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During my stay in Korea, I kept a list of food I tried and enjoyed and will share it here for anyone who likes Korean food (check out the local restaurants or take people out from your Korean Arts schools). Feel free to add some of your favorites too!
Normally in Korea, Koreans will take you out to try "typical" Korean food, which usually means Bul-go-gi or Bi-bim-bap, bith of which are good but they get boring after a while. There is a lot of great Korean food out there.
At a restaurant, every person will get their own bowl of rice (you can eat it with your spoon or chopsticks, but don't leave your chopsticks sticking straight up in them) which you should try to keep white, i.e. don't put your side dishes on top of your rice and don't lift the bowl to eat it. Also you will have a bowl of soup unless there is a shared stew pot in the center of the table. It's okay to take a spoon of rice and dip in the soup with it (or in less formal situations, dump your rice into the soup).
Also on the table will be the main course and at leats 4 side dishes (the more side dishes means the more formal the meal). These are all shared by reaching in with your schopsticks... so don't poke around with your chopsticks too much.
Here's some dishes I liked:
1. 삼겹살 (Sam Gyeop Sal) - Roasted side pork, usually wrapped in lettuce with seasoned soy bean paste.
2. 감자탕 (Kam Ja Tang) - A hearty stew made with potatoes and pork bones.
3. 두부김치 (Too Boo Kimchee) - A plate of warm tofu and kimchee, often served with soju.
4. 비지찌개 (Bee Gee Chee Gay) - A thick stew made from the skins of the soybeans.
5. 인절미 (In Jeol Mee) - Round or rectangular rice cakes brushed with bean powder.
6. 잡채 (Jhap Chay) - A dish of clear noodles mixed with various vegetables.
7. 된장찌개 (Tien Jang Chee Gay) - A hearty stew of soy bean paste, tofu and vegetables.
8. 칼국수 (Kal Gook Soo) - Broad white flour noodles in a rich broth.
9. 참치볶음밥 (Cham Chee Boke Um) - Stir-fried tuna and kimchee with rice.
10. 냉면 (Naeng Myeon) - Cold buckwheat noodles, served in an icy broth with various vegetables, a boiled egg and mustard paste.
11. 김밥 (Kimbap) - Vegetables and ham rolled in rice and seaweed.
12. 참치김밥 (Cham Chee Kimbap)- Tuna and vegetables rolled in rice and seaweed.
13. 누드김밥 (Noo Duh Kimbap) - Vegetables and other ingredients rolled in seaweed and rice with the rice facing out.
14. 불고기 (Bool Gogi)- Marinated beef with mushrooms and other vegetables cooked in a pot.
15. 메기매운탕 (Maegi Mae Oon Tang) - Spicy stew made with whole catfish.
16. 떡볶기 (Tokk Boke Ee) - Cylindrical rice cakes boiled in hot sauce.
17. 떡국 (Tokk Gook) - Flat round rice cakes in a thin broth, commonly served on Lunar New Year's Day.
18. 내장탕 (Nae Jang Tang) - Spicy soup made from fish intestines and vegetables.
19. 돌솥밥 (Tole Sut Bap) - Rice and vegetables served in a hot stone bowl.
20. 호두과자 (Hoe Doo Gwa Ja) - Sweet walnut cakes made in the shape of a walnut, famous in Chonan.
21. 새우젓 (Say Ooh Cheot) - Salted shrimp, used as a seasoning for pork or for making kimchee.
22. 설렁탕 (So Long Tang) - A soup made from beef broth, spring onions, rice, salt, and red pepper paste.
23. 닭갈비 (Tak Kal Bi) - Boneless chicken seasoned with spring onions, red pepper paste, sweet potatoes, rice cakes and garlic; usually wrapped in lettuce with seasoned soy bean paste.
24. 닭죽 (Tak Jook) - Thick porridge made from chicken broth, sticky rice, ginseng, garlic and salt.
25. 알탕 (All Tang) - Spicy soup made from fish eggs, red pepper, spring onions and other seasonings.
26. 장어구이 (Jang Oh Goo Ee) - Marinated and barbecued eel filets wrapped in lettuce.
27. 삼계탕 (Sam Gye Tang) - A whole chicken stuffed with rice, jujubes, garlic and ginseng and boiled whole.
During my stay in Korea, I kept a list of food I tried and enjoyed and will share it here for anyone who likes Korean food (check out the local restaurants or take people out from your Korean Arts schools). Feel free to add some of your favorites too!
Normally in Korea, Koreans will take you out to try "typical" Korean food, which usually means Bul-go-gi or Bi-bim-bap, bith of which are good but they get boring after a while. There is a lot of great Korean food out there.
At a restaurant, every person will get their own bowl of rice (you can eat it with your spoon or chopsticks, but don't leave your chopsticks sticking straight up in them) which you should try to keep white, i.e. don't put your side dishes on top of your rice and don't lift the bowl to eat it. Also you will have a bowl of soup unless there is a shared stew pot in the center of the table. It's okay to take a spoon of rice and dip in the soup with it (or in less formal situations, dump your rice into the soup).
Also on the table will be the main course and at leats 4 side dishes (the more side dishes means the more formal the meal). These are all shared by reaching in with your schopsticks... so don't poke around with your chopsticks too much.
Here's some dishes I liked:
1. 삼겹살 (Sam Gyeop Sal) - Roasted side pork, usually wrapped in lettuce with seasoned soy bean paste.
2. 감자탕 (Kam Ja Tang) - A hearty stew made with potatoes and pork bones.
3. 두부김치 (Too Boo Kimchee) - A plate of warm tofu and kimchee, often served with soju.
4. 비지찌개 (Bee Gee Chee Gay) - A thick stew made from the skins of the soybeans.
5. 인절미 (In Jeol Mee) - Round or rectangular rice cakes brushed with bean powder.
6. 잡채 (Jhap Chay) - A dish of clear noodles mixed with various vegetables.
7. 된장찌개 (Tien Jang Chee Gay) - A hearty stew of soy bean paste, tofu and vegetables.
8. 칼국수 (Kal Gook Soo) - Broad white flour noodles in a rich broth.
9. 참치볶음밥 (Cham Chee Boke Um) - Stir-fried tuna and kimchee with rice.
10. 냉면 (Naeng Myeon) - Cold buckwheat noodles, served in an icy broth with various vegetables, a boiled egg and mustard paste.
11. 김밥 (Kimbap) - Vegetables and ham rolled in rice and seaweed.
12. 참치김밥 (Cham Chee Kimbap)- Tuna and vegetables rolled in rice and seaweed.
13. 누드김밥 (Noo Duh Kimbap) - Vegetables and other ingredients rolled in seaweed and rice with the rice facing out.
14. 불고기 (Bool Gogi)- Marinated beef with mushrooms and other vegetables cooked in a pot.
15. 메기매운탕 (Maegi Mae Oon Tang) - Spicy stew made with whole catfish.
16. 떡볶기 (Tokk Boke Ee) - Cylindrical rice cakes boiled in hot sauce.
17. 떡국 (Tokk Gook) - Flat round rice cakes in a thin broth, commonly served on Lunar New Year's Day.
18. 내장탕 (Nae Jang Tang) - Spicy soup made from fish intestines and vegetables.
19. 돌솥밥 (Tole Sut Bap) - Rice and vegetables served in a hot stone bowl.
20. 호두과자 (Hoe Doo Gwa Ja) - Sweet walnut cakes made in the shape of a walnut, famous in Chonan.
21. 새우젓 (Say Ooh Cheot) - Salted shrimp, used as a seasoning for pork or for making kimchee.
22. 설렁탕 (So Long Tang) - A soup made from beef broth, spring onions, rice, salt, and red pepper paste.
23. 닭갈비 (Tak Kal Bi) - Boneless chicken seasoned with spring onions, red pepper paste, sweet potatoes, rice cakes and garlic; usually wrapped in lettuce with seasoned soy bean paste.
24. 닭죽 (Tak Jook) - Thick porridge made from chicken broth, sticky rice, ginseng, garlic and salt.
25. 알탕 (All Tang) - Spicy soup made from fish eggs, red pepper, spring onions and other seasonings.
26. 장어구이 (Jang Oh Goo Ee) - Marinated and barbecued eel filets wrapped in lettuce.
27. 삼계탕 (Sam Gye Tang) - A whole chicken stuffed with rice, jujubes, garlic and ginseng and boiled whole.