Local Dishes

1. 비빔밥

   Bi-bim-bap

   Bibimbap (rice bowl mixed with vegetables and gochujang)

   Usage

   Rice topped with vegetables, meat and egg, mixed with gochujang. "돌솥비빔밥" (served in a hot stone bowl) is usually listed as a separate menu item

   Grammar Note

   "비비다" (to mix) + "밥" (rice). To skip the chili paste, say "고추장 빼 주세요"

2. 김치

   Gim-chi

   Kimchi (fermented vegetables)

   Usage

   Served with meals without ordering. Not all kimchi is spicy: "무김치" (radish) and "백김치" (white, chili-free) also exist

   Grammar Note

   Revised Romanization gives "gimchi", but the conventional English spelling on menus is "kimchi"

3. 반찬

   Ban-chan

   Banchan (complimentary side dishes)

   Usage

   Small side dishes that arrive without being ordered. Refills are free at most restaurants: "반찬 좀 더 주세요"

4. 김치찌개

   Gim-chi-jji-gae

   Kimchi-jjigae (kimchi stew)

   Usage

   A spicy stew of well-fermented kimchi with pork and tofu. A staple lunch dish available in single servings

5. 된장찌개

   Doen-jang-jji-gae

   Doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew)

   Usage

   A stew made with Korean soybean paste. Mild rather than spicy, so it is a safe pick if you avoid chili

6. 순두부찌개

   Sun-du-bu-jji-gae

   Sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew)

   Usage

   A stew of uncurdled soft tofu, usually with an egg cracked in. Ask "안 맵게 해 주세요" for a milder version

7. 부대찌개

   Bu-dae-jji-gae

   Budae-jjigae (sausage and ham stew)

   Usage

   Ham, sausage, instant noodles and kimchi simmered together. Usually ordered for two or more and cooked at the table

8. 불고기

   Bul-go-gi

   Bulgogi (marinated grilled beef)

   Usage

   Thin beef marinated in a soy-based sauce. Not spicy, so it works well for families

9. 삼겹살

   Sam-gyeop-sal

   Samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly)

   Usage

   Grilled unseasoned and wrapped in lettuce. Ordered by "인분" (servings); many places require a minimum of two

   Grammar Note

   "삼" (three) + "겹" (layer) + "살" (flesh): the layered pork belly cut. With the skin on it is called "오겹살"

10. 갈비탕

    Gal-bi-tang

    Galbi-tang (beef short rib soup)

    Usage

    A clear soup simmered from beef ribs. Not spicy. The bone-in pieces are meant to be picked up by hand

11. 삼계탕

    Sam-gye-tang

    Samgye-tang (ginseng chicken soup)

    Usage

    A whole young chicken stuffed with ginseng, jujube and glutinous rice. Traditionally eaten on the hottest days of summer ("삼복")

    Grammar Note

    Written 蔘雞湯: "삼" (ginseng) + "계" (chicken) + "탕" (soup)

12. 설렁탕

    Seol-leong-tang

    Seolleongtang (ox bone soup)

    Usage

    A milky broth simmered from ox bones. It arrives unsalted: season it yourself with the salt and spring onion on the table

    Grammar Note

    "설렁탕" is stocked from bones, while "곰탕" is stocked from meat. The spelling Seol-leong simply writes out 설 (final ㄹ) + 렁 (initial ㄹ)

13. 감자탕

    Gam-ja-tang

    Gamja-tang (pork spine stew)

    Usage

    A spicy stew of pork spine, potato and dried greens. The meat is picked off the bone. Usually ordered for two or more

14. 육개장

    Yuk-gae-jang

    Yukgaejang (spicy shredded beef soup)

    Usage

    Shredded beef with bracken, bean sprouts and spring onion in a red chili broth. On the spicier side

15. 떡볶이

    Tteok-bo-kki

    Tteokbokki (rice cakes in chili sauce)

    Usage

    Cylindrical rice cakes simmered in gochujang sauce; a street-food and snack-bar staple. The soy-sauce version "간장 떡볶이" is not spicy

16. 순대

    Sun-dae

    Sundae (Korean blood sausage)

    Usage

    Pig intestine stuffed with glass noodles or glutinous rice and steamed. Eaten with salt at street stalls. Unrelated to the English ice-cream sundae

17. 김밥

    Gim-bap

    Gimbap (seaweed rice roll)

    Usage

    Rice seasoned with sesame oil and salt, rolled in seaweed. For takeaway say "포장해 주세요". The triangular convenience-store version is "삼각김밥"

18. 잡채

    Jap-chae

    Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles)

    Usage

    Sweet-potato glass noodles tossed with vegetables and beef in soy sauce and sesame oil. Not spicy; a standard dish at celebrations

19. 냉면

    Naeng-myeon

    Naengmyeon (cold noodles)

    Usage

    Menus list "물냉면" (in cold broth) and the spicy "비빔냉면" (mixed with sauce). Often ordered to finish a barbecue meal

    Grammar Note

    Written 冷麵. The noodles are buckwheat or sweet-potato starch and are very chewy, so table scissors are provided to cut them

20. 칼국수

    Kal-guk-su

    Kal-guksu (knife-cut noodle soup)

    Usage

    Wheat noodles cut by knife and simmered in clam, chicken or beef broth. Not spicy; the broth thickens as the noodles cook in it

21. 보쌈

    Bo-ssam

    Bossam (boiled pork wraps)

    Usage

    Boiled pork wrapped in lettuce or cabbage leaves. Neither spicy nor greasy. Usually sold in small, medium and large portions

22. 족발

    Jok-bal

    Jokbal (braised pig's trotters)

    Usage

    Pig's trotters braised in soy sauce and spices, sliced thin and usually deboned. One of the most-ordered delivery dishes

23. 파전

    Pa-jeon

    Pajeon (spring onion pancake)

    Usage

    Spring onion in a flour-and-egg batter, pan-fried. With squid or prawns it becomes "해물파전". Traditionally paired with makgeolli on rainy days

24. 만두

    Man-du

    Mandu (Korean dumplings)

    Usage

    Steamed "찐만두", pan-fried "군만두", or in soup as "만둣국". Written 饅頭, but unlike Chinese mantou it is filled

25. 양념치킨

    Yang-nyeom-chi-kin

    Yangnyeom chicken (sweet-and-spicy fried chicken)

    Usage

    Fried chicken tossed in a sweet gochujang glaze. The plain version is usually written "후라이드" on menus (the standard spelling is "프라이드")

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