In my occasional reviews of Korean restaurants, I will sometimes use the term panchan at first mention, sometimes without explicit clarification, except when I think my copy might be running short, and then I refer to them as "those little dishes of complimentary kimchi, vegetables, dried fish, and other delicacies that are brought to you table in a Korean restaurant that are meant to be shared."
Sorry about not having the link in there -- today was official Gremlin day in my cubicle. I KNOW I had a link in there! -- RG (6:44 p.m.)
Baltimore Sun photo/Jed Kirschbaum