Tteokbokki — Paris

Tteokbokki is cylindrical rice cake simmered in a gochujang sauce that is sweet and hot at once, usually with fish cake, spring onion and sometimes a boiled egg. The texture surprises most people first: chewy, dense and nothing like pasta. It is the most emblematic Korean street food there is, eaten standing up, after school or at the end of a night. In Paris you will find it both in bunsik shops and as a plate to drink alongside in bars. This page gathers both. Heat levels differ sharply between kitchens, so ask before ordering rather than after. Add the takeaway filter if you are not staying, and read the listings: some houses serve broth-based or cream versions that sit a long way from the original.