The Kimbap Cheonguk Menu Explained: What To Order From Kimbap To Noodle Soups
I was talking with some new students to Korea about budget-friendly food in Korea and where they can get simple but good Korean meals and brought up Kimbap Cheonguk, Kimbap Nara, Kimbap Paradise, Kimbap Heaven, Kimbap Country… basically, all of those budget-friendly kimbap spots. Not the most flamboyant restaurants in Korea, but plenty of food to choose from.
Actually, it was while talking with them I realized how daunting these Korean restaurants’ menus are. While most Korean restaurants stick to and promote one or a few main dishes, Kimbap Cheonguk has a substantial looking menu, though if you know how to take it apart, you can easily find the right meal for you.
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Kimbap Cheonguk Menu
Like I said, the menu can look daunting if you’re just starting to read Korean and when you’re new in Korea, or even just passing through, anything daunting can quickly become overwhelming. BUT, if you start to break this menu down, you’ll definitely find something that you’ll like and it’s a good way to try a lot of different simple, budget-friendly, and delicious meals.
The menu below can be slightly different at each restaurant, but it’s a good place to start.
Budget Friendly Korean Food
Kimbab (김밥류)
Kimbap is a simple budget-friendly meal you can have in or on-the-go. If you want it to go, just linger near the kimbap station that is usually at the front of the shop near the door and order with the staff manning the station. If you want to eat in, take a seat and order.
- 1 Basic Kimbap, Geunnyang Kimbap (그냥김밥): The most basic of kimbap, which includes a yellow pickled sweet radish, processed ham, carrots, namul or blanched greens like spinach, and cooked egg.
- 2 Green Bell Pepper Kimbap, Pimang Kimbap (피망김밥): The basic kimbap with the ingredients listed above as well as green bell pepper.
- 3 Cheese Kimbap (치즈김밥): Basic kimbap with slices of processed cheese added.
- 4 Kimchi Kimbap (김치김밥): Basic kimbap with kimchi added.
- 5 Tuna Kimbap, Chamchi Kimbap (참치김밥): Basic kimbap with tuna sesame leaves, and mayonnaise added.
- 6 Spicy Anchovy Kimbap, Maekom Myeolchi Kimbap (매콤멸치김밤): Basic kimbap with tiny spicy anchovy added. (You might also see just Myeolchi Kimbap on the menu, this option isn’t spicy.)
- 7 Beef Kimbap, Sogogi Kimbap (소고기김밥): Basic kimbap with a cooked ground beef mixture added.
- 8 Salad Kimbap (샐러드김밥): Filled with various veggies including carrots and spinach. The biggest difference is that it doesn’t have the ham of the original kimbap so it’s vegetarian friendly.
- 9 Pepper Tuna Kimbap, Gochu Chamchi Kimbap (고추참치김밥): A spicier version of tuna kimbap listed above.
- 10 Pork Cutlet Kimbap, Donkkaseu Kimbap (돈까스김밥): Basic kimbap with cut up pork cutlet added.
- 11 Big Sausage Kimbap (통큰소시지김밥): Basic kimbap with sausage added.
- 12 Grilled Short Rib Patty Kimbap, Ddeokgalbi Kimbap (떡갈비김밥): Basic kimbap with grilled short rib patties added.
- 13 Egg Kimbap, Kaeranmal Kimbap (계란말이감밥): Basic kimbap with scrambled eggs added.
- 14 King Shrimp Kimbap, Wang Saeoo Kimbap (왕새우김밥): Basic kimbap with cooked shrimp added.
- 15 Kimchi Pork Cutlet Kimbap, Kimchi Donkkaseu Kimbap (김돈까스김밥): Basic kimbap with kimchi and pork cutlet added.
Other common kimbap options you might see on the menu include:
- Vegetable Kimbap, Yachae Kimbap (야채김밥): Filled with various veggies including carrots and spinach. The biggest difference is that it doesn’t have the ham of the original kimbap so it’s vegetarian friendly.
- Sobulgogi Kimbap (소불고김밥): Basic kimbap with bulgogi added.
- Yubu Chobap (유부초밥): The Korean version of inari sushi. Or, sweet and vinegared rice stuffed in fried bean curd pockets.
Snacks (분식류)
I like that this is called snack food in Korean. This is the kind of food that you can also find on street food carts so it’s a good list to learn and know as you can order it at Kimbap Cheongguk, but also when you’re out and about.
- 16 Tteokbokki (떡볶이): Rice cakes are simmered in a spicy red pepper sauce, odaeng, or fish cakes are added and it’s served with yellow raddish on the side. Tteokbokki is one of the most popular street foods in Korea.
- 17 Rabokki (라볶이): Take the tteokbokki and add a packet of ramyeon noodles. This is a good option if you’re a bit hungrier.
