Korean Bakery

We were walking according to instructions from the owner of Gani hotel to find the street where we could get a ride to IKABUD, a popular Filipino restaurant in Angeles, Pampanga. Just a few stores along the Main Gate Friendship Terminal and in front of Mr. JJ supermarket, we noticed a well-lit store bearing "Korean Bakery" for a signage. It was quite interesting since it stood lined along small conventional Filipino stores which were just walls apart. Since, we were hungry for a sumptuous dinner at that time, I put my curiosity behind. As soon as we finished dinner, we really had not much choice but to go back to where we came from to avoid getting lost in the city. When the jeepney halted at the crossing near Mr. JJ, my thoughts wandered and my curiosity began to rise again. When I learned that my companions wanted to go back to the bakery which to me brought both emotions of relief and surprise, I strut silently behind them grinning.

Main Gate Friendship Terminal in Angeles, Pampanga. Photo from here.

 

I have been to Korean restaurants before but I had yet to see what their bakery looks like. When we entered, it was just a glass-walled store lit under fluorescent lighting, a long cake stand in front, and some bread and cookies display on the sides. It was simple but not the cakes. You could set apart a Filipino, American, or European cakes from the Korean creations. Theirs were particularly adorned with fresh slices of colorful fruits. While our bakers put solidified fondant strawberries theirs had the actual version. While our cakes are flavored mainly with delectable chocolates (be it white, black, or brown) theirs had green tea, berries, and other healthier options. My companions got so drawn to it that they decided to buy one out for an evening dessert. They picked the Green Tea cake with fresh Kiwi, orange, and cherry toppings.

Although uncertain if all Korean cakes are prepared with the same level of sweetness, the green tea cake did taste appropriately sweet. That appropriate sweetness is by the way quite a contrast to our usual cakes that bear heavy sugar ingredient suited for the sweet-toothed customers. We seldom fail luring customers with excessive sugars because chocolates and candies were after all supposedly sweet but the deviant and healthier Korean cakes won me over the former. It may take time for Filipino taste buds to acquire this sugar-less taste on Korean cakes but baking cakes this way definitely makes it the healthier option. Now, we can eat more slices than the usual, guiltlessly.

More pictures of Korean Cakes here:
My Korean Kitchen
Minjeongie

Other food places in Angeles:
Mr. KimBob
Ikabud

Location:

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Where to Eat in Angeles

Mr. KimBob (BIBIMBOB)

When you are but a sojourner to a place, starved and you don't know where you can find safe and good food, the nearest malls and nationwide fast food shops are the best way to go to. In Angeles, Pampanga, after checking in Gani Hotel from the airport, we headed out to SM Angeles City. It took us only about 5 to 15 minutes to finally reach the mall by foot. Despite hunger, we decided to scan the foodcourt for anything appealing and new. We were eyeing for Pampanga dishes, however, none came up worth looking back. We didn't stop looking until we reached the last stall. It looked set apart from the regular restaurants we passed by and interestingly had a long line of customers waiting to make an order and pay to the cashier. Obviously, it was fast food but not the common ones you see in almost all places in the Philippines.

Mr. Kimbob stall in SM Clark (Angeles)

Their Menu Board

Mr. KimBob is a Korean restaurant that offers a variety of Korean Meal Combos from Bulgogi to Japche and Donkatsu. They also have their famous Bibimbob plate that contains almost a small portion of each type of vegetable they had available, rice at the center, topped with fried sunny side up egg and marinated beef cuts . They serve their dishes sizzling hot. We noticed that the customers pour a lavish amount of the chili paste on the plate so we followed.

