Me and a few sorority sisters- Pama and Margaret decided to indulge ourselves in some great authentic korean food at Korea Garden in Oakland. We decided to go for lunch although me and Margaret usually go for dinner. I would suggest going to Korea Garden for dinner (although there may be a wait) simply because of the little appetizer dishes you get before your entree.
I've got to say my most favorite thing about going to a korean restaurant is getting the little appetizers before hand! At every korean restaurant you get a few little dishes (for free) after you order your entree and really, it's the best thing ever. They always vary but you can always bet you will get a few dishes of kimchi. At lunch this time, we didn't get as many little dishes and I was a bit disappointed by this. The food both at lunch and dinner is exactly the same (same food and portions), but I really like those little dishes and therefore would opt to go for dinner to get more variety!
Korean food is unique in that it is SUPER filling and hearty. If you don't like spicy food or anything with loads of flavor- you may want to reconsider korean food. But really- it's amazing and I think everyone should at least try it once.
My favorite thing by far is Bi Bim Bap. Bi Bim Bap is a rice dish that is loaded with different korean vegetables, meat and a raw egg on top. You get sauce on the side that is intended to be mixed in to give the dish some flavor- the great part is that you can regulate how much (spicy) sauce you want to add so you can control the amount of spice you want in the dish (if at all). Bi Bim Bap is served in two ways- in a stainless steel bowl or a sizzling bowl (pictured below). Although the sizzling bowl is a bit more expensive it definitely is worth is as it keeps your food hot, cooks your egg, and really- it just tastes better.
I again, apologize for the half eaten entree
We also got chop chae (pictured below) which is a very popular noodle dish in korean cuisine. It has tons of flavor but is also light and not too greasy. This was actually the first time I had it, thanks to Margaret's suggestion, and it was amazing. This is actually a good dish for you if you don't like spicy foods too much as this isn't one bit spicy!
Korea Garden is a great authentic restaurant that I highly recommend. The portions are large and can be great for sharing. I also recommend the various hotpots if you are craving something with more of a soupy base (although it is quite spicy). I went to Sushi Kim in the Strip District recently and the quality of food and service do not compare to that of Korea Garden. The food is home-made and just gives you the feeling that there is a korean grandma hiding in the kitchen!
