Dine Like K-Drama Actors at Cafe Tiala

"Kinain na ng sistema ng K-Drama!" Does that line sound familiar to you? Whether or not you're a K-Drama fan, I'm pretty sure you have heard this line all over various social media channels. I find it funny, actually. And I'm a fan of K-Drama myself. I love you, Healer/K2! Based on the multiple Korean TV series, variety shows, and movies I have seen, I have come to realize that I envy Koreans in two things: flawless skin and GREAT FOOD. Have you seen those actors who could eat boiling hot ramyeon?! I have always wanted to go to Korea and try authentic Korean food but since I can't afford it yet, a visit to a Cebu-based Korean cafe will suffice. At least, at Cafe Tiala, I can try Korean food without actually flying to Korea.





Cafe Tiala is located at the 2nd floor of The Forum Building, the building beside Grand Convention Center in Archbishop Reyes Avenue.



The cafe is actually quite small so I advise you visit during non-peak hours and avoid the weekends if you don't want a large crowd. They also have DVD rooms where you can choose and watch available movies. What I like about Cafe Tiala is they don't have the messy sticky notes on the walls.



They also have a few Hanboks or Korean traditional clothes for the customers to try on. And yes, I tried one myself! Do I look cute? LOL.

It took a while for the food to be served since they only have a little kitchen and they were serving both regular customers and us, media and bloggers. What I did not like though is Cafe Tiala did not have proper ventilation. They were cooking inside the cafe and all the smoke and smell was spread all over the place. So we stayed outside while waiting for the food to be served. And when it was, we hungrily dug in.

Tuna Sandwich - Php 159

Tiala Sandwich - Php 179

Gimbab - Php 129
I ate two pieces of Gimbab and it was good. I could not really distinguish well the difference between this Gimbab and a Maki since I was too busy providing the needs of my growling stomach. Haha. Also, I have to say that this is a really good deal considering that it's only Php 129.

TonKaSu (Breaded Pork & Fries) - Php 209
I was only able to try the fries and God, it was delicious! The flavoring tasted like smoked barbecue or something and you won't need the ketchup anymore! Trust me.

Tteok Bokki - Php 159 (Add Php 50 for Cheese)
This Tteok Bokki is one of the must-try dishes at Cafe Tiala. It's really good and the additional Php 50 for cheese is worth it!

(left)Samgubsal - Php 199 / (right) 2-piece Chicken Meal

To be honest, I don't know why this is Samgubsal because I commonly know this as Samgyeopsal. If you're very much familiar with Korean food, please do enlighten me. Haha. Anyway, it was just like any other pork belly I have tried but it was the kimchi that caught my attention. I love that they served freshly-made kimchi.

On the other hand, we were really shocked on how HUGE their chicken parts were. Especially the leg part. And they're really tasty too. It's honestly tastier than BonChon's Soy Garlic chicken. When I go back to Cafe Tiala, this 2-piece chicken is the first thing that I will surely order and I'll finish off the two pieces myself. Haha.

Bulgogi - Php 209
Their Beef Bulgogi is another must-try too. The meat was really tender that it didn't have the chewy rubber-like texture. And it was very flavorful too.

Bibimbab - Php 199

Java Frappuccino- Php 179
I ordered a Java Chip Frappuccino and it did not disappoint. I was surprised that it tasted really "java-ish" compared to the other Java Chip frappes I've tried from other cafes. I loved their whipped cream too!

Homemade Real Ade - Php 159 each / (left) Berry Berry Ade, (right) Lemon Ade

Iced Tea - Php 119 each

Honey Bread - Php 129

Cafe Tiala is definitely one of the cafes that you should not miss here in Cebu. They really have great food and their staff are so nice. It was only the ventilation that I had problems with. And the rest were awesome. I even recommended this to my partner who is usually picky when it comes to these kinds of cafes and he is excited to pay a visit! Hopefully we can come back really soon!

Reminders when dining at Cafe Tiala:

• You can use any item from Cafe Tiala for your photo taking sessions (e.g. Korean Traditional clothes or Hanbok, Wedding gowns, shoes, etc).
• If Cafe Tiala is full, rooms are limited to 3 hours only.
• Pay Php 150 if you have broken anything such as glasses, plates, etc.

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Cafe Tiala
Unit 2-D, 2nd Floor, The Forum Building
Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City
Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 10:30AM - 12MN

Posted in Food