Cebu Best New Restaurants 2019: Da-In Korean Restaurant

The Creative Cuisine Group is easily one of the most formidable restaurant groups in Cebu. Even in their catering business, they are known to be focused on the upper-middle-class market.  So when they opened this new restaurant concept called Da-In Korean Restaurant, I expected a lot of attention to detail.  Indeed, this restaurant is a must-try among Korean barbecue lovers who are more concerned with quality than quantity.

Da-In Korean Restaurant, Creative Cuisine's Newest Restaurant

Over the past few years, Korean culture has somehow invaded the country.  Cebu is one of the favorite destinations of Koreans here in the country so it is not surprising that Korean restaurants would thrive here.  One of the popular Korean restaurant concepts is a Korean barbecue. 

To be honest, I was pretty overwhelmed when I first ate a Korean barbecue at Pearl many years ago.   I loved the fact you cook your own meat then wrap in unlimited servings of veggies and kimchi.  I was truly blown away. 

Then more and more Korean Barbecue concepts opened.  There are unlimited Samgyeopsal restaurants and a few serving a la carte Korean barbecue that allows us to eat offal and premium parts. 

Finally, the Creative Cuisine Group (CCG) joined the fray.  I was pretty excited when they invited me to lunch. The first question that I asked when I arrived was to know if they have a Korean chef.  Anyone can probably run a Korean Barbecue but I think a Korean chef will still make a big difference especially in higher price ranges.

Apparently, CCG partnered with the Korean owner of Da Won Restaurant in Mandaue to start this venture so diners can expect authentic Korean dishes and flavors.

Da-In Restaurant Initial Impressions

The location is quite familiar to Cebuano foodies because this restaurant was built in what used to be Brique in Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City.  Parking will be on the Chika-an side and there will be many parking spaces in that area.

They have not really changed much the old Brique layout and they managed to put quite a few Korean Barbecue table settings on the ground floor.  On the second floor, they made a few private dining areas. Even at lunchtime, I felt a more upscale and elegant vibe compared to the typical Korean barbecue places.

Checking on the menu,  they have a lot of authentic Korean dishes along with some premium cuts of meat for grilling. The budget for 2 people here would be 1,000 pesos upwards.

Dining at Da-In

During our lunch, we were served with Beef Ribs, Steamed Egg, Bibimbap, Onion Bulgogi, and a host of side dishes.  Typically when you eat here, you are going to order 2 servings of meat.  For that order, you get 7 Korean side dishes like kimchi, potato chips, fish cakes, japchae, and Korean pancakes.   You also get to have unlimited visits to the salad bar.

Based on what I tasted, the meat cuts were well chosen.  It had good color and the beef that was served to us had excellent marbling.  The attendants were quite awesome in helping us grill our meat perfectly.

The Korean dishes like the bibimbap and the noodles were "beautiful".  Koreans like color in their food and you can see it on how the food here is presented.  You can see a lot of yellow, red, green, white, and black in the different dishes that are served.  The dishes were not just beautiful to look at but very delicious on the palate.

Kalami Cebu Review

With the abundance of cheap unlimited samgyeopsal places in Cebu, Da-In Korean Restaurant is a great change of pace Korean barbecue place.  At Da-In, you can slow down and truly enjoy the taste, the fragrance, and the beauty of Korean food.  Here, it is not about quantity but a quality that is way higher than the usual but still accessible and affordable to many Cebuanos.

The place is the type of restaurant where you take someone special for a date.  A place where you are transported to a nice restaurant in Seoul or perhaps L.A. where you can enjoy excellent cuts of meat and the best Korean dishes while still being able to have a meaningful conversation.

Da-In Korean Restaurant is really a great place to slow down and savor how wonderful Korean cuisine while having a memorable meal with the special people of your life.

It is not cheap but I am sure you have someone in your life that is worth spending something extra for lunch or dinner.

Da-In Korean Restaurant

42 Salinas Drive, Lahug Cebu City

032-3265318