Terra Gimbap (테라김밥)
Another very popular food item in Korea is gimbap, or vegetables and various ingredients rolled up inside rice and seaweed. It is a staple of Korean casual cuisine, and both children and adults alike enjoy it as either a quick snack or as a full meal. It can be eaten alone, but it is also sometimes accompanied by tteokbokki (check out Dookki!) or a warm fish-based soup. Gimbap in Korea has traditionally been inexpensive and accessible to the masses, and Terra Gimbap is no different.
Located literally in the middle of Hongdae Street in a bright yellow hut, Terra Gimbap is a popular option for locals and tourists to grab a quick bite after shopping or walking around the area. While the restaurant offers traditional styles of gimbap, their unique specialty is adding shredded eggs inside of each roll. Each roll is first surrounded by a layer of egg before adding the other ingredients in between it.
The inside of the shop is larger than it seems on the outside and can seat a decent amount if you prefer to dine in. All ordering is done on a kiosk up front, and it is pretty straightforward even if you don’t speak Korean. One thing you’ll notice is that the prices are remarkably affordable for the gimbap options. You can choose from various meat fillings to pure vegetarian options as well.
We decided to get beef gimbap in two different styles. The food will take a little while as it gets very busy during the lunch and dinner peak times. However, you can enjoy the free side dishes and soup while waiting. Once your order arrives, you’ll see a fairly sizable amount of food. Keep in mind that each roll costs on average about $3.50 USD for most filling options, which makes this an amazing deal for a full meal, and one of the cheapest we’ve had in Seoul. For reference, the entire plate pictured above costs about $7 USD in total.
Our personal favorite feature is the shredded egg in each roll, which gives the gimbap an almost creamy base to pair with the marinated beef and bulgogi fillings. In addition, the perilla leaf cuts through the protein refreshingly, giving it a complex but light flavor.
Overall, the gimbap is very well made and there isn’t much more to say other than that; a simple review for a simple dish. Terra Gimbap certainly earns the popularity of its customers, and you can’t go wrong with this spot.
