Quanzhou Bibimbap (全州拌饭馆), Longyuan West Street

Quanzhou Bibimbap (全州拌饭馆) on Longyuan West Street is the Hunchun branch of a Korean restaurant chain also found in Yanji, in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of Jilin province, China. Hunchun is a border city near Russia and North Korea, and its large ethnic Korean community makes Korean dishes a routine part of local dining. The restaurant serves stone-pot bibimbap (石锅拌饭) in the Jeonju style, named after the South Korean city regarded as the home of the dish. Rice is served in a heated stone bowl that crisps the bottom layer, topped with seasoned vegetables, meat and egg, and mixed at the table with gochujang chilli paste. The menu includes kimchi stew (泡菜汤) and cold noodles (冷面), which are the usual accompaniments or alternatives in Yanbian restaurants. The dining room is a modest Korean-Chinese eatery with plain tables, tidy service and no dress code, with a moderate noise level at lunch. Drinks are tea, barley tea, soft drinks and beer, and there is no wine programme. A meal costs about CNY 20-45 (USD 3-7) per person, an inexpensive option in a city better known for pricey seafood. The Longyuan West Street branch is in the city's central area and is easy to reach on foot from the main commercial streets. Reservations are not usually taken; it is walk-in, and queues form at weekend lunch and holiday periods. Hours are listed as roughly 10:00AM-9:00PM daily, and current times should be checked on Dianping. For visitors who have spent a day eating crab and grilled seafood in Hunchun, this restaurant provides a lighter, cheaper meal.