whwn you 1st time came to korea, its feel disaster when you are hungry and when you look at the menu... OMG... i cant read thus hangeul... so its just like doing mini many moe to this menu, well dont worry, i'd just give some list that usually help alot when you are in Korean restaurant
Menus are always in Korean. At the orange facade joints (Kimbap Nara or KimBap Chungguk) check off your order on a paper menu like the one pictured below. White facade restaurants ( Kim Ga Nae) are “well being”-ish kimbap diners, and simply have the menu on the wall. The ajuma or ajushi will verbally take your order.
Here I have roughly translated a kimbap Nara Menu. Many of these restaurants offer the exact same menus save for a couple of dishes, so study up or copy, paste, and keep it in your wallet. Items are numbered on the menu, you’ll find the corresponding number below with the Hangul, then English, the price (1,000 won = 1 USD), and a quick description. I’ve starred my favorites incase you’re in the market to order something new.
김밥류, Kimbap Ryu, Kimbap selections
1. 원조 김밥, Wonjo Kimbap, W1000
The most basic of Kimbap, fillings include damuji (a yellow pickled sweet radish), processed ham, carrots, some green, maybe spinach, and cooked egg.
2. 야채 김밥, Yachae Kimbap, Vegetable Kimbap, W2000
Filled with various veggies including carrots and spinach. Little variation from Won-jo Kimbap.
3. 김치 김밥, Kimchi Kimbap, W2000
Standard kimbap fillings (ham, eggs, carrots, radish) with a healthy dose of kimchi.
4. 계란말이 김밥, Kaeranmal Kimbap, Egg wrapped Kimbap W2500
Standard fillings. The kimbap is rolled in a thin omelet, then sliced.
5. 치즈 김밥, Cheese Kimbap, 2W500 won
Standard kimbap fillings including a slice of processed cheese.
*Tuna Kimbab*참치 김밥
8. 참치 김밥, Chamchi Kimbap, Tuna filled kimbap, W2,500
Standard kimbap fillings including tuna, gagnib (sesame leaf), and mayonnaise.*
9. 소고기 김밥, Sogogi Kimbap, Beef filled kimbap, W2,500
Standard kimbap fillings including beef.
10. 누드 김밥, Nude Kimbap, W2,500
Standard kimbap fillings, like an inside out roll, with the seaweed on the inside and rice on the outside
12. 유부초밥, Youbu chobap, W3,000
Like inari sushi. Some places heavily season the rice with vinegar.*
식사류, Shik Sa Ryu, Meal selections
13. 김치 덮밥, Kimchi dapbap, W3,500
Kimchi mixed rice.
14. 오징어 덮밥, Ojinga dapbap, W3,500
Spicy squid, carrot onion mélange served either atop, or next to a healthy serving of sticky rice.
15. 제육덮밥, Jaeyuk dapbap, W4,000
Stir fried pork, carrots, squash, and onions in spicy sauce served aside a plentiful helping of rice.*
16. 카레덮밥, Karae dapbap, W3,500
Rice topped with curry sauce, diced potatoes, carrots, and mystery meat.
17. 순두부 찌개, Sundubu Jjigae, W3,500
Sometimes fiery bubbling cauldron of soft tofu, freshly cracked egg chili peppers, inoki mushrooms, a couple clams, onions and deunjang (Korean miso) paste. Served with the sticky rice.
*Kimchie Jjigae*김치 찌개18. 김치 찌개, Kimchi Jjigae, W3,500
Always fiery bubbling cauldron of kimchi, plenty of chili powder and raw chilies, onions and the odd mushroom in a pork broth. Served with sticky rice.*
19. 참치 김치 찌개, Kimchi Chamchi Jjigae, W4,000
See above with tinned tuna.
20. 된장 찌개Dwen-jang Jjigae, W3,500
Sometimes slightly spicy bubbling cauldron of dwen-jeong paste, inoki mushrooms, onions, clams and the odd cube of tofu. Korea’s answer to chicken noodle soup. Served with sticky rice.
