An Insider's Guide to Korean Food

The longer that we are away from Korea, the more that we notice the influence of Korean culture in the places that we go.  For instance, it seems that no matter where we go, we seem to find at least one Korean restaurant in town.  Even in my hometown of Kansas City, there are a number of Korean restaurants (and restaurants claiming they are Korean), one of which was quite authentic.  In fact, I can now casually mention BiBimBap to many people and they'll nod in recognition instead of looking at me with a confused look. 

So, with that in mind, when you go to your local Korean restaurant here are some of our Korean favorites that you should try.  Better yet, if you are in Korea, then you definitely have to try all of these.

Banchan


Banchan is the term for the "side dishes" that come with just about any meal.  There is really no standard for what these dishes may be, as it just depends on the day of the week and the whim of the restaurant.  Usually, it will be an assortment of pickled vegetables, but sometimes you may get sardines in honey or whole, small crabs.  If you really like one of the dishes, feel free to eat it all as the restaurant will fill them up with more.  Quite often these dishes will change every day, so visiting the same restaurant can be a different experience every time.

Insider Tip:

If you want to try out some Korean and amuse your friends, ask the restaurant if they have "cock dookie".  Don't worry, you won't get punched in the face - it is the name for pickled radish mixed with chili paste!

Kimchi


Looks tasty, doesn't it?  You're unlikely to get served kimchi that comes in a container like this, unless you are eating in a Korean's home.  Most people equate kimchi with Korean food and for good reason.  This spicy, fermented cabbage is served with just about every meal, usually 3 times a day or more.  The real good kimchi will be aged just like wine - it is buried underground for months so that it can age properly and soak up all of the tasty flavors around it, namely garlic, chili paste, anchovies, and salt.

Insider's Tip:

Note that there are many kinds of kimchi, not just your standard "red" kind.  If you want to branch out your kimchi experience, try some "mool kimchi", (water kimchi).  It's less spicy than it's famous cousin, but still has some good flavors to taste.

Galbi and Samgyuepsal


Technically galbi and samgyeupsal are different things, but you'll likely find both at the same restaurants.  Galbi is usually pork rib meat that can come marinated in a couple of different sauces.  Samgueypsal is pork belly meat that can be compared to bacon - the name actually refers to the 3 layers of meat and fat that are in each slice.  Both are cut into smaller pieces, then grilled in front of you.  I believe this is what most people refer to when they mention "Korean BBQ".

Insider's Tip:

If those 3 layers of pork fat aren't enough for you, you can order ogyeupsal, which is 5 layers!  The price goes up accordingly, as does your immediate risk of coronary infarction, but it's so worth it for the extra greasy flavor.  Mmmm....pork grease.

Jeon


This is one of my absolute favorite foods in the world, but somehow I made it through a year in Korea without taking one single picture of it.  My mind must have been preoccupied with ingesting it as soon as possible instead of snapping photos.  This picture from a Korean restaurant in the States will have to do for now.

Anyway, jeon is a "korean pancake", although it is not sweet at all.  You'll quite often see it as pajeon, which means that it has green onion in it and usually it is made as haemoolpajeon (seafood pancake) with pieces of squid, octopus, and other sea living animals.  If you don't like the seafood, try it anyway; the taste of the pancake and vegetables in it makes anything palatable.

Insider's Tip:

For whatever reason, many restaurants in the States will list the seafood pancake, but not list kimchi pancake.  Go ahead and ask if they have kimchijeon and you may be surprised to order something off of the official menu.

Bibimbap


Bibimbap (lit: mixed rice) is quickly becoming a popular food amongst the healthy types around the world, as it should be.  As an assortment of veggies with rice, it doesn't get any healthier than this.  Plus, where else are you going to get your fix of fern bracken?  Certainly not at McDonald's. 

