So anyone who’s dined at Hansang will tell you this: Get the beef-bone stew. It’s a cream-coloured broth with the texture, aroma and depth of flavour you’d expect from something that’s simmered in a cauldron for 72 hours. It’s seriously one of the best soups in Sydney, but there is so much more Hansang has to offer. The loud, beerhall-like venue has a long menu traversing meaty drinking snacks, hot pots and simple homestyle stews. Then there’s the fact the banchan, all 8 to 10 of them, are some of the best in Sydney.
Barbecue and fried chicken might have once been the most popular manifestations of Korean cooking in Sydney, but that’s not even scratching the surface. When your cravings take you beyond the communal grills, here are the city’s top spots for platters of pork belly, hearty beef broths, kimchi hot pots, crunchy-leek pancakes, and cold buckwheat noodles, anju (Korean drinking food), and cheese-smothered rice-cakes.
Banchan and rice are at the heart of most Korean meals, and you can expect all of the restaurants below to provide at least four of the side dishes free of charge, including refills if requested. The best of the best will serve up to ten homemade options. And remember that restaurant-style Korean cuisine is designed for big groups so prepare for colossal hot pots and sizzling plates by bringing your gang with you.