21. 갈비 탕, Galbi tang, W4,000
Short rib soup with garlic and green onion.
22. 소내장 탕, Sonaejang tang, W4,000
Soup made with Cow’s intestines.
23. 육개장, Yuk Jae Jang, W4,000
Beef and green onion soup in a fiery chili pepper broth.
24. 다슬기 해장국, Dasolgi haejangguk, W4,000
Hangover soup, usually made with ox bones and soybean paste. Featuring fresh water snails. Sometimes made with ox blood.
25. 우거지 해장국, Woogeogi haejangguk, W4,000
Hangover soup, usually made with ox bones and soybean paste. Featuring, as I understand it, shredded dried cabbage leaves. Sometimes made with ox blood.
26. 비빔밥, Bibimbap, W3,500
A staple. Rice in a silver bowl covered with various veg and gochujang (red chili paste). Carrots, mountain weeds, cucumbers, sprouts, etc.
27. 돌솥 비빔밥, Dolsot bibimbap, W4,000
See above served in a hot stone bowl and topped with a (usually) fried egg.
28. 양푼 비빔밥, Yangpoon bibimbap, W4,000
Bibimbap served in a large metal bowl, usually serves two people.
29. 돈까스, Donkkasu, W4,000
A pork cutlet in crunchy breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Usually served with a nest of shredded cabbage and rice.
30. 치즈 돈까스, Cheese donkkasu, W4,500
A pork cutlet graced with a slice of cheese, battered in crunchy panko bread crumbs and fried.
31. 생선 까스, Sang sun kkasu, W4,000 *My favourite!*
Breaded and fried fish.
32. 오므라이스, Omu-ra-ee-su W3,500
Fried rice usually containing ham, carrots, Asian melon (zucchini-like) and a few peas for color wrapped in a thin omelet and smothered in ketchup.
*Ddokbaegi bulgogi*
33. 뚝배기 불고기, Ddokbaegi bulgogi W4,000
he king of protein at the diner. Stewing bulgogi meat amidst sweet potato (glass) noodles in a peppery savory broth. Served with sticky rice.
34. 김치 고등어 뚝배기, Kimchi godeunga ddokbaegi, W4,000
35. 짜장 덮밥, Jjajang dapbap, W3,000
Rice topped off with the sweet black bean sauce, jjajang.
36. 철판 치즈 덮밥, Chulpan chiju dupbap,W 4,000
Fried rice topped with cheese, or chee ju, on a hot plate.
37. 철판 불고기 덮밥, Chulpan bulgogi dupbap, W4,000
Marinated beef atop rice on a hot plate.
38. 철판 김치 볶음밥, Chulpan kimchi bokkum bap, W4,000
Kimchi fried rice with peas, carrots and ham served on a hot fajita like plate.
39. 철판 새우 볶음밥, Chulpan saewoo bokkum bap, W4,000
Shrimp fried rice with diced carrots and peas served on a hot fajita like plate
40. 공기밥, Gong gi bap, W1,000
Plain white sticky rice
41. 호박 죽, Hobak Juk, W3,500
Thick pumpkin like porridge.
42. 단팥 죽, Danpat Juk, W3,500
A thick red bean porridge.
43. 소고기 야채 죽, Sogogi yache Juk, W4,000
Thick rice porridge with meat and various veggies.
44. 전복 죽, Junbok Juk, W5,000
Abalone and rice porridge.
분식류, Boon Shik Ryu
Foods made from flour ie noodles, dumplings, etc.
45. 떡볶이, Ddokboggie, W2,000
The street snack with chairs. Simmered rice cake swim in a sea of spicy pepper sauce augmented with odang (processed fish), cabbage, carrots, onions and leeks.
46. 라볶이, Raboggie, W2,500
See above and add Ramyeon noodles.
