a bite of brownie

Festival Mall has long since started its own makeover by adding more wings around their new activity center. There’s a long way to go to fill those new stalls but restaurants are slowly opening its doors to customers. The Cook by Hongleepark, a fusion restaurant (Italian-Korean), is one of those. I was with my parents then and we decided to eat here for lunch.

The restaurant was divided into 2 sections. On the right was The Cook and on the left was Ho Bing (hey, isn’t this the 1st review I ever did here?!). Since my parents already dined here recently (and they liked it), I chose the dishes they didn’t order so they could compare. I ordered the Seafood Tomato Spaghetti and their Bulgogi Pizza, so we could really scream Italian-Korean fusion! LOL just 2 dishes because the servings are good for 2-3 persons.

The spaghetti was served on a steel serving pan, pretty much giving off the Korean feel right away. I like the presentation, the pasta was swirled and on a heap at the middle and the garlicky squid, shrimp, and clams scattered around it. The seafood wasn’t overcooked, which is great. The pasta wasn’t al dente and the sauce was ok, nothing that will make you jump off your seat. The pizza I liked better. The dough was just the right thickness. Toppings were marinated bulgogi, bell peppers, and cheese.

Verdict: 2/5
Getting a 2 for the 2 dishes they served us. Excellent customer service, the crew was very courteous and helpful and always asked if we wanted refills of their pickled veggies sides. A downside to this place was their soaring high prices and even higher service charge. The disclaimer said the a la carte dishes serve 2-3 persons. We’re not really huge eaters, but I thought they were a little small for their price.