This unassuming Korean restaurant is tucked away in a corner near Marktplatz, in an old building with an interior typical of German restaurants from the olden days. Antique blue plates and a variety of old knick-knacks line most walls, interspersed with frames of Korean-themed paintings and paper fans. Above the bar area is a display of the owner’s collection of currency notes from all over the world.
I first visited this restaurant in 2015, in search of Bibimbap. That first meal was disappointing so I didn’t think to return till recently, two years later. We were sightseeing in the area on a Monday, and craving Asian fare. The restaurant had a small table free amidst hordes of Korean tourists popping in for shifts of 30-minute lunch breaks, so the owner squeezed us in.
Restaurant Korea Heidelberg: The Verdict
The quality of the à la carte dishes we ordered was satisfactory, and the meal is relatively good value for money. It’s like having a taste of Korean home-cooking. The best way to sample the variety on offer is to order one dish per person from the à la carte menu and share them “Asian family-style”. This way, you also get to enjoy 7 different types of banchan, free refills available (the kimchee is still not as robust as I would like it to be).
The Haemul Pajeon and Mandu kept us busy while we waited for our main courses to be served. The dipping sauce is pure soy sauce with sesame seeds sprinkled in, so be wary before you drench anything in it. The large bowl of spicy seafood udon would do nicely as comfort food on a cold and rainy day. I liked the dish “Spicy Octopus in Vegetables” best – its sauce had the right balance of sweet and spicy, although the restaurant would sometimes substitute octopus with squid (we returned and ordered this dish again a week later).
Korea is open daily for lunch from 11.00-15.00 (lunch menu available), and for dinner from 17.30-23.00. Reservations are highly recommended, otherwise you risk getting turned away, especially during lunch time when Korean tour groups descend daily for lunch.
Restaurant Korea Heidelberg, Heiliggeiststraße 3, 69117 Heidelberg
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