Newly opened affordable Korean cuisine in Kaohsiung – unlimited free side dishes!

Text & Photos byShadow

The Hanzimida Korean Restaurant, which opened in August, is located on the bustling Dashun Second Road. The restaurant specializes in affordable Korean dishes and offers unlimited free side dishes, showing the owner’s intention to carve out a unique business model among the many Korean eateries.

The restaurant didn’t do much promotion at the beginning, so during dinner time, it was mostly visited by students from the neighborhood. Walking into the shop, you’ll see simple Korean-style decor but a surprisingly spacious interior. After being seated by the staff, they explained the dining style to us.

The restaurant’s highlight is the free side dishes — an entire row of them that guests can help themselves to based on their preferences.

Looking at the menu, the most expensive dish, the iron plate grilled meat, is less than NT$300, with most Korean dishes priced around NT$100. It’s a great place for budget-conscious friends or students to hang out and eat together.

We randomly picked a few side dishes. The flavors weren’t particularly refined, but since they were free, we weren’t too picky.

Scallion Pork Pancake – NT$160

Most pancakes are usually kimchi or seafood flavored, so the scallion pork one is quite rare. You can taste bits of ground pork inside, and the pancake is well-fried. You can enjoy it as is or with the dipping sauce provided by the restaurant.

Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cakes – NT$160

Spicy stir-fried rice cakes are a very common Korean dish. The rice cakes are cooked to a mildly spicy taste and stir-fried along with plenty of chopped onions and carrots. The sweetness of the vegetables blends into the sauce. I like to dip the chewy rice cakes in the sauce.

Korean Army Stew – NT$200 (includes rice)

When it was served, we noticed the army stew came in a very large pot — probably too much for one person, perfect for sharing between two. It contains noodles, pork slices, ham, rice cakes, and more. The noodles have a very chewy texture and there’s a generous portion.

The broth is somewhat like a spicy Korean kimchi stew, mildly hot with a slight tanginess from the kimchi. For NT$200, it’s definitely great value for money.

Korean Fried Chicken – NT$210

The craze for Korean fried chicken may have passed, but it remains an appealing dish. The Korean fried chicken here doesn’t look particularly eye-catching, but it’s very fragrant and the chicken is well-seasoned. The Korean-style sauce drizzled on top adds a nice finishing touch.

Iron Plate Grilled Pork Belly – NT$260

When served, the pork belly is raw, and it comes with a side of lettuce, mainly for wrapping the pork belly in. The pork cooks quickly and can be dipped in Korean chili sauce and other seasonings.

The Korean chili sauce and other seasonings that come with the dish can be used according to your personal taste.

The lettuce provided by the restaurant can be used to wrap the pork belly.

Wrapping the pork in veggies and adding a bit of chili sauce makes it feel less greasy and helps cut through the richness.

Or you can do what my husband does — just eat the pork belly with lots of sauce, not worrying about the fat at all. There’s no fixed way to eat it; just combine ingredients however you like.

Yuzu Tea – NT$80 per pot

When eating richly flavored food, I like to drink yuzu tea to cleanse the palate. The yuzu tea here isn’t very sweet, and the yuzu bits settle at the bottom, so remember to shake it before pouring into a cup. The flavor is fresh and not overly sweet, perfect for cutting through grease.

At first, I was worried that the food might not be tasty because the prices are so low. But after trying it myself, I found it to be great value, especially the Korean fried chicken — it doesn’t look impressive but is flavorful and delicious. The army stew has a huge portion, which is a big draw for students or those on a budget. Affordable and tasty Korean home-style dishes — highly recommended.

Hanzimida Korean Restaurant
Address: No. 319, Dashun Second Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung City
Phone: 07-3926083
Business hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–21:30
Consumption notice: Minimum spend of 150 RMB per person, dining time limited to 90 minutes

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