March 29, 2024
The sizzling grill that is what samgyeopsal is all about with honey pork, bulgogi pork, enoki roll, and beef bulgogi among the meats that go into the lettuce for a yummy mouthful.

Some may say that the Korean grill samgyeopsal is the same everywhere until you try the new place called City Palace. They have a different presentation and variety of side dishes that delight people like me who like maki and grilled meats together. This place does not have an open bar but neat shelves that keep the side dishes and meats chilled for the diners at any time.

Panna cotta in the back row, beetroot roll, rainbow roll, bonito roll, sesame roll, vegetable roll are the unli maki rolls available.
The take out bonus for the first visit is the City Palace maki roll.

The first striking difference is the marinated meat instead of the plain pork and beef slices. I must say that my favorite was the beef bulgogi strips because this is the tastiest part of beef with the fat that tenderizes it. There is something about this part of the beef used in bulgogi that is savory when taken in the right amount.

The chicken teriyaki that is included gives a thicker texture in the meat.

The honey pork ssamjang is a little spicy for those who like a little chili with the meat.

The enoki roll is the enoki mushroom rolled inside a pork strip. This makes the straw like mushrooms tastier.

Meats include pork bulgogi, honey pork ssamjang, chicken teriyaki, beef bulgogi, enoki roll, plain pork, and plain beef.
Kani salad, fried tofu, sweet potatoes, and marbled potatoes are side dishes.
Beetroot roll, sesame roll, caterpillar roll, vegetable roll, and pickled beetroot are must try them all.

There are plain strips of pork and beef for those who like their meats simple. You grill these meats according to your preference, I like mine crispy.

The Maki here are a delightfully new sight. The Caterpillar roll is green because this has avocado used to top it and a dab of mayo on the slices. The beetroot roll is topped with sweet, pickled beetroot to give it the red tinge. The special City Palace roll is the most colorful and I presume it is called rainbow roll for the orange curly carrot and beetroot strips sprinkled on top of the mayo dribbled over the sweet mango wrap on the rolled rice in seaweed. Those who are familiar with the regular fillings of maki might find this a little more exciting because the cucumbers are cut julienne style. This makes the rolls softer and easier to eat. Apart from this, they add mayo to make each bite delicious for those who do not like wasabi. The tangy pickled beetroot is a refreshing difference in this buffet. The sugar beets are cut in fine strips and when these are presented in plain rolls that look like flowers. There is a lot of wisdom in using pickled vegetables and mangoes in the preparation of the maki. These should be among the delectable adventures at City Palace.

The side dishes that are different here are the fish cake, squid flakes, fried tofu, tempura beef, and the tteokbokki. There are side dishes that are common to many like the bean sprouts and marbled potatoes. The water spinach or kangkong side dish was one offered for the day. The jajangmeon in black bean sauce is included for those who like noodles. There are more of these to enjoy. The fried tofu is a great addition here for those who prefer this. There is the panna cotta that one can have too as a choice. This makes for the dessert together with slices of watermelon.

Tteokbokki and fish cake are main side dishes in the samgeopsal buffet.
Side dishes of bean sprouts and kangkong are in the glass cabinet.


The Ebi tempura here is delicious too. The crispy shrimps wrapped in batter were delightfully dribbled with sweet soy sauce and sesame. There’s no cheating in this because there was shrimp in every bite.

Newly opened, there are vouchers to entice the eaters to return more than six times because there are take-out treats when you leave. We got a box of City Palace rolls after this meal and when we return for a second buffet, another treat awaits us after eating. On the sixth, we will have earned the rights to have a buffet for free. In all fairness, this samgeopsal is fairly priced. This should be one of the stops for those who like Korean and Japanese food.

My favorites in one buffet is something to look forward to at City Palace.