Are you planning to go to Korea or Koreatown in your city and curious what famous restaurants are nearby to enhance your cultural experience? Here are Korean dishes that you must try when visiting Korea!
1) Korean BBQ
Korean Barbecue also known as gogi-gu is a popular Korean style method of grilling meat over a charcoal grill, while paired with somaek Somaek is a cocktail of beer mixed with Soju+ Beer, as the name implies, so it stands for Soju, and maek is abbreviation for maekju. While eating this, it is delicious if Chingu wraps grilled samgyupsal (pork belly) and kimchi topped with ssamjang with lettuce.
2) Chimaek
Chi-maek which stands for Chicken and Beer is a very classic blend of all South Korean dishes. Chingu probably saw this dish a lot in Korean dramas, where spicy garlic/soybean flavored fried chicken is eaten with a glass of beer. A dish that is suitable for eating when hanging out with friends!
3) Cheese Dakgalbi
Dak-galbi is also known as stir-fried spicy chicken. This Korean dish is made with diced fried chicken and then marinated with a paste called gochujang mixed with sweet potatoes, tteokbokki or rice cakes, cabbage, and other ingredients. Many dishes of dak-galbi are served in a large pot with swirls of melted cheese. It would be more delicious if Chingu adds ramyeon on top, even with or without cheese!
4) Jjimdak
Jjimdak originates from Andong, is a traditional Korean dish made from steamed chicken, onions, potatoes, tteokbokki and other vegetables which have been marinated in Korean sweet soy sauce (ganjang). This dish is usually mixed with vermicelli and a bowl of hot rice. Similar to dakgalbi, Chingu can also enjoy jjimdak with or without cheese!
5) Galbitang
Galbitang is a traditional Korean soup dish that mixes beef ribs, beef, radish, and onions. This dish is nutritious and is considered a “luxury” meal because ribs are an expensive cut of meat. However, Chingu can get a bowl of galbitang for only 10,000 KRW at a local Korean restaurant! For years, Koreans have eaten a bowl of galbitang to keep the body warm during cold times or as a hangover reliever.
6) Tteog- Twi- Soon
Tteog-twi-sun literally stands for tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), twigim (fried snack), and soondae (blood sausage). This mix is very popular in the Korean dining culture scene and usually appears whenever locals want to eat Korean street food. So there is no need to buy one by one, because it is already in 1 package.
7) Hotteok
Hotteok is a Korean pancake and is another favorite street food in South Korea. The dough is made from wheat flour, then filled with cinnamon and a nut filling that tastes like maple syrup! Chingu can also find this snack in orange-tented food stalls near markets and central areas near Seoul.
8) Bingsu
Bingsu is Korean shaved ice that mixes a mixture of shaved ice with fruit or traditional ingredients such as red beans, sesame and peanuts for dessert. For the final touch, it is usually doused with sweet sauce, whether it’s sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup, matcha syrup, and others! There are a wide variety of flavors on offer in South Korea, and because of its refreshing taste, it’s no wonder this dessert is so popular to eat in the heat of the moment!
9) Makgeolli + Pajeon
The color, in South Korea, is the tradition of enjoying Makgeolli (milk-like Korean rice wine) by eating some Pajeon (Korean pancake) on a rainy day. Pajeon with pa which means green onions, this dish is made with a mixture of eggs, spring onions, kimchi, and various seafood. Perfect for a snack while enjoying a rainy day with loved ones.
10) Naengmyeon
Naengmyeon, also known as cold noodles, is a Korean noodle dish usually made with buckwheat or arrowroot flour. This dish is very popular in all cities since the Korean war! The taste of the broth served cold is strong and savory. With the noodles mixed in, it makes a delicious traditional Korean meal to eat on a hot, sunny day.
11) Kimchi Mandu
Finally, Kimchi Mandu is a Korean dumpling filled with a combination of kimchi, beef, pork and tofu. This snack is another popular Korean dish that should not be missed when visiting South Korea! The meat adds a bit of savory flavor and fat to the filling, while tofu makes it very juicy!
