The country’s first Korean seaweed roastery launches next week close to the British Museum in Bloomsbury, selling seaweed-based fast-food dishes as well as seaweed for use in home cooking.
Founders JC Bae and David Kim roast imported Korean gim (seaweed) every day, to be eaten with rice and fillings in the form of either ‘gimbap’ – rolled and sliced, like Japanese maki sushi – or ‘cup bap’, in bowls topped with crispy seaweed flakes.
While Korean seaweed is increasingly available in specialist shops and supermarkets around the country, the founders say it usually comes in packets roasted months ago, whereas theirs is freshly roasