Learn Hardcore Korean: sikdang menyueseo dayanghan eumsigeul golla bwayo. - Try choosing various dishes from the restaurant menu.

In Korean, 에서 marks the place or source of an action. Here, 식당 메뉴에서 means “from the restaurant menu,” indicating where you’re choosing the food. If you used 에 alone (식당 메뉴에), it would simply mean “at/on the menu,” but wouldn’t carry the nuance of “selecting from.”

Why is 다양한 placed before 음식 instead of using an adverb?

다양한 is the attributive (modifying) form of the adjective 다양하다 (“to be various”). As an attributive adjective, it directly describes the noun 음식 (“food”). If you wanted to use an adverb, you’d say 다양하게, but then it would modify a verb, not the noun: e.g. 음식을 다양하게 고르다 (“to choose food in various ways”).

What is the role of the object particle -을 in 음식을 골라 봐요?

The particle -을 (after a consonant; -를 after a vowel) marks the direct object of a verb. Here, 음식을 shows that food is what you are choosing. Without it, the sentence would sound incomplete or ambiguous about what is being chosen.

What does the ending -아/어 보다 do in 골라 봐요?

The construction Verb stem + -아/어 보다 means “to try doing [verb].” In spoken Korean it also softens your suggestion. So 골라 봐요 literally means “try choosing” but functions like “go ahead and pick” or “why don’t you choose.”

How do you get 골라 from the dictionary form 고르다?

고르다 is a 르-irregular verb. When attaching a vowel-initial ending (like -아), the stem 고르- drops the 르, doubles the preceding vowel with ㄹ, and becomes 골라.
Pattern: 고르 + 아 → 골라 (not 고라).

Why is the sentence in -요 form (골라 봐요) and not -세요?

Both -아/어 봐요 and -아/어 보세요 are polite.
• -아/어 봐요 is polite informal (used among acquaintances or in casual public announcements).
• -아/어 보세요 is polite formal (more respectful; often used by service staff or to elders).
Here, 골라 봐요 feels friendly and polite but not overly formal.