We can't live a life without the pleasure of eating delicious food. Neither can we enjoy travelling somewhere without good food. What's the point of travelling if you can't try the foods you only can get there?
However, if you are travelling on a budget, it would be preferable for you to cut some costs of food. You, even so, might not want to totally give up opportunities of eating good food in the destination, which leads you to a question: "is there any way for me to kill two birds with one stone?"
In Korea, yes, there is! I'm going to give you five good food chains you cannot ignore if you are planning to visit Korea and want to save your pocket at the same time.
1. Egg Drop
Egg Drop is one of the biggest sandwich chains in South Korea. This brand was launched in 2017, challenging the firm stronghold of ISAAC TOAST in the sandwich industry.
Egg Drop was a late runner facing the biggest sandwich magnate ISAAC TOAST, but it has been very successful ever since opening with its own style. There are over 200 branches of it across the country.
Unlike other normal street sandwiches, which are made of two thin slices of bread, Egg Drop's sandwiches are made of thick slices. The thick bread is soft inside with a buttery smell, which I love, and is cut halfway in the middle with stuffing.
They serve over ten different sandwiches; American Ham Cheese, Bacon Double Cheese, and Garlic Bacon Cheese are the most popular among other sandwiches.
Each sandwich doesn't cost more than 6,000 won (appx $4.5 as of Aug 2022), and it doesn't go beyond 10,000 won (appx $7.5) even if you order a cup of coffee to go with the sandwich.
For your information, some experts order extra strawberry jam to finish the bottom stub.
2. Issac Toast
Here the king of sandwiches is!
Isaac Toast is the biggest sandwich chain in South Korea, which was launched in 1995 and now has more than 800 branches across the country.
Including myself, almost every student in Korea might have eaten ISAAC's sandwiches during their school days. That much, the brand has been popular and loved by hungry people with paltry pocket money for its low prices for sandwiches.
As a high school student, I used to go to one of Isaac Toast's branches frequently after school. It was a perfect place for me to stave off my hunger with little money. I can be sure that not only to me but also to many Korean people, Isaac Toast has etched warm memories in our minds.
There are about 20 sandwiches on their menu. The most popular ones are Ham Special Toast, Ham Cheese Toast, Bacon Potato Pizza Toast, etc.
The most incredible thing about the brand is that none of its sandwiches doesn't cost more than 5,000 won (appx $3.7 as of Aug 2022). The cheapest one is Ham Cheese Toast which costs only 2,800 won (appx $2). How amazing that is! You can satisfy your hunger for just under 10 dollars.
3. Gimbap Cheongug / Gimbap Cheonguk / Gimbap Chungook
Here we are. Korean people's old friend, Gimbap Cheongug (it might be spelt differently, refer to the subheading), is a restaurant brand you can see literally anywhere in Korea. I would put it the Korean version of Denny's in the US. More humble and cheaper than that, though.
One of the good things about this brand is that most of its branches are open 24/7. 24/7! Not only that, there are thousands of Gimbap Cheongug restaurants across the nation, so you will probably see one anywhere you go. Which means you can have a proper meal anytime you want, anywhere you are.
Most dishes on the menu are Korean food. There are so many on the menu that you may get lost, not knowing which one to choose. If you are good with spicy food, pick 김치볶음밥(Kimchi Bokkeumbap, Kimchi Fried Rice); 김치찌개(Kimchi Jjigae, Kimchi Stew); 제육덮밥(Jeyuk Deopbap, Spicy Stir-fried Pork with Rice). If you are not good with spicy food, 오므라이스(Omurice, fried rice wrapped in a thin omelette with ketchup on top) and 불고기덮밥(Bulgogi Deopbap, Rice with Bulgogi on Top) would be safe and good options.
Except for several dishes, 99% of the menu costs under 10 dollars each. And the food is good! Those make Gimbap Cheonguk the one where you can kill two birds with one stone.
4. Hansot Dosirak
Hansot Dosirak is a Dosirak(packed lunch or packed meal) brand in South Korea. As the biggest and most popular Dosirak brand, many people appease their hunger with its food for low prices.
This brand is another good one that gave me many good options and memories when I was a student. I used to be stuck in a private drawing school all day long for university entrance tests back in high school. Sometimes I had to buy food three times a day for each meal because the tuition fee for the school didn't cover my meals. So, as a student with little money in my pocket, the Hansot Dosirak was one of my favourite "go-to"s.
There are so many foods on the menu. Literally, so many. You can try your own way. That's another fun, but I'd like to give you some BEST sellers in case you get your brain fried even before your food gets fried.
These three foods have a long history and the most fans: Dongbaek(5,800 won / $4.2), Chicken Mayo(3,500 won / $2.5), Tonkatsu Doryeon-nim(4,500 won / $3.3).
Dongbaek consists of a grilled minced beef steak, a fried prawn, bulgogi, a piece of fried chicken, fish cake, and rice. Chicken Mayo was my favourite: egg garnish and slices of fried chicken on top of rice. You mix the food with teriyaki sauce. And lastly, Tonkatsu Doryeon-nim. It has a piece of tonkatsu, a grilled minced beef steak, and some fried chicken pieces.
This brand's branches are also scattered across the nation, so you can see one easily anywhere you go in South Korea.
5. Hongkong 0410 (a.k.a. Paik's Noodle in the US)
Korean people call it Hongkong Banjeom. This brand serves Chinese food which is tailored to Koreans' palates.
General Chinese food in Korea is not genuinely Chinese. So, when you go to a Chinese restaurant in Korea, you shouldn't expect authentic Chinese food.
Hongkong 0410 is also that sort of Chinese restaurant brand. They serve Jjajangmyeon(짜장면, noodles with black soybean sauce), Jjamppong(짬뽕, noodles in spicy soup), Tangsuyuk(탕수육, fried pork with sweet and sour sauce on top), which are typical Koreanised Chinese foods.
The reason why I recommend this brand is because they are a crowd-pleaser. So many of its branches are spread across the country, and whichever one you visit, you will probably satisfy your appetite for low prices. Note, I'm not saying you will be satisfied 100% anywhere you go. It depends on a cook, but because the headquarters supervise its branches, you will very likely visit a good one.
Hongkong 0410 is the most expensive on this recommendation list. If you order not only one single dish but more, the total will probably go beyond $10. However, a single dish such as Jjajangmyeon and Jjamppong costs 6,500, and 7,500 won each - even the bigger size of each of them costs less than 10,000(appx $8) - so you would happily enjoy a full meal.
What else do you want to know about Korea? Comment below, and I will write anohter post for your curiosity.
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WORDS BY
Minsu Kim - koreaonthescreen@gmail.com
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