Korean Restaurant Near Me
Despite being wedged in between two ancient and equally food oriented civilizations, Korea has managed to retain it’s own unique culture and philosophy on cuisine. Not only has Korea made its presence known in the worlds of beauty, music, and television; but they’re beginning to make a major mark on American cuisine as well.
Are you interested in finding a Korean restaurant near you? Simply browse Korean restaurant near me on the map below and find a list of Korean restaurants located in close proximity to your current location. Need a bit more information on Korean food? Read on for interesting facts, trivia, and more!
Korean Restaurant Near Me – Find it on the Map
Korean Restaurant Near Me – Korean Restaurant Trivia
True or false: Korean food is always hot and spicy.
Like so many Asian cultures, Korean food is largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meat. Korean meals are often noted for the number of side dishes that accompany a main dish, rather than just the main dish itself. Main dishes are often hot and spicy but not always. One of the most important ingredients in Korean food is fermented red chili paste along with onions, garlic, scallions, ginger, sesame oil, and powdered red pepper flakes. Because of this, you’ll often find a bit of kick to your Korean food. Of course the exact amount of spice largely depends on the type of dish your ordering. One thing you’ll notice is that Korean food is often highly harmonious. It’s a strong believe in Korea, that ying and yang, must be reflected in all areas of life, including food. This means that all food must be nutritionally balanced in terms of colors, textures, and flavors. A traditional Korean table will almost always include dishes or garnishes of five different colors to represent each of the earth’s five elements. While searching Korean restaurant near me, consider just how harmony can actually affect your meal. Is it important to you that your meal feel balanced?
Korean cuisine is often all about the side dishes.
What do Koreans typically eat with?
If you’re searching Korean restaurant near me, then know that on your visit to a Korean restaurant you’ll almost always be required to eat your dish with chopsticks. In America, wooden chopsticks are often implemented because they are cost effective, hygienic, and can be ordered in bulk. In Korea, you will likely be served with metal chopsticks and a spoon. Since Korea is very wood poor, metal chopsticks have been used as an alternative to wood for more than a thousand years. A spoon is used for soups and for rice. Korean chopsticks, unlike their Chinese counterparts, are shorter and are not pointed at the ends. Japanese chopsticks famous feature a point that can make it a bit trickier to pick up your food and hold it on the stick.
Korean Restaurant Near Me – Korean Restaurant Facts
Fermented Food and Veggies
One thing that you’ll quickly find while searching Korean restaurant near me is that fermented food is absolutely central to the Korean table. What is known as gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang are the three most important bases used in Korean food. All three bases are fermented products, though you likely won’t notice due to taste or texture. Kimchi, which is highly regarded as the country’s national dish, is fermented for nearly a year under ground before it is considered viable for consumption. Koreans also love to utilize mung beans in their cooking. Although mung beans are actually native to the Indian subcontinent, mung beans are typically used as a side dish in Korean meals. They are also used to make cellophane noodles and are placed in many kinds of porridge. Another central feature to Korean food is vegetables. Since Koreans believe that food is medicine, there is a common myth that if you eat well, your mind and your body will benefit. This is why many Koreans still rely on Medicinal herbs such as ginseng, reishi, and wolfberry in their cooking. Most Korean recipes call for lots of vegetables and several types of wild greens such as Korean bellflower root and bracken shoots.
Korean Dessert
In Korea, there is absolutely no concept of dessert, at least not as the west sees it. While there are a variety of confectionary delights such as tteok (sweet rice cakes) and hangwa (traditional confectionary), a typical Korean meal is finished off with green tea or a beverage. If you’re searching Korean restaurants near me in hopes of satisfying that sweet tooth, think again. Of course, some Korean restaurants have taken to an American approach to eating and will serve up green tea ice cream or something similar to satisfy the very American urge to follow up something savory with something very sweet. Traditionally speaking, tea is the name of the game, often coming in many flavors. Tea can be bitter, sweet, astringent, salty or even sour. Tea was first introduced to Korea as a three times daily offering to god in a tea ceremony. At the beginning early teahouses were founded in and around monasteries and later spread further out.
