If you’re looking for a place to satisfy your bunsik cravings, you can add SSADA GIMBAB 싸다김밥 to your list! Ssada Gimbap is one of Korea’s biggest bunsik chains with over 100 outlets across the country and they’re officially here in Singapore.
They currently have two outlets: Bukit Timah Shopping Centre and Great World.
Simple & Comfortable Space
Bukit Timah Shopping Centre
The storefront is right beside the escalator in B1, boasting the familiar SSADA GIMBAP logo.
It has plenty of seating both indoors and outdoor, decorated with colourful neon lights and signs that liven up the space. Despite the simple design, the space was clean and comfortable which made for a pleasant eating experience.
The kimbap are rolled fresh in front of the store by a Korean ahjumma. We also noticed the staff speak fluent Korean, speaking to its authenticity!
Great World
The Great World outlet is much bigger and brighter, sporting neon lights and colourful signs about their menu offerings. There’s even a specialty kimbap-making machine brought over from Korea!
Customers can also enjoy a free coffee after their meal, courtesy of the automatic coffee machine at the front counter.
Ssada Gimbap Menu
You can find a spread of familiar bunsik (homemade Korean) dishes, ranging from kimbap to fried rice and even stews.
The extensive kimbap selection includes Original ($8), Shrimp ($11) and the unique Mala ($11); all packed with familiar ingredients.
There is also plenty of hearty dishes like Kimchi Fried Rice ($12), Spicy Stir Fried Pork Rice ($13) and Curry Tonkatsu Rice ($14). You can even indulge in Cheese Tteobokki ($14) and Jjolmyeon ($12). For something warming, there is the Kimchi Stew ($13) and Spicy Beef Stew ($15). All their stews are made fresh so it has a 10-minute wait.
There are also expanded menu items like Tomato Hamburg Steak ($18), Cold Buckwheat Noodles ($14) and Stir Fried Pork Gimbap ($13).
The Great World outlet does not charge service charge or GST, which is unheard of in this economy!
Kimbap
One of the recommendations is their Tonkatsu Kimbap ($11), featuring a chunky deep-fried pork cutlet.
The kimbap is chock-full of ingredients like danmuji (pickled radish), egg and carrots – making for a colourful and appetising display. It definitely reminds us of those you can get in Korea!
It tastes as good as it looks, with the combination of crunchy vegetables, meaty cutlet and creamy sauce. The meat in the cutlet was also tender and was not tough, making for a satisfying bite!
The Salad Kimbap ($9) is an interesting option. It features a cabbage slaw as the main ingredient, making it suitable for those who are looking for a lighter option.
Despite its plain looks, the Salad Kimbap was quite good! The inclusion of fish cake and ham gave it a slight umami, while the slaw was refreshing and crunchy. We think you could easily finish a roll without feeling too bloated.
Rabokki
Another classic bunsik dish is Rabokki ($13), essentially tteokbokki with added ramen noodles. We opted for added mozzarella cheese (an additional $2) for extra pizzaz.
The serving was very generous, this could feed two people comfortably! It came with ramen, fish cakes and noodle tteok, which are Korean rice cakes pressed into a long noodle shape.
We like the use of noodle tteok instead of regular tteok. It was easier to eat and had a pleasantly chewy texture, coated in their sauce.
Their sauce was addictive – a great balance of spicy, sweet and a slight smokiness, tasting homemade. It was also perfect for dipping the kimbap, a classic Korean way of enjoying it.
Korean Dumpling Salad
There’s also the Korean Dumpling Salad ($12), another dish we don’t see often. It comes with fried dumplings, fresh vegetables and a tangy spicy sauce.
The vegetables and slightly sour sauce contrast the slight greasiness of the dumplings, creating a hearty meal in itself. It was also quite nice to cleanse the palette with the salad after a bite of kimbap.
Cold Buckwheat Noodles
We tried three new items at the Great World outlet, starting with the Cold Buckwheat Noodles.
They were served with large chunks of frozen broth and a side of wasabi. The portion sizes are huge and can definitely fill you up.
It tasted like Japanese soba instead of regular Korean cold noodles, which was what we expected. It was refreshing and morish, but we wouldn’t say it’s Korean!
Tomato Hamburg Steak
The Tomato Hamburg Steak was served with rice and a sunny-side-up egg, which made it a satisfying meal! The hamburg steaks were small but relatively juicy and bouncy, pairing well with the sweet-savoury tomato sauce.
Chicken Tender Omurice
The Chicken Tender Omurice ($17) was huge, with a mountain of fried rice under creamy eggs and fried chicken tenders. It was alright taste-wise, well-seasoned with velvety eggs, but the portion size alone made up for the price.
Authentic Kimbap In Singapore
With Ssada Gimbap officially opening here, this is as authentic as bunsik can get in Singapore! The generous portions and hearty fillings make it value-for-money, a fuss-free and hearty Korean lunch option.
Check out more Korean eats in Singapore:
- The House Chungdam: This Korean-Owned Restaurant in Tanjong Pagar Aims To Bring A Slice Of Gangnam to Singapore
- Doran Chicken: Korean Fried Chicken Restaurant in Orchardgateway With 7-Day Aged Sauces
- ANJU Restaurant: Modern Korean Dining and Bar Experience in Tanjong Pagar
SSADA GIMBAB 싸다김밥
#B1-14, Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, 170 Upper Bukit Timah Rd,Singapore 588179
Monday, Wednesday-Friday: 10am-9pm. Saturday, Sunday: 10am-3pm, 5pm-9pm
Closed on Tuesdays
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*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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