Fast-Food Korean

These popular eateries are very similar to the local plate lunch, with all the familiar BBQ meat varieties, two scoops of rice, and even macaroni salad, but only as an option. Through a glass panel, you can see and pick 3 or 4 different banchan from an assortment of choices like kimchi, daikon, cucumber, sweet potato, cabbage, bean sprouts, cold noodles, and teagu (dried codfish marinated in a red sesame/chili based oil). If you want to go healthy, you can order an entire meal of just these items. Ok, not completely healthy, as the flavorings are quite heavy in salt. For some reason, the macaroni salad at Korean fast-food eateries are almost always the same – terrible! The mayo is always thin and runny, the macaroni is always soft and mushy, and the taste is bland as can be. Stick with the other choices!

Gina’s. 2919 Kapiolani Blvd. at the Market City S.C. in Kaimuki. 735-7964. Lunch and dinner daily. Parking at center lot. Prices: $. Map. Gina’s has been the fan favorite and standard bearer for many years, but at the risk of getting stoned alive for bucking tradition, I’d say it seems to have suffered lately on quality. The BBQ meats are fine, but the meat juhn is nominal and the katsu has a sticky, slightly-sweet, pre-frozen batter that I find unpalatable. The large portions do remain as big as ever, and the quick service still performs like clockwork.