Kimchi: South Korea’s national dish

While it remains South Korea’s national dish and an indispensable part of the country’s diet, kimchi’s popularity has waned in its native country in recent years as Western influences have come to the fore.

However, in the UK, the dish’s profile received a boost when, two years ago, Tesco included it in a two-week promotion of more than 100 Korean products.

Leading the way in pubs has been the Kimchi Cult! pop-up, which has been in residency at a number of London outlets over the past couple of years.

With its own particular brand of kimchi containing Napa cabbage fermented with gochugaru (Korean chilli powder), garlic, ginger, fresh chilli, fish sauce, spring onion, carrot, radish, Chinese chives, onion and coriander, the pop-up claims to combine the ‘hot sweet flavours’ of Korea with American-style casual dining.

At the Rose & Crown, in Walthamstow, it offered kimchi burgers for £3 each, or two for £5. Kimchi cheese fries were available for £5.

Mexican infusion​

Another London pop-up, Kimchinary, specialises in Korean fused with Mexican street food.

Earlier this year it had a residency at the Catch, in Shoreditch, where it offered burritos with kimchi fried rice, kimchi chimichanga and dukbokki (Korean spicy rice cakes with rainbow chard crispy shallots), and kimchi as a taco alternative.

The Star of Kings, in Kings Cross, meanwhile, has kimchi made with Chinese cabbage as part of a starter selection along with pickles and escabeche for £4.