Craving some bibimbap, bulgogi, boba tea, gimbap or corn dog? You don’t have to go all the way to Korea to dig into them, as Calcutta now has quite a few Korean eateries catering to fans of the K-world. t2 went on a trail to four of these and picked two favourite dishes from each place.
What: Boba Tea
Where: Boba Panda Boba Panda’s speciality is their Bubble aka Boba Tea. Tea layered with cream and milk poured over tapioca pearls extracts the flavours really well. It’s a refreshing drink to choose this summer, as it’s served chilled.
What: Gimbap
Where: Cafe Tov Gimbap is the ultimate Korean comfort food. Rice, chicken and veggies wrapped in crab sticks make it a wholesome dish to try. The gimbap at this Korean cafe in Santoshpur is the best we’ve tried.
What: Sweet and spicy fried chicken
Where: Yum Yum Korean Bucket Hands down, it’s the best you’ll get in the city and it’s their signature! Yum Yum Korean Bucket’s Swicy is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy that fried chicken is tossed in. It’s enough to fill you up.
What: Tteokbokki
Where: Boba Panda One of the spiciest dishes in Korea, Tteokbokki is rice cake served with boiled eggs, your choice of meat and authentic Korean chilli flakes called Gochugaru and tossed in the spicy Gochujang sauce. This bowl personifies love served as food at Boba Panda in Golpark.
What: Potato Sausage Corn-Dog
Where: Yum Yum Korean Bucket Sausage on a stick wrapped with cheese and potatoes rolled in Korean spices and dressed with mayo, ketchup and sweet honey mustard sauce — the Potato CornDog is super crunchy and tasty. Get it at Yum Yum Korean Bucket, the hub for Korean street food at Jatin Bagchi Road. Heads up, you’ll find a huge crowd outside the food truck so head earlier than 4.30pm (opening time).
What: Bibimbap
Where: Mis en Place Another comforting rice dish that you must try at this place is the bibimbap. As a K-drama fan, you might often have come across the mention of this dish made in their household. Wouldn’t you want to taste it? The bibimbap at Mis en Place tastes delightful. Stir the rice, sauteed meat, sesame oil, Gochujang sauce, fried egg, pak choi and kimchi and dig in. The bowl is a perfect lunch option to go for!
What: Dupbap
Where: Cafe Tov Another must-try from Cafe Tov would be their Beef Dupbap. The bowl of rice with stir-fried beef in Gochujang sauce takes you straight to the streets of Seoul. You can sit with a book at the cafe, watch the rain and eat a bowl full of this yummy and sumptuous dish.
What: Bulgogi
Where: Mis en Place Located right beside Tandoor Park in Dhakuria, Mis en Place with its cosy ambience and homely atmosphere caters to your ultimate Korean food cravings. After trying out their bulgogi you’ll go nowhere else for it. It is served with fresh cabbage leaves, a bowl of rice, stir-fried meat, bulgogi sauce, seasoning sauce, kimchi and apple for sweetness. Wrap up a spoonful of all the things served in the cabbage leaf and dip it in the seasoning sauce. You’ll taste a burst of interesting flavours and it’ll leave you hungry for more.