Banchan (반찬 — The world of endless side dishes)
“In a Korean restaurant, those five or six small plates of side dishes that appear without even being ordered, and the secret behind the free refills.”
A full table, not a course (Everything at Once)
Unlike the Western style of serving appetizers, mains, and desserts in sequence, Korean cuisine sets several side dishes on the table all at once, centered around rice and soup. The essence of a Korean table setting is for the diner to use chopsticks to jump between different dishes, creating new combinations with every bite.
Free unlimited refills (Yes, They're Free)
In Korean restaurants, side dishes like kimchi and namul that are provided as basics are mostly free, and you can ask for more if you finish them. It is one of the aspects of the culture that foreigners visiting for the first time are most surprised by and enjoy.
Representative Banchan (The Usual Cast)
While it varies from house to house and restaurant to restaurant, the frequently appearing side dishes are as follows.
- Kimchi — A staple of fermented side dishes like baechu-kimchi and kkakdugi.
- Namul — Vegetable side dishes seasoned with sesame oil, such as spinach, bean sprouts, or bracken fern.
- Gyeran-mari — Softly rolled egg side dish.
- Myeolchi-bokkeum & Jangjorim — Salty and sweet side dishes (rice thieves).
- Jangajji — Pickled vegetables in soy sauce and vinegar.