Banchan Basics: How to Navigate Your First Korean Restaurant Meal
The small dishes arriving around your main order are usually part of the meal, not a sequence of appetizers you need to finish first. They are called banchan. For a first restaurant meal in Korea, the useful questions are what came with your order, how this restaurant handles extra portions, and which dishes cost separately. You do not need to recognize every dish immediately. Start by asking about the items you actually want to eat, then take a small amount and see how it works with your rice and main dish. On this page 1. Read the whole table before ordering more 2. Make the refill question specific 3. Take a small amount and keep the table comfortable 4. A simple first-meal example 5. Common questions Official background and a useful next read 1. Read the whole table before ordering more The Korea Tourism Organization describes a typical table with rice, soup, side dishes and stew, and identifies kimchi as one of the side dishes. The exact arrangement varies by restaurant and order...