Kimbap: It's Snack Time!


The beloved kimbap restaurant is a fixture on practically every street in Korea. Women stand at their counter at the front of the restaurant and swiftly roll the kimbap, making sure that they have a large pyramid ready for the brisk lunch and post-school business. At less than a dollar each, kimbap is a popular and nutritious snack or meal. The kim (dried seaweed) holds together the bap (rice), fried egg, preserved radish, ham, carrots, some kind of root and some kind of greens. The picture above depicts the standard kimbap, but there is also tuna fish, beef or kimchi kimbap that is made only when ordered.

Consistent with my overall food experience here, I had to try kimbap a few times before I started to like it. I still poke out the yellow preserved radish, which has a sickly sweet taste and am not bothered by the fact that I don't know what the roots are. I usually get the plain kimbap and will order the tuna fish kimbap when I feel the need for some more protein.