Latest news with #Kimbap
IOL News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
The best sticky chicken wings in Durban
Kimbap Image: Frank Chemaly Wandering Seoul Where: Shop 78, Protea Mall, 191 Ridge Rd, Umhlanga Rocks Open: Daily 11.30am to 9pm Call: 076 328 7094 The Poet found it, and the name had me intrigued. Wandering Seoul inspired, a place where the lost or the seeking could find home or purpose or nourishment. The restaurant is where bamboo sushi used to be. It's smart and comfortable and had a real makeover. This is not the usual Asian restaurant that is a glorified takeaway with a couple of plastic tables in the corner. No, we were served with beautiful metal chopsticks, to food coming out on artisan dishes. And it was packed. The Poet, her family and I found the last table at the back. Tuna tobika roll Image: Frank Chemaly Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading A pancake which turned out to be more of an omeltte packed with vegetables. Image: Frank Chemaly Korean Barbeque is the thing here with two large tables braaing an array of meats and vegetables at the table. Many were skilled hands at the process. Because the poet had just been to a Korean barbeque in Singapore, she wanted to try their signature bibimbap, which one of the ladies in her aqua class had raved so much about. We order two types of Korean sushi, the kimbap which is chicken sausage and rice wrapped in seaweed and the tuna tobika roll which is similar but includes fresh veg in the wrap. The latter we enjoyed, the former were on the bland side. I suppose chicken sausage is not the most exciting ingredient in the world. Sticky Asian chicken wings. Image: Frank Chemaly Then we tried what was billed as a pancake but in reality was more an omelette stuffed with veg and cut into pieces which you dipped into a spicy soy based sauce. We enjoyed it. Next up were the best sticky Asian chicken wings I've had in Durban. Beautiful succulent chicken with a lovely crisp coating not destroyed by the spicy sticky sauce. We all decided we could eat buckets of these. The Poet and I shared the bibimbap with wagyu beef which came to the table in a little cooking pot topped with a fried egg, before our server poured over the spicy gochujang sauce and tossed it all together for us. I really enjoyed the good kick of that spicy sauce with the meat and rice and crispy veg. There was so much I had leftovers for lunch the next day. Vivek opted for the Teriyaki wagyu with rice which was also enjoyable. Wagyu bibimbap topped with a fried egg. Image: Frank Chemaly Everyone had had more than enough food but somehow they offered us a chinese style creme caramel which I just had to try. It was a wonderfully eggy custard sitting in that burnt caramel syrup. It got the thumbs up Having decided that next time we would try the Korean barbeque, the Poet booked for lunch two weeks later, inviting the entire bridge set along. Sadly on the coldest day of the winter I was at home with flu. They on the other hand had a ball. I will go back and try next time. Food: 3 ½ Service: 4 Ambience: 3 ½
Calgary Herald
03-07-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Hum: Korean eateries in downtown Ottawa please with punchy flavours, affordable prices
Article content For me, fried rice is comfort food. I like Maroo's kimchi fried rice ($20), available with one of those pork patties or a sunny-side egg, that adds kimchi's heat and funk and the umami lift of seaweed flakes to the mix. Article content Bulgogi, the easy-to-like fry-up of sweet-salty beef, stars in multiple dishes, from a rice bowl ($18) to fajitas ($22) to a ciabatta-bun sandwich ($19, including a side dish) in which it's joined by cheddar, grilled mushrooms, garlic butter and mayo. Choose your own bulgogi adventure, I say. They've all hit the spot for me. Article content Article content The new Maroo serves several traditional Korean soups and stews that I don't recall seeing at its first iteration. Soon-tofu and seafood stew ($20) was piping hot and significantly spicy but its shrimp, squid and mussels were still plump and toothsome. A less hearty choice was the fish-stock soup ($20) bulked up with onions, mushrooms cabbage, an imitation crab, not to mention the perfectly fried pork cutlet on the side that would have made any schnitzel cook proud. Article content Article content Previously when I've had Korean short ribs, I cooked them myself at Daldongnae, the Korean table-top barbecue eatery in Chinatown, as part of a convivial, family-style dinner. At Maroo, it was worth it to have Kim do the grilling of a single-diner's version, given the nicely charred, flavourfully marinated short ribs ($33) that he sent to our table. Article content Korean fried chicken ($22 to $38, half- and full-orders respectively) had all the right fast-food attributes — admirably crisp exteriors, sweet-savoury or sweet-spicy sauces on the side. Still, I prefer the KFC from the specialists at Pelicana inside the OK Mart on Merivale Road. Article content Speaking of other Korean-run food businesses in Ottawa, I will note two more that recently joined Kitchen Maroo downtown. Article content In Sandy Hill, close to the University of Ottawa, there's In's Kitchen, which opened in early 2024. I've paid two more cursory visits to In's Kitchen and can speak highly of its traditional, full-flavoured dishes. I thought best of its spicier items, including dakgalbi ($22), which here was a saucy stir-fry