Hubby, the kids, and I checked out the newly opened Samsam Chikin Korean Cafe + Kitchen at Greenbelt 3 last Wednesday. It’s located on the third floor right in front of the cinema area. I first tried Samsam Chikin during the lockdown a couple of years ago, when they were exclusively a food delivery service. They’re a full scale cafe now, offering so much more than just Korean fried chicken.
The place is bright and cozy, albeit quite small. The space is maximized though as around 35 diners can be accommodated inside the restaurant at any one time. There are tables outside though if you don’t mind going al fresco.
I ordered Pumpkin Soup (₱260) for me because well, Pumpkin Soup is keto-friendly lol. It’s good — tastes like fresh pumpkin with cream. It’s garnished with what seemed like dried seaweed, paprika, and a splash of olive oil. The bread served with it is delicious too, I ended up eating them all.
Getting Sam’s Salad (₱420) is a great way to try their Black Sesame Fried Chikin which is really really good. In fact I daresay it’s my favorite Samsam Chikin flavor. Crunchy, tasty, and it just doesn’t get tiring. The veggies are fresh and nice too.
Since we’ve tried pretty much every chikin flavor except Black Sesame and Jalapeno, I ordered Jalapeno Samsam Chikin (₱750 for 4 pcs). It’s crunchy and covered with jalapeno and melted cheese. Delicious… went perfectly with the pickled cucumbers + onions and radish. It’s not spicy at all.
Creamy Rose Tteokbokki Pasta (₱750 for sharing) is another winner although I would’ve preferred it to be all tteokbokki without the pasta. Creamy and mildly spicy, I loved how they crafted the sauce. It’s hard to find a nicely balanced sauce that’s on point with the creaminess and spice and they got it. There’s also Korean sausage and fishcakes in the pasta.
Samsam Fried Chikin Sandwich (₱450) has their original Fried Chikin sandwiched in the middle of a hoagie with veggies and apple slaw. It’s served handcooked potato crisps and a dipping sauce that tastes like a better, lighter version of thousand island dressing.
This is the Bacon Benny Croissant Smash (₱670). It’s part of their all-day breakfast selections. A nicely laminated croissant is flattened and piled with veggies, a thick slab of Canadian bacon, and creamy scrambled eggs. It’s a rather unique dish which we all enjoyed. It’s served with salad on the side.
Iced Matcha Rose (₱280) is quite a heavy drink, consisting mostly of whole milk. We did appreciate the legit matcha they used but the drink just lands heavily in the tummy because of all the milk.
They do however serve the best Iced Dalgona Coffee (₱200) I’ve had the pleasure of trying. Perfect ratio of milk, coffee, and dalgona so it’s not overly sweet. We also tried a cocktail, Hibiscus Rose (₱265). It’s a light, refreshing drink made of soju and yakult.
For dessert, we tried the Yuja Ice Cream (₱185 for a single scoop). It’s their signature citron ice cream drizzled with honey citron. Very refreshing and palate-cleansing especially after eating fried chicken. Hubby and I liked it, though the kids found it too mature for their tastes lol.
If you want to try Samsam Chikin Korean Cafe + Kitchen, it’s best to go early (around 11am) if it’s a weekend or holiday as the place gets really packed during mealtimes. Weekdays are more relaxed. Everything we ate and drank was good, though a bit on the pricey side. I wonder if I can have the Iced Dalgona Coffee to go next time?
I have a video of our dining experience HERE.
Samsam Chikin Korean Cafe + Kitchen
3/F Greenbelt 3, Makati City
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