- 18 Jjeolbokki (쫄볶이): Take the tteokbokki and add jeolmyeon noodles. These are thicker than ramyeon noodles.
- 19 Cheese Chugah (치즈추가): “Chugah” means add or additional. If you say this, you can add cheese to whatever else you’ve ordered like the above tteokbokki or rabokki.
- 20 Special Rabokki (스페셜라볶이): This dish has the tteokbokki starter with the ramyeon added and it’s all topped with nice melted cheese. This is a good way to cut the spice level if it’s a bit too much for you usually.
- 21 Meat Dumplings, Gogi Mandu (고기만두): Dumplings filled with a mixture of ground pork, tofu, garlic, garlic chives, and onions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
- 22 Fish Cakes, Odaeng (오땡): Thing fish cakes usually served with a fish broth.
Other common options you might see on the menu in this section include:
- Kimchi Dumplings, Kimchi Mandu (김치만두): A spicier dumpling option, kimchi dumplings are usually made with kimchi, pork, tofu, bean sprouts, onions, and scallions.
Pork Cutlets (돈까스류)
If you’re not quite sure about Korean food, need something fried and approachable, pork cutlets are always a good choice.
- 23 Pork Cutlet, Donkkaseu (돈까스): A pork cutlet coated in egg and dredged in panko breadcrumbs and then deep-fried. Usually served with rice, yellow radish, and shredded cabbage with a sesame sauce.
- 24 Curry Pork Cutlet, Kallae Donkkaseu (카래돈까스): Same as the above, but instead, there is a curry sauce on top of the pork cutlet.
- 25 Sweet Potato Pork Cutlet, Goguma Donkkaseu (돈까스): This pork cutlet has sweet potato mixed in before it’s coated in egg and panko breadcrumbs for a bit sweeter kick.
- 26 Cheese Pork Cutlet, Cheeje Donkkaseu (치즈돈까스): A pork cutlet with mozzarella cheese added inside before being fried.
Noodle Dishes (면류)
If you’re not feeling rice, go noodles. There are plenty of noodle dishes to choose from.
- 28 Ramyeon (라면): Your basic spicy Korean ramyeon made the way Koreans make it with added vegetables like green onions.
- 29 Cheese Ramyeon (치즈라면): Spicy Korean ramyeon topped with a slice of processed cheese.
- 30 Ddeok Ramyeon (떡라면): Spicy Korean ramyeon with sliced rice cakes added.
- 31 Mandu Ramyeon (만두라면): Spicy Korean ramyeon with meat dumplings added.
- 32 Kimchi Ramyeon (김치라면): Spicy Korean ramyeon with kimchi added on top.
- 33 Jjamppong Ramyeon (짬뽕라면): A seafood ramyeon with shrimp or shellfish added.
- 34 Jjeolmyeon (쫄면): A Korean cold noodle dish with chewy noodles topped with a sweet and tangy gochujang sauce and cucumbers.
- 35 Bibim Guksu (비빔국수): A cold noodle dish with a sweet and spicy gochujang spice topped with cucumbers and usually a hard boiled egg.
- 36 Janchi Guksu (잔치국수): Known as banquet noodles, or wheat noodles in an anchovy broth topped with sliced egg, meat, mushrooms, and other vegetables, janchiguksu is a common home meal. If you don’t have someone to make it for you though, order it.
- 37 White Rice, Gongi bap (공기밥): Plain white sticky rice. This option doesn’t always show up in this section. It’s obviously not noodles. It can often be at the end or in another area that has space on the menu.
Other common options you might see on the menu in this section include:
- Modeum Eomuk Udong (모듬어묵우동): Thick fish cake slices in various sizes in a fish broth with green onion and tofu skins.
- Mul Naengmyeon (물냉면): A spicy soup of chewy buckwheat noodles in a cold broth generally topped with sliced cucumbers and a hard-boiled egg.
Hot Rice Dishes (덮밥류)
There are a variety of hot rice bowls you can order in Korea. For a hearty and filling meal, this is a good section of the menu to check.
- 40 Curried Hot Rice, Kallae Deopbap (카래덮밥): Rice topped with curry sauce, diced potatoes, carrots, and pork or beef.
- 41 Tuna Hot Rice, Chamchi Deopbap (참치덮밥): A simple bowl of rice topped with canned tuna, mayo and some vegetables.
- 42 Pork Hot Rice, Jaeyuk Deopbap (제육덮밥): Stir fried pork, carrots, zucchini, and onions in a spicy sauce with rice on the side.
- 43 Squid Hot Rice, Ojinga Deopbap (오징어덮밥): Spicy squid, carrot, and onion served with rice.
- 44 Japchae Deopbap (잡채덮밥): Japchae is a savory and slightly sweet dish of stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables. Often served on it’s own, in this case, it would top rice.