47. 치즈떡볶이, Cheese ddokboggie, 2W,500
See Ddokboggie, add cheese.
*Cheese raboggie*48. 치즈 라볶이, Cheese raboggie, W3,000
See Raboggie and add cheese.
49. 김치 만두, Kimchi Mandu, W2,000
Steamed kimchi, pork, noodle, leek, onion and chili-filled dumplings. Comes with a small side of soy sauce.
50. 고기 만두, Gogimandu, W2,000
Meat, noodle, leek, onion and chili-filled dumplings. Comes with a small side of soy sauce.
*Mul mandu*51. 물 만두, Mulmandu, W2,500
Small dumplings filled with meat and green onions, served in a pond of steaming liquid. Comes with a small side of soy sauce.
*Ddok mandu gok*52. 떡만두 국, Ddok mandu guk, W3,500
Sliced rice cakes, meat dumplings, egg, sliced green onion, melon (zucchini-like), and other veggies in a broth.*
53. 떡국, Ddokguk, W3,000
A dish traditionally served on the lunar New Year; sliced rice cakes, meat, and egg in a beef broth.
54. 만두국, Mandu guk, W3,500
Dumplings and veggies in broth.
55. 항아리 수제비, Hangari sujaebi, W7,000
Sujaebe, a vegetable and dumpling. soup served in a pot., this for two people.
56. 라면, Ramyeon, W2,000
Green onions and chili powder take cup of noodles to a new level.
57. 떡라면, Ddok ramyeon, W2,500
noodles and green onions with sliced rice cakes.
58. 치즈 라면, Cheese ramyeon, W2,500
noodles and green onions topped with a slice of processed cheese, the melted cheese helps tone down the heat of the broth.
59. 만두 라면, Mandu ramyeon, W2,500
noodles and green onions with meat dumplings.
*Jjam bbong ramyeon*
60. 짬뽕 라면, Jjam bbong ramyeon, W2,500
Ramyeon served in a pot boasting clams, squid, and a few baby shrimp.
61. 바지락 칼국수, Bagirak kalguksu, W3,500
Hand cut thick noodles in an anchovy stock with short neck clams.*
62. 쫄면, jjol myeon, W3,000
Thick noodles with mixed with spicy sauce and various veggies like bean sprouts, cucumber, carrots and the like.
63. 스파게티, Supagaeti, W4,000
Spaghetti
64. 짜장면, Jjajangmyeon, W2,500
Wheat noodles topped with a sweet black bean sauce concealing some veggies, carrots, and meat-ham.
65. 나라우동, Nara Udong, W2,500
Thick and slippery wheat noodles in a binto (fish) broth with green onion and tofu skins.
66. 김치우동, Kimchi Udong, W3,000
Thick and slippery wheat noodles in a binto broth with a heap of kimchi.*
67. 해물 우동, Haemul Udong, W3,000
Thick and slippery wheat noodles in a binto broth with various seafood including clams and prawns, maybe a mussel or two.
68. 물냉면, Mul naengmyeon, W3,500
A sipcy soup of chewy buckwheat noodles in a cold broth generally topped with sliced cucumbers and a hard-boiled egg.
69. 비빔 냉면, Bibim naengmyeon, W3,500
Thin white noodles and thinly sliced carrots, cabbage and cucumber in a fiery red sauce.
70. 잔치 국수, Janchi guksu, W3,500
Known as banquet noodles, or wheat noodles in an anchovy broth topped with sliced egg, meat, mushrooms and other vegetables. Traditionally served at large banquets.
Bibim guksu in the background, Kongguksu in the foreground.71. 비빔국수, Bibim guksu, W3,500
Wheat noodles mixed with various sliced veggies and meat in a spicy sauce.
72. 콩국수, Kong guksu, W3,500
Thick wheat noodles in a cold soy milk broth usually topped with sliced cucumbers. Usually eaten in summer.
