Banchan, known as side dishes, are a huge part of Korean cuisine. These side dishes are something we look forward to in Korean restaurants. They can be small plates of kimchi, salted seafood, or even simple cooked dishes.
While they are called side dishes, pairing them with a fried egg and a bowl of rice can be a simple and quick meal especially for those working from home.
Koryo Jeong Banchan Store in International Plaza
There’s a store selling Korean banchan on the first floor of International Plaza over at Tanjong Pagar. It’s an extension of Koryo Jeong, a Korean restaurant that’s located on the 2nd floor.
The Banchan store sells authentic and home-style Korean side dishes.
Besides side dishes, you can also find bento boxes and small bites like Fried Dumplings, Deep-Fried Seaweed Rolls, and So-tteok (sausage and rice cake skewers).
The menu for the bento boxes changes from day to day, but when we were there, there was a fried rice bento and one with brown rice.
More Rare and Interesting Banchan
A particular row of banchan caught our eye, with items such as Pickled Korean Melon (참외), Pickled Persimmon, and Pickled Radish. These were in a deep red colour.
There was also a type of Melon (울외) pickled in bean paste.
Korean Side Dishes
Some of the items that Koryo Jeong Takeaway offers are Kimchi, Stir-fried Anchovies, Seasoned Dried Shredded Squid, and Cuttlefish.
We checked with the owner and she mentioned that for the kimchi varieties, you can keep them up to 2 weeks. However, they come in small sizes, so you’ll probably finish them within 2 weeks.
Here are some of the items we bought:
Chive Kimchi
A small box of this buchu kimchi costs $5. The kimchi doesn’t have a strong sour taste and has a refreshing green onion flavour. It also has a slightly crispy texture and tasted slightly spicy.
We would recommend eating this with grilled meats, aka Korean BBQ.
Braised Lotus Roots
The lotus roots are braised in a sweet and salty sauce. It had a nice balance of flavours and would go well with rice just by itself. Our only complaint? Too small a tub.
Stir-Fried Anchovies
One of the more well-known side dishes in Singapore has got to be stir-fried anchovies.
The one sold at Koryo Jeong Takeaway comes with bits of almonds as well. It’s crispy, crunchy, and has a nice salty taste that would fit perfectly as a side dish amongst a spread of homecooked food.
Korean Banchan Store in Singapore
Koryo Jeong Takeaway would be a quick place for people working nearby who want to grab a nice homecooked bento meal for lunch.
If you want a taste of Korean home-cooked side dishes, grab a few boxes and keep them in your fridge and take them out when you’re too lazy to cook.
You can also find Korean canned drinks and alcohol at the shop as well.
Do note that they currently only accept cash payment, but they have an OCBC ATM machine located a few steps away.
Koryo Jeong Takeaway (고려정 반찬가게)
10 Anson Road, #01-78, International Plaza, Singapore 079903
Mon-Sat, 10:30am-6:30pm
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg.
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