- 45 Nakji Deopbap (낙지덮밥): Spicy octopus, carrot, and onion served with rice.
- 46 Bulgogi Deopbap (불고기덮밥): Thin, marinated slices of meat cooked in a hot pot and served with hot rice.
- 47 Cheolpan Bulgogi Deopbap (철판불고기덮밥): thin, marinated slices cooked on a bbq and served overtop rice.
Stews (찌개류)
Looking for something hot and hearty? Look into the Korean stew section of the menu. Stews are served with a bowl of rice on the side.
- 49 Soft Bean Curd Jjigae, Sundubu Jjigae (순두부찌개): Sometimes fiery bubbling cauldron of soft tofu, freshly cracked egg, chili peppers, inoki mushrooms, a couple clams, onions, and deunjang (Korean miso) paste.
- 50 Bean Paste Soup, Doenjang Jjigae (된장찌개): 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.
- 51 Tuna Jjigae, Chamchi Jjigae (참치찌개): A spicy stew with tuna added. Rice is served on the side.
- 52 Kimchi Jjigae (김치찌개): Always fiery bubbling cauldron of kimchi, plenty of chili powder and raw chilies, onions, and the odd mushroom in a pork broth.
- 53 Bean Sprout Soup, Kongnamul Gukbap (콩나물국밥): A savory soybean sprout soup served with a raw egg often on top, or on the side but you’re meant to pour it into the soup while it boils so it can cook.
Other soups you may often see on the menu:
- Dumpling and Rice Cake Soup, Ddeok mandu guk (떡만두국): Sliced rice cakes, meat dumplings, egg, sliced green onion, and zucchini served in a cloudy non-spicy broth.
- Rice Cake Soup, Ddeok guk (떡국): Sliced rice cakes, egg, sliced green onion, and zucchini served in a cloudy non-spicy beef broth.
- Dumpling Soup, Mandu guk (만두국): Meat dumplings, egg, sliced green onion, and zucchini served in a cloudy non-spicy broth.
Summer Dishes (여름메뉴)
Some meals in Korea are seasonal and only available at certain times of the year. Look for a sign on the wall with these when they’re available.
- 64 Chilled Soybean Soup, Kongguksu (냉콩국수): Thick wheat noodles in a cold soy milk broth usually topped with sliced cucumbers. Usually eaten in summer.
- 65 Naeng Momil (냉모밀): A cold soba noodle dish served with a bowl of radish and wasabi, soy sauce broth on the side. You dip the noodles in the broth and then eat them.
Stir Fried Rice Dishes and Bibimbap (볶음밥 & 비빔밥)
- 66 Bibimbap (비빔밥): A staple. Rice in a silver bowl covered with various vegetables and gochujang (red chili paste). Carrots, mountain weeds, cucumbers, sprouts, etc.
- 67 Dolsot Bibimbap (돌솥비빔밥): See above served in a hot stone bowl and topped with a (usually) fried egg. The bowl is hot, so not recommended to place right in front of kids.
- 68 Omelet Rice (오므라이스): Fried rice usually containing ham, carrots, and other vegetables, wrapped in a thin omelet and topped with a brown sauce or ketchup.
- 69 Kimchi Fried Rice, Kimchi Bokkeumbap (김치볶음밥): A spicy kimchi fried rice usually served with a fried egg on top.
- 70 Cheolpan Cheese Kimchi Bokkeumbap (철판치즈김치볶음밥): Kimchi fried rice topped with cheese.
- 71 Small Octopus Hot Pot, Dolsot Nakji (돌솥낙지): A hotpot served with rice topped with a octopus mixture with onions, carrots, and spicy sauce.
Soups (탕.조림류)
- 72 Kimchi Mackeral Stew, Kimchi Godeunga Jorim (김치고등어조림): Kimchi and large mackeral in a hot pot.
- 73 Kimchi and Braised Saury Stew, Kimchi Ggonchi Jorim (김치꽁치조림): A spicy stew served with braised saury in a gochujang base.
- 74 Spicy Beef Soup, Yukgaejang (육개장): Beef and green onion soup in a spicy chili pepper broth.
- 75 Bulgogi Hot Pot, Ddukbaegi Bulgogi (뚝배기불고기): Bulgogi served in a hot pot with rice on the side.
- 76 Budae Jjigae (부대찌개): A spicy stew made with ham, sausage, Spam, baked beans, kimchi, instant noodles, gochujang and American cheese.
- 77 Ayuk Haejangguk (아육해장국): A Korean “hangover stew”. Usually they’re made to be a bit spicy to help you sweat it out and hydrate.
- 78 Galbi Tang (갈비탕): Short rib soup with garlic, glass noodles and green onion in a non-spicy clear broth.
- 79 Spicy Korean Beef Tripe and Intestine Soup, Naejang Tang (내장탕): A soup served with beef intestines in a spicy broth.
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