(Right) Bibimbob

Like most Korean food, the dish especially with the chili is like level 3 spicy and HOT. For one who likes chili flavored food, I'd say it was just perfect to diffuse my jetlag and fatigue. I finished meal 16 (Chicken Bites) in a flash. My two other companions ordered each a Bibimbob (a personalized name for the original Bibimbap Korean recipe) and had to pick out some of the vegetables they didn't like to eat. Among the blanched vegetables in Bibimbob were kangkong, chayote, carrots and cabbage (blanched and kimchi version). I would still have eaten all that but my spicy chicken bites were just enough which by the way was priced neatly at 99 sizzling pesos.

(Left) Sizzling Chicken Bites. (Right) that starved sojourner.

It was a great food start in Angeles and fun knowing that Mr. KimBob has yet to reach the Visayas and Mindanao regions in the Philippine archipelago.

Find Mr. Kimbob locations here.

Other food stops in Angeles City, Pampanga:
Korean Bakery
Ikabud

In Angeles City, find Mr. KimBob in SM Clark foodcourt.

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Where to Stay in Angeles

Budget is always a factor when creating a travel itinerary. Oftentimes, accommodation takes the bigger slice. However, if you are clever and patient enough in browsing through the numerous options in the internet, you will certainly find a good one that fits your budget and hopefully tidy, secure, and accessible.

In Angeles, Pampanga the one that fits this description for me is Gani Hotel. Although, more of a hostel, it still managed to leave us a good impression. I merit their establishment even from the first day I contacted them through their published mobile number. They replied earlier than the other 3 pension houses I reached on the same day. Some do not even have the courtesy to answer. When asked about reservation down payments, they didn't even require it. I was told that I can pay in full upon my arrival.

Ate Teresa (3rd from left) was our contact person for Gani Hotel

On the day we were expected to arrive, we did as told, settled the full amount for 2 nights stay and was escorted immediately to the room reserved for us.

Gani Hotel has a total of 6 air-conditioned rooms with 2 queen-sized beds which can be converted to 2 single beds, if preferred. It was pretty much complete with amenities like: own bathroom, large wall-mounted television, dim lights, and cable connection. Lodgers are provided fresh blankets, towels, a soap bar, and tissue paper. The WIFI connection is also available for occupants use. The wall is concrete and the door looked secure with installed locks.

The building looks like a house that was converted to a hostel so it can become income generating. It had a sala where you can relax and sit with friends and a cold and hot water dispenser which you can take advantage for free when making coffee or cold juice. The disposable cups for both purposes are also provided. Adjacent to the sala is their Captain Davo's bar where you can purchase and drink shots of whisky and cold beer. For the non-alcoholics, the same area keeps a huge fridge where you can buy sodas and other bottled juice.

Captain Davo'sBar

On accessibility, Gani is located about 5-10 mins away from SM and Fields Avenue (a park) in Angeles by foot. It is not situated along the hi-way but not necessarily far from it which was a plus to keep dwellers isolated from disturbing noise of passing jeepneys and other vehicles.

Consider it also a plus to be serviced by a few of their staff who speak Bisaya esp. if you come from the Visayas region. On service, I would say that they are a team of approachable and friendly crew.

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Room Rates
Queen Deluxe Room (Single Bed for 2 persons) - P1,200.00/day
Twin Deluxe Room (Double Bed for 2 persons) - P1,200.00/day
Extra bed - P350/night

Tip: Try to get your negotiation skills at work. It does not work all the time but I did manage to get the room booked for 4 persons at P1550.00. You might get lucky yourself.

How we reached Gani Hotel:
  1. From Diosdado International Airport, ride an air-conditioned jeepney going to SM Angeles. (P50 per pax)
  2. Ride a tricycle from SM to Gani Hotel. The tricycle drivers know where it is and can take you there at P50 per ride regardless of whether you ride solo or with friends. They impose that fixed price when riding in a trike around Angeles City.

Gani Hotel
3757 Third St., Balibago, Angeles City, Philippines 2009
Phone: (63) 892-5177 or (63) 889-5344
Cell: +63 0928-651-5548
E-mail: ganihotelphilippines@yahoo.com


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