We all know that old saying, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Well, that’s especially true when it comes to Korean food. Kalbi, panchan, chap chae – it’s hard to know what to choose if you aren’t familiar with the menu. So here’s the beginner’s guide to the food.

Start with the Basics

If you’re a meat eater – go with kalbi or bulgoki. Both are marinated meats that are barbecued and slightly sweet. Kalbi is rib meat, and bulgoki is tenderloin or sirloin. If you are at a barbecue restaurant, they will normally bring it out raw and allow you took cook it over hot coals in the center of the table. Don’t be put off by this, it’s a wonderful way to eat and your meat is cooked exactly the way you like it. Otherwise, the meat will be cooked in the back for you and usually brought out sizzling on a hot plate.

Veggie? Opt for bi bim bap, which is five vegetables served over rice. You will need to request that it come without the egg if you are strict or just not egg-eating vegetarian. Bi bim bap served with a side of red pepper sauce, which is called go ju jang. Start mixing it in sparingly, it’s hot.

Another great beginner dish is chap chae, a sweet potato noodle dish with veggies and very little meat. It has again that slightly sweet flavor you’ll find in kalbi and bulgoki.

Who doesn’t love potstickers? Koreans call these dumplings man doo, which come with steamed or fried. Man doo can have almost any filling, but most restaurants will usually just offer a beef/veggie filling. Finally, there is the lovely hae mul pa jun, which is a sea food pancake with green onions and egg.

Ready to Play with the Big Boys? Try the Chigaes

Stews are another wonderful option at a Korean restaurant, but they aren’t necessarily for the beginner. Stews are served in a hot stone bowl. There’s soondubu chigae, which is a spicy soup with soft bean curd and seafoods. Kim chi chigae will warm you in the winter – again a spicy soup with kimchi and pork. And try dwen jang chigae – a spicy (seeing a theme here) bean paste stew with beef.

The Sides

Any good Korean restaurant will serve pan chan, which consists of a variety of side dishes that come in small, softball-sized plates. The dishes will be mainly vegetables and kim chi (fermented, spicy cabbage) variations. Let’s pause here at kim chi – which is one of the foods most heavily identified with Korean food. It has a strong, unmistakable taste. Some will love it, some will hate it. The thing is, you won’t know until you try. Other dishes could include steamed spinach, potatoes, picked radish, and everything else imaginable. Don’t try and learn each dish, just dive in.

You will always get rice with your meal unless you order a noodle dish. If you don’t get rice, just get up and walk out. Rice makes everything better. You may also encounter some variations on the foods described above. Korean cooking is not a science, but it is an experience.

Don’t let fear keep you from some of the best food on the planet. Venture. Gain. Eat Korean food.