by Jeremy Iggers | March 20, 2009 • I love the hot and spicy and sweet and savory flavors of Korean cooking, and I especially love the panchan, the little side dishes that accompany a traditional Korean meal. My favorite Korean restaurants are probably King’s Korean in Fridley, and Hoban in Eagan (though I haven’t been there recently), but they’re too far away for a lunchtime visit. So I’m more likely to stop in at the Korea Restaurant, 211 Oak St., just off of Washington Ave. in Stadium village.

Iggers Digest is the blog of Jeremy Iggers, the TC Media Alliance’s executive director. Jeremy is also the creator of TCFoodies, a local food networking site.

Nearly everything on the menu is under $10, and they offer $6.99 lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. Shown here is the lunch special bibimbob (regularly $8.99), a traditional rice dish of grilled bulgogi beef, cucumbers, lettuce, white radish, nori, shiitake mushrooms, carrots and fried egg, served with side dishes of cabbage kimchee, cucumber kimchee, marinated beansprouts, and fishcake with potato, accompanied by soup and rice.

Korea Restaurant, 211 Oak Street, Minneapolis, 612-746-0559. Open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Favorite Cheap Lunches: Part 2: the $4.75 Kabob sandwich at Java

Delicious and enormous. I took half of this one home and ate it for lunch the next day. The modest serving of grilled lamb is supplemented by generous amounts of shawirma, and for $6, you can upgrade to the lunch special – your choice of any sandwich, plus fries and a cup of soup.
Java Restaurant, 2801 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis, 612-870-7871.

Author: Jeremy Iggers

Jeremy Iggers is a journalist, university instructor and social entrepreneur with interests that include food, philosophy and global-local connections. Previously, he was a staff writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and publisher of the Twin Cities Daily Planet. He lives in south Minneapolis with his wife Carol and two cats.