The Tongdak / Doo Ri
30 & 33 Hibberson St, Gungahlin, ACT 2912
Open for lunch and dinner, eat in or takeaway, offering a wide variety of Korean and Japanese cuisine, including favourites:
- Terriyaki chicken box
- Fried and steamed dumplings
- Korean-style sushi
- Sashimi
- Bento box: beef, sashimi, pork or chicken
- Boneless fried chicken in spicy sauce
What do you know about Korean food?
Despite Australia’s love affair with Asian food, Korean cuisine is not as well-known as Chinese, Japanese or Thai food. Korean food is generally quite healthy, based on vegetables, meat cooked simply and without much oil, and kimchi – a fermented vegetable dish extremely popular in Korea. Food’s temperature, spiciness, colour and texture is given careful consideration, along with presentation.
In a traditional Korean banquet, all meals are served at once and are shared, rather than in courses. Dishes are selected to complement each other and are cooked in numerous ways, including steamed, simmered, pan-fried, fermented and raw. Rice forms the basis of most meals, and is sometimes replaced with noodles.
Preserving food is a Korean specialty, and many dishes are pickled or fermented, not only for the flavour but for the aid in digestion. Popular fermented dishes include kimchi (fermented spicy cabbage), jeotgal (seafood fermented in salt) and doenjang (fermented soy bean paste). These are particularly popular due to their distinctive flavour and high nutritional value.
Traditional Korean food is spicy and strong-smelling, with intense flavours. Popular spices include sesame and sesame oil, chilli pepper paste, soybean paste, garlic, ginger and chilli pepper flakes.