Bibimbap can usually be ordered in it's "normal" version, or as dolsot bibbimbap, where everything is served inside a hot, stone bowl.  If you order the dolsot variety, make sure you start stirring right away, unless you want to burn your rice!  Typically, you will have a choice of sauces to mix as well: gochujang (red pepper paste) or doenjang (soybean paste).  I'm a gochujang fan myself, but if you're not into spicy foods that much, go with the doenjang.

Insider's Tip:

If you want to really have fun, ask that you get a raw egg when your dolsot bibimbap is served.  As soon as you get it, crack the egg and start mixing.  The egg will cook right along with your food and you'll get some protein in your diet.  Unless your vegan, in which case you'll just have to watch everyone else having a good time :)

Jjigae


Jigae is Korean stew and comes in a variety of variations.  The most common ones are kimchi jigae, which as you imagine, is a jigae with kimchi in it, and doenjang jigae, which is made with the aforementioned soy bean paste.  Both are quite tasty and the kimchi jigae can carry quite a punch.

Insider's Tip:

Left over from Korea's war time eating habits, budaejiggae is a curious assortment of canned meats and just about everything else found in the fridge.  If you want to go luxury with it, they can add a slice of cheap packaged cheese on it for that extra special occasion.

Gimbap


At first site, people will probably mistake gimbap (lit: seaweed rice, shown on the left) for sushi, but they are a bit different.  First, sushi is expensive and contains the best fish around.  But, who want's that hoity toity stuff?  Gimbap is your working-man's sushi, complete with the best pickled vegetables around.  There are many varieties (kimchi gim bap, tuna gim bap, cheese gim bap) to choose from so you could spend a lot time trying to eat all the different kinds.

Insider's Tip:

Fresh gimbap is usually made while you wait and worth the extra .$10 that it costs over the packaged stuff.  It's also the perfect snack for hiking up a mountain as it is packed with much needed calories and it's easy to carry around.

Naengmyeon


When people first hear about Korean "cold noodles" (Naengmyeon) they think that it is quite weird.  A dish of cold noodles where you cover it with mustard and vinegar?  No thanks.  But, actually, naengmyeon is an excellent choice for a hot and sticky summer day.  At first, it is odd to be ingesting cold noodles, but after a couple of bites, the cool cucumber and chilled noodles soothe the mind and soul.

Insider's Tip:

Eat fast!  The more the ice in the broth melts, the more watery it gets, so this is a dish that is best to eat all at once.  Ignore your friends for a moment, you have some food to eat!

Dakgalbi


This is it: my favorite Korean dish.  Even though the world "gabli" is in the name, this is nothing like the pork galbi previously explained.  This one contains chicken that is cooked in a mixture of red chilli paste with sweet potatoes, cabbage, onions, and ttok (Korean rice cake).  Bring along a handkerchief because this one is definitely going to make you sweat.  But, it will also make you want to come back for more.

Insider's Tip:

When you are about 3/4 of the way done, ask for some rice to be mixed in.  A server will then bring some rice that is fried and mixed in with the remains of your food right in front of you.  It's the perfect way to take down the fire raging in your mouth.

Soju


No talk of anything coming from Korean restaurants would be complete without a mention of soju.  It is present at nearly every Korean meal, whether you are with your college friends or with your school director.  The closest approximation of taste to soju is vodka, but that's being generous.

To me, soju tastes like vodka that has been filtered through the chest hair of a Siberian resident.  No matter how many times I tried it, it never tasted good.  On top of that, it usually leaves the worst hangover in the morning, no matter how much or little you drink.  In short, I think it is an awful, awful substance that should only be used to clean dirty hubcaps.

Insider's Tip:

If you go out with Koreans, soju will come up at some point and you'll likely be poured a shot.  While it can be fun to drink socially, if you really don't want to imbibe anything explain that you have some religious reason or that you are taking a medication that doesn't allow you to drink.  Otherwise, have fun keeping up with the shots!

Finally...

When you are at a Korean restaurant, the food is meant to be shared.  This isn't a fancy French restaurant, so don't be afraid to let loose and have a good time with your friends.