I’ve been visiting South Korean restaurants recently and receive these little plates with whatever I order. Do I eat them with what I order or before like a starter? What’s the proper way?

by marmmalade

6 Comments

  1. GenericMelon

    Anyway you like. Most eat it with rice.

  2. I always monch some right away to try everything and snack, and then I start mixing in bites with my entree. A little rice plus a piece of kimchi is the best.

  3. Briham86

    These little plates are known as banchan. They make up part of a traditional Korean meal, and any halfway decent restaurant will provide them. They are free and can be refilled, often without asking. As for how you eat them, it’s any way you like. You can eat them alone while you wait for your meal or combined with it. If you are having Korean BBQ, they will often provide rice and leafy vegetables or seaweed laver. Take a leaf, add some meat, rice, a bit of dip, and a few banchan. Wrap it up and eat in one mouthful. Part of the joy of Korean food is experimenting with different combinations of banchan.

    So yeah, the only rule with banchan is to enjoy it.

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