of boneless chicken, chewy rice cakes and vegetables, as well as the new-to-me and evocatively named 'troop's soup ($22), a hearty stew of pantry meats such as ham and sausage, instant noodles, plus kimchi and vegetables. Article content Article content Like Ottawa's Middle Eastern restaurants, and an increasing number of non-Middle Eastern eateries, In's Kitchen uses halal ingredients so as not to exclude Muslim customers. Article content Last fall, the takeout-oriented shop Kimbap opened on Bank Street, a little more than three blocks from Parliament Hill. Article content Kimbap is named after its grab-and-go specialty, which is not to be confused with sushi rolls, despite their similar appearances. While kimbap rolls do wrap cooked rice in seaweed, its cooked fillings can be meatier (think ham, bulgogi or bits of spicy chicken) or seafood-y (think spicy fish cakes, cooked tuna or imitation crab). Article content I've sampled some of the Kimbap's offerings, including spicy fish kimbap ($15), spicy chicken on rice ($15) and a bulgogi bowl ($16). While the smaller portions wouldn't leave you stuffed, they should tide you over, especially at lunch, and please you with freshness and lucid flavours. Article content Together, Kitchen Maroo, In's Kitchen and Kimbap make me realize that a larger wave of casual Korean food businesses have opened in downtown Ottawa in the last five years. Had I had the time or appetite to be more comprehensive, I would have gone to Maht, up the street from Maroo, or Gogiya, down the street from Kimbap.
Ottawa Citizen
03-07-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Hum: Korean eateries in downtown Ottawa please with punchy flavours, affordable prices
Article content For me, fried rice is comfort food. I like Maroo's kimchi fried rice ($20), available with one of those pork patties or a sunny-side egg, that adds kimchi's heat and funk and the umami lift of seaweed flakes to the mix. Article content Bulgogi, the easy-to-like fry-up of sweet-salty beef, stars in multiple dishes, from a rice bowl ($18) to fajitas ($22) to a ciabatta-bun sandwich ($19, including a side dish) in which it's joined by cheddar, grilled mushrooms, garlic butter and mayo. Choose your own bulgogi adventure, I say. They've all hit the spot for me. Article content Article content The new Maroo serves several traditional Korean soups and stews that I don't recall seeing at its first iteration. Soon-tofu and seafood stew ($20) was piping hot and significantly spicy but its shrimp, squid and mussels were still plump and toothsome. A less hearty choice was the fish-stock soup ($20) bulked up with onions, mushrooms cabbage, an imitation crab, not to mention the perfectly fried pork cutlet on the side that would have made any schnitzel cook proud. Article content Article content Previously when I've had Korean short ribs, I cooked them myself at Daldongnae, the Korean table-top barbecue eatery in Chinatown, as part of a convivial, family-style dinner. At Maroo, it was worth it to have Kim do the grilling of a single-diner's version, given the nicely charred, flavourfully marinated short ribs ($33) that he sent to our table. Article content Korean fried chicken ($22 to $38, half- and full-orders respectively) had all the right fast-food attributes — admirably crisp exteriors, sweet-savoury or sweet-spicy sauces on the side. Still, I prefer the KFC from the specialists at Pelicana inside the OK Mart on Merivale Road. Article content Speaking of other Korean-run food businesses in Ottawa, I will note two more that recently joined Kitchen Maroo downtown. Article content In Sandy Hill, close to the University of Ottawa, there's In's Kitchen, which opened in early 2024. I've paid two more cursory visits to In's Kitchen and can speak highly of its traditional, full-flavoured dishes. I thought best of its spicier items, including dakgalbi ($22), which here was a saucy stir-fry of boneless chicken, chewy rice cakes and vegetables, as well as the new-to-me and evocatively named 'troop's soup ($22), a hearty stew of pantry meats such as ham and sausage, instant noodles, plus kimchi and vegetables. Article content Like Ottawa's Middle Eastern restaurants, and an increasing number of non-Middle Eastern eateries, In's Kitchen uses halal ingredients so as not to exclude Muslim customers. Article content Last fall, the takeout-oriented shop Kimbap opened on Bank Street, a little more than three blocks from Parliament Hill. Article content Kimbap is named after its grab-and-go specialty, which is not to be confused with sushi rolls, despite their similar appearances. While kimbap rolls do wrap cooked rice in seaweed, its cooked fillings can be meatier (think ham, bulgogi or bits of spicy chicken) or seafood-y (think spicy fish cakes, cooked tuna or imitation crab). Article content Article content I've sampled some of the Kimbap's offerings, including spicy fish kimbap ($15), spicy chicken on rice ($15) and a bulgogi bowl ($16). While the smaller portions wouldn't leave you stuffed, they should tide you over, especially at lunch, and please you with freshness and lucid flavours. Article content Together, Kitchen Maroo, In's Kitchen and Kimbap make me realize that a larger wave of casual Korean food businesses have opened in downtown Ottawa in the last five years. Had I had the time or appetite to be more comprehensive, I would have gone to Maht, up the street from Maroo, or Gogiya, down the street from Kimbap.
