What to Try at the Your Local + Culinary Class Wars Pop-Up in Rockwell
Exclusive dishes by chefs Young Sook Lee and Jihyung Choi; new plates by Your Local's Chef Pat Go; and more until June.
(SPOT.ph) Unless you have been living off-the-grid for the past few months— or maybe you’re just one of those people who do not like food (horrors!)— then you have surely heard of the global reality show sensation Culinary Class Wars from South Korea. Perhaps one of the most ambitious food shows every produced, it captured the usually minuscule attention span of an entire generation and catapulted some of Korea’s culinary icons and food industry rising stars into the world’s consciousness.
Lucky for us, Tasteless Food Group founder and owner Charles Paw had some Korean connections that opened the door for a collaboration with his homegrown brand, Your Local. Executive chef Patrick Go, of course, thought this was a great idea. “Since I’m a fan of the show as well, it was a no-brainer to bring these talented chefs in for a series of exclusive dining experiences,” he expresses. From this emerged Your Local’s third pop-up at Balmori Suites Chef’s Table dubbed Mat Nam, a colloquial Korean term that loosely means “where the flavors meet.” Aside from new event exclusives from the talented Go and his team, there will also be a rotating menu from the visiting Korean guest chefs bringing their own distinct culinary style for a limited-time experience.
As seen on the show, each Korean chef brings their own distinct approach to cooking. For the pop-up’s almost two-month run, four chefs will be joining Go and his team for an “episode” that lasts approximately two weeks each.
Also read:
Saying Goodbye to Kaya Korean Restaurant's First Home
Culinary Class Wars Chefs Hold First International Pop-Up at Your Local
Culinary Class Wars specials at Your Local's Mat Nam pop-up
Limited-Time Specials by the Chefs of Culinary Class Wars
The first leg, featuring "white spoon" chefs Young Sook Lee and Jihyung Choi, opened just last Sunday, April 6, and will be there until April 23. They'll be showcasing their own distinct versions of Korean cuisine, with two dishes each (these are exclusively available during the Balmori pop-up!) alongside Your Local’s ala-carte menu of modern Asian dishes.
Chef Lee is a master of traditional and regional Korean cuisine and owner of the long-running restaurant Nakyung. She's brought over her traditional takes on two Korean classics: Classic Japchae (P690), the popular banquet noodle dish with five colors of veg, mushrooms, pork loin, and glass noodles, stir-fried in a soy-sugar sauce with a hint of toasty sesame; and Mushroom Chicken Gangjeong (P780), which has crispy fried chicken and mushrooms in a sweet-spicy gochujang-ketchup glaze.
Chef Choi, on the other hand, is the first chef to introduce a tasting menu of North Korean cuisine and the visionary behind Michelin Guide-recognized Lee Buk Bang. He brings his innovations in the form of the Gochujang Sauce Chicken (P920), a dish of chicken, rice, and root veggies in a soulful curry sauce; and the Maekjeokgui (P1,050),a millennium-old Korean recipe of pork belly marinated in doenjang (Koraen fermented soybean paste).
From April 26 to May 14, Michelin-starred chef Kisu Bang will showcase his mastery of Korean BBQ which is what he does so well in restaurant Gitdeun, while “Yakitori King” Byun Mook Kim will bring his bold, street-rooted sensibility that blends Japanese yakitori with Korean heritage at Balmori from May 17 to June 1.
Your Local at Balmori Suites
As for Your Local, guests can expect new pop-up exclusives that Go and his team have been working on. For starters, you should not miss the MSG (P450)—Go's latest iteration on mantou toast, this time with shiitake mushroom, gorgonzola, seaweed, and parmesan. For something bright and zingy, a torched Mackarel (P650) with kamatis sambal, coconut, and citrus greens brings forth some of our local produce. The River Prawns (P890) with mentaiko and soy butter sauce goes nicely with Go's Palabok Rice (P380). And to end the meal, you cannot go wring with either of two stellar desserts: Choco na Gatas v2 (P540), or burnt milk ice cream with toasted rice, chocolate mousse, and rice crispies; or the tangy YuzuMansi Cake (P450).
“Everyone knows we love infusing Asian flavors into our dishes,” says Chef Patrick. “On our third Balmori run, expect Your Local to have a lot of familiar Asian flavors with subtle Filipino and Korean ingredients, while still adding our own fun little twists.”
Mat Nam by Your Local is at Balmori Suites, Rockwell Drive, Makati City. For inquiries and reservations, contact 0945-427-0054. For more information, check out Your Local's Facebook page.
Also read: The SPOT.ph Guide to Korean Food