K-food, actually
The Korean plates people are searching for — street, grill, stew and banchan. Not a tourist sampler.
Tteokbokki
떡볶이
Chewy rice cakes in a glossy gochujang sauce — the street stall that made K-food a late-night sport.
30 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Yangnyeom chicken
양념치킨
Twice-fried Korean chicken in a sticky sweet-chilli glaze — the reason 'chimaek' became a word.
1 hrMedium🌶️🌶️
Bulgogi
불고기
Thin beef in a soy-pear-sesame marinade, cooked hot until the edges caramelise.
1 hrEasyNo chilli
Japchae
잡채
Glossy sweet-potato noodles with sesame, soy and a rainbow of vegetables — banquet food that also does potluck.
55 minMediumNo chilli
Gimbap
김밥
Sesame rice rolled in gim with pickled radish, egg and vegetables — picnic food, not sushi with a new passport.
55 minMediumNo chilli
Sundubu jjigae
순두부찌개
A raging bowl of soft tofu, chilli broth and a cracked egg — the stew you eat before the spoon melts.
35 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Samgyeopsal
삼겹살
Thick pork belly grilled at the table, wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang, garlic and a bit of rice.
40 minEasyNo chilli
Kimchi-bokkeumbap
김치볶음밥
Kimchi fried rice with a fried egg — the 10-minute argument for keeping sour kimchi and leftover rice.
18 minEasy🌶️🌶️
Jajangmyeon
짜장면
Thick wheat noodles under a black-bean gravy of pork and fried chunjang — Korea's Chinese-restaurant hug.
45 minMediumNo chilli
Korean corn dog
핫도그
A sausage or mozzarella stick in a yeasted batter, fried, then rolled in sugar — the street snack that is not a state-fair dog.
1 hr 30 minMediumNo chilli