Korean BBQs: What You Need to Know and Where to Go for One

BarcelonaSurely if you live in Barcelona or pass by often you have seen an increase in Korean barbecue restaurants or hot can Chinese. Today we'll focus on the first, the barbecue. Personally, I think it's a very fun type of meal, suitable for groups or families. In fact, a group of four people above would be the ideal size.

The first thing you should know if you feel like making one and have never made one before is that you shouldn't be afraid. If you don't know how it works or what the things they're bringing you are, ask, because they will explain it to you very kindly. You should also keep in mind that not all meats should be cooked by you. They may inform you that they will prepare some cuts directly. These are usually the ones that require the most skill. For the rest, you will have the utensils on the table: scissors and tongs, to make them.

On the table, they will also bring you many other things apart from meat. banchan, that is, dishes that accompany meat. It will have a lot of pickled or fermented vegetables. This is the case with the famous kimchi, which is fermented cabbage and quite spicy. They will also bring you lettuce leaves. When you are in Korea, there are also other types of leaves, such as perilla, which are very aromatic. What you need to do with these leaves is make a ssam: a bundle. In it, you put a small piece of meat and a piece of kimchi, for example. Or rice. Or one of the sauces or condiments they'll bring. Because in addition to the dishes with side dishes, there will also be sauces and salt. There are sauces in both hot and cold varieties, and they're essential to Korean cuisine. One that's addictive is gotxujang (fermented soybean paste with chili).

In some places, they also bring mushrooms and garlic, so they can be grilled. And also eggs, to make a kind of omelet. Restaurants usually have some. packs A barbecue where everything is included, depending on the number of people. Or you just have to choose the cuts of meat you want. Everything else is taken for granted.

Someone to cook

What you will need is someone to cook the meat and cut it into small strips. Some come marinated and are delicious. Some need to be seasoned before cooking, and others are seasoned afterward. There are usually prime cuts of beef, but also one that's super popular in Korea, a favorite among young people and colleagues after work: bacon. The restaurant may take care of replacing the grill with a clean one when it gets dirty. They usually keep an eye on everything. You'll also see that many have a table equipped with a drawer containing Western cutlery. By the way, remember that in Korea, rice is eaten with a spoon, not chopsticks.

There's also the whole range of drinks. Soy (traditionally made from rice, but now increasingly made from a starch like sweet potato, potato, or cassava) is usually the most common drink, along with beer. Sometimes even mixed. If not, you have the lighter option of makgeolli, their rice wine, which has a milky color and is drunk with a metallic flask the size of a small bowl. There are also often original cocktail offerings, which are very popular in the Asian country. You might also find other dishes on the menu, such as noodles or soups. For Koreans, adding soup is the most normal thing in the world. However, it's important to keep in mind that food portions are usually generous.

And now we move on to the recommendations section. I would tell you two that I think are fantastic for people who are just starting out: one is Seoul Nadri (Roger de Llúria, 24). Large, spacious tables. Ideal for celebrating, for example, a birthday. It's not a quiet restaurant, but you'll have a great time. It has the quality of a restaurant. Pocha, which I already recommended in this section. There are also other dishes, such as their delicious sweet potato noodles (japchae), which are always a hit. And if you find that there's a smell when you leave, they have a kind of bubble cleaning gun that gets rid of the bad smells. Going is always a happy experience.

The other one that's a huge hit is the Kuili Korean BBQ (Valencia Street, 263). It has a fun decor, very attentive staff, and you'll have to think very little because they have a well-structured menu. You'll feel a sense of abundance because your table will be filled with dishes and plates in no time. It perfectly replicates the feeling of Korean barbecues, where it's a popular but festive activity. Just don't go to any of them without a reservation; it costs nothing and you'll avoid disappointment.