and the addition of seafood, mixed veggies and meat makes this yakiudon just worth raving about.

 

Mixed Seafood Tempura

These tempuras were really more than good, the breading wasn't nakakaumay.  Even when we deepfried them again the next day, super yummy still!  They included some vegetables though.  Squash, sweet potatoes and eggplant wrapped in the breadings.

And behold, our favorite, the most mouth-watering seafood dumplings!! ..very well presented... they look really succulent here ha and they indeed were!  The next day, they still looked and tasted as they did that evening.

approved!!

really enjoying!!

coffee jelly with vanilla ice cream for dessert!

The food was good for 4-6 people.  Sad that my sis wasn't able to come with us, she would have enjoyed the food too!  How much it cost us? Only Php 867 for food worth Php 2,015!!  We took home what was left of our food, and they packed them really neatly in styros.  The coffee jelly we brought out were also put in nice cups that we were able to hold comfortably while walking towards EDSA.

Aside from the food, there are more reasons for me to go back.  I really did wow silently when we entered the place.  

Ariake is on the second floor and what will welcome you on the ground floor are these beautiful flowers, arranged attractively at the entrance.

The place is really good for laid-back conversations.  It was quiet and had this spa-like smell and ambience.  I hardly smelled the food. The experience was very relaxing I would want to stay longer than 3 hours when we have the chance to dine here again.

The place is impressively neat. Even the restroom smelled so good and very clean it made me stay longer than needed to take silly photos of me in the mirror.   And the service...exceptional!!  The crew were very friendly and smiling, very eager to serve, hi Drew!

Two-thumbs up for Ariake.  I loved the experience!