windsong

That's just what I need!!! A positive attitude Thank you, Bee!

Beedubya

Now I am living here in Little Korea Triboy OK nothing like Sydney's equivalent.

What is Korean food like to eat? Does it bear any resemblance taste wise to any other Asian foods? I love Thai, Vietnamese, etc, but I can't seem to get the gist of what this food is like staring into all these eatery windows at the menu.

If it's anything like Taiwanese food then forget it, I recall a night spent at an EVA Airlines function in Hurstville with the worst food ever appearing upon the table dish after dish, we Westerners were all so hungry we called in at KFC on the way home and I don't even like KFC LOL!!

Any hints of what I could try for my first taster of Korean food or should I not even go there?

Tr1boy

OK, with a couple of exceptions, Korean places tend to specialise in a few dishes and others specialise in others. This means custom gets shared around. Usually there are pictures in the window of what they are selling. Generally they will divide into to main categories. Meat based (bbq) or noodle based )a lot of fish).

The basic premise is that you order a main dish, and will then get side dishes to accompany that (liitle tastes of everything). Side dishes cosnsist of pickled radish, vegetables, kim chi, sometimes small ptoatoes, sometimes small fish, you'll get a mixture. These will come first. Don't eat these until your main comes. Usually they will get replaced as you go.

For the uninitiated I'd go with a bbq dish like 'dak bul gogi' (which literally translated meand 'chicken fire meat) so chicken bbq. Comes on a sizzling plate.

By far the most popular Korean dish with westerners is 'bi bim bap' which means, 'rice mixed vegetable'. This is vegetables, rice and usually a fried egg in one dish. It comes with hot sauce which you add. You must mix the dish up with chopsticks (Korean choptsticks are metal), this is a cold dish. Probably more popular is 'dolsot bi bim bap' which is minced beef and all of the above, served in a very hot stone bowl. I like this one best.

Also popular is 'gal bi' which is meat (ribbon rib) cut up into small pieces and cooked with the veggies on the bbq grill in the middle of the table. Can be a bit expensive compared to other dished. Great communal dish,

Loads of other dishes that involve a huge pot of meat or fish that is cooked in the middle of table when people are talking, then you just ladle out what you want when it's ready. Good dish for 3 or more people.

In general, you're talking meat bbq, meat ,soup, fish or noodle (udong) type stuff.

Our favourite in Malden is the place on the very end of the high st near the roundabout. If you are stood on the roundabout looking down the high street, the one on the left. There is one opposite on the right but we didn't think theye were quite as good.

Basically have a look at the pictures in the window. They are all good at answering questions about food and will always adjust the spice heat to your taste.

Beedubya

Thanks so much Triboy, I have no idea how I missed your post.

My sister is coming to visit in a few weeks time so we will be sure to check these places out now we have your suggestions. Sounds more like the sit down in a restaurant type of food rather than a takeaway for one.

I wondered at the fried egg in a load of veggies as this was what caused me to ask you in the first place as all these restaurants seem to have a picture in the window, so in other words Korean food is nothing like Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, etc................