Vancouver Sun
03-07-2025
- General
- Vancouver Sun
Hum: Korean eateries in downtown Ottawa please with punchy flavours, affordable prices
Kitchen Maroo 281 Kent St., 613-234-2945, Open: Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m. Prices: most dishes between $11 and $22 Access: steps to front door Kimbap 121 Bank St., Open: Weekdays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed Saturday, Sunday Prices: 10-piece kimbap rolls $12, other dishes $4 to $16 In's Kitchen 65-1 Templeton St., 613-233-1001, Open: Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday noon to 7 p.m., closed Sunday Prices: main dishes at dinner $22 to $24 Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. During the recent heat wave, when humidity made strolling outside feel like wading through hot soup, I cooled down with a seasonal special at Kitchen Maroo. It was, in fact, a cold soup. Nestled in a slightly sweet, ice-chilled beef broth was a tangle of al dente green tea soba noodles. In case you feared that the dish would be bland, heaped on the noodles was some punchy house-made kimchi, and flanking the kimchi were halves of hard-boiled egg. There are similar soups starring cold buckwheat noodles and icy broth in Korea, where Maroo's chef and co-owner Yuchang Kim is from. But at his Centretown restaurant, he goes his own way with the particulars of his green tea soba noodle soup ($12.50), which alternates between fiery and refreshing as you eat it. If you wanted to skip the kimchi, you could have the cold noodles in broth, with a side order of pork bulgogi ($20). I'm glad to see Kim stretching out at his Kent Street eatery. He and his wife, Lindsay Shin, opened their casual, 70-seat eatery in September 2023, moving up from the more modest Kitchen Maroo, which they opened on Gladstone Avenue in 2020. Since this spring, I ate two other times at the Kent Street Maroo and found that Kim's ambitions paid off. He's progressed nicely from serving mostly sandwiches and pastas to offering many more options that range from traditional Korean dishes to Korean-Western fusion items that were tasty enough to make converts of fusion-fare skeptics. Regardless of what I've had here, it's been quickly prepared, affordable and enjoyable. If you judge a restaurant by the quality of its dumplings, you'll like Maroo. The pork mandu here (six for $11) were thin-skinned and well-crafted. A meatier, heavier starter was the flat, pork meatball (two for $14) slathered with mayo and teriyaki sauce. For me, fried rice is comfort food. I like Maroo's kimchi fried rice ($20), available with one of those pork patties or a sunny-side egg, that adds kimchi's heat and funk and the umami lift of seaweed flakes to the mix. Bulgogi, the easy-to-like fry-up of sweet-salty beef, stars in multiple dishes, from a rice bowl ($18) to fajitas ($22) to a ciabatta-bun sandwich ($19, including a side dish) in which it's joined by cheddar, grilled mushrooms, garlic butter and mayo. Choose your own bulgogi adventure, I say. They've all hit the spot for me. The new Maroo serves several traditional Korean soups and stews that I don't recall seeing at its first iteration. Soon-tofu and seafood stew ($20) was piping hot and significantly spicy but its shrimp, squid and mussels were still plump and toothsome. A less hearty choice was the fish-stock soup ($20) bulked up with onions, mushrooms cabbage, an imitation crab, not to mention the perfectly fried pork cutlet on the side that would have made any schnitzel cook proud. Previously when I've had Korean short ribs, I cooked them myself at Daldongnae , the Korean table-top barbecue eatery in Chinatown, as part of a convivial, family-style dinner. At Maroo, it was worth it to have Kim do the grilling of a single-diner's version, given the nicely charred, flavourfully marinated short ribs ($33) that he sent to our table. Korean fried chicken ($22 to $38, half- and full-orders respectively) had all the right fast-food attributes — admirably crisp exteriors, sweet-savoury or sweet-spicy sauces on the side. Still, I prefer the KFC from the specialists at Pelicana inside the OK Mart on Merivale Road. Speaking of other Korean-run food businesses in Ottawa, I will note two more that recently joined Kitchen Maroo downtown. In Sandy Hill, close to the University of Ottawa, there's In's Kitchen, which opened in early 2024. I've paid two more cursory visits to In's Kitchen and can speak highly of its traditional, full-flavoured dishes. I thought best of its spicier items, including dakgalbi ($22), which here was a saucy stir-fry of boneless chicken, chewy rice cakes and vegetables, as well as the new-to-me and evocatively named 'troop's soup ($22), a hearty stew of pantry meats such as ham and sausage, instant noodles, plus kimchi and vegetables. Like Ottawa's Middle Eastern restaurants, and an increasing number of non-Middle Eastern eateries, In's Kitchen uses halal ingredients so as not to exclude Muslim customers. Last fall, the takeout-oriented shop Kimbap opened on Bank Street, a little more than three blocks from Parliament Hill. Kimbap is named after its grab-and-go specialty, which is not to be confused with sushi rolls, despite their similar appearances. While kimbap rolls do wrap cooked rice in seaweed, its cooked fillings can be meatier (think ham, bulgogi or bits of spicy chicken) or seafood-y (think spicy fish cakes, cooked tuna or imitation crab). I've sampled some of the Kimbap's offerings, including spicy fish kimbap ($15), spicy chicken on rice ($15) and a bulgogi bowl ($16). While the smaller portions wouldn't leave you stuffed, they should tide you over, especially at lunch, and please you with freshness and lucid flavours. Together, Kitchen Maroo, In's Kitchen and Kimbap make me realize that a larger wave of casual Korean food businesses have opened in downtown Ottawa in the last five years. Had I had the time or appetite to be more comprehensive, I would have gone to Maht, up the street from Maroo, or Gogiya, down the street from Kimbap. If you like direct, boldly flavoured food that won't hurt your wallet too much, I invite you to find your own favourite. phum@
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Aldi declares war on Trader Joe's after stocking shelves with popular, sold-out item
Aldi is stepping up its battle with Trader Joe's by releasing a snack that is eerily similar to one its competitor can't keep on the shelves. Aldi, the fastest growing supermarket in the US, recently introduced a Kimbap to its frozen foods aisle. Trader Joe's has their own version of the Korean sushi but it has been so popular fans have reported not being able to find it anywhere. Aldi's new fully-cooked Kimbap comes in two flavors, Traditional and Tuna Mayo The Traditional option is labelled as 'Korean-style imitation crab, egg, carrots, spinach, and pickled daikon in a seaweed rice roll.' While the Tuna Mayo is described on the packaging as 'Tuna mayo & perilla leaf in a seaweed rice roll.' The discounted supermarket previously stocked a similar Kimbap in Spicy Tuna With Gochujang, Kimchi & Tofu, Spicy Salmon and BBQ Beef Bulgogi flavors. All the flavors comes as a hand roll divided into eight conveniently bite-sized pieces and cost $3.49 each. The new Kimbap treats appear to be going down well with Aldi shoppers. 'I grabbed both the other day while I was on my break, I liked the tofu kimchi more but the spicy tuna was good also!' one fan wrote on Reddit. 'Highly recommend if anyone finds them in their stores.' 'I went back to get more, and was grateful to see folks had snapped up the spicy tuna and left the tofu ones behind,' another added. However, the new snacks are proving so popular Aldi may soon run in to the same issue as Trader Joe's as one customer claims they can no longer locate them. 'I can only find these at Trader Joe's and not my local Aldi,' they wrote. Aldi is continuing to expand across the US with plans to add another 800 stores to its existing 2,4000 in the next four years. Although the retailer has been in the US since 1976, only recently did it begin scooping up a larger share of the market. The retailer was recently named the fastest-growing grocer in the US for the fifth year in a row by real estate firm JLL, and in terms of store count it's the third largest. 'No one else is putting up 100 stores a year in the grocery space,' said Michael Infranco, assistant vice president at RetailStat. 'That's impressive. And they've been doing that for a number of years now.' Aldi's business model revolves around small stores, packed with a limited assortment of well-curated but mostly private label goods.
