Got a craving for kimchi? Indulge with these innovative dishes

The average Korean person eats around of 40 pounds of kimchi a year. And while Bostonians certainly love their Korean food (Buk Kyung is a local fave) the fermented cabbage dish has found its way onto menus of all nationalities. Here’s a few unexpected places you’ll find Korea’s fermented favorite:

Keep it light

At The Table at Season to Taste (2447 Mass. Ave. Cambridge), Chef Carl Dooley sends out an amuse bouche of Macomber turnip soup with green apple and kimchi. While it might not sound like the most obvious blend, Dooley likes that hint of surprise. “The kimchi gives an awesome heat and funk to the velvety soup,” says Dooley. You’ll also find kimchi on the menu in the Table’s salad of grilled octopus and shrimp with avocado, chorizo and a kimchi vinaigrette.

Over at RUKA (505 Washington St.) at the Godfrey Hotel, seared bok choy mue is served with a kimchi furikake, rocoto chili butter and mushroom sauce. “Kimchi’s fermented nature adds a nice depth to the furikake with its funky flavor and acidity,” says RUKA Executive Chef Preston Miller. And at Legal Sea Foods’ cool sister, Legal Crossing (558 Washington St.), you can enjoy kimchi mussels with bunashimeji mushrooms and crispy rice noodles ($14).

Heavy duty

Subtle tastes of kimchi are fun and all, but a heavy helping on top of a gooey grilled cheese is even better. At Deadhorse Hill (281 Main St., Worcester) you can feast on the Grilled Kimcheese ($9) a blend of Cabot cheddar and Swiss cheese on crusty sourdough bread with a slathering of house-made kimchi on top for an extra oomph. You’ll find the same punch of flavor at the Smoke Shop (1 Kendall Square, Cambridge) where Chef Andy Husbands fuses his love of barbecue with the punch of kimchi in the kimchi brisket sandwich ($13). Keep the kimchi condiment groove going at backbar(7 Sanborn Court, Somerville) when you order spicy house sausage, which sits on a potato bun with a dollop of kimchi relish ($10).

At UNI (370 Commonwealth Ave.) Chef Tony Messina fuses kimchi into two unique dishes: the chicken and waffles, a twist on the classic composed of a kinako waffle with kimchi and sancho syrup ($16) and Korean ricecakes with kalbi oxtail, kimchi butter and gremolata ($13). And if you’re really willing to blow your diet, head to Coppersmith Cafe (40 W. Third St., South Boston) and order the Waimea Bay sandwich, which combines fried spam, fried egg and kimchi aioli on a Hawaiian sweet roll ($7). Don’t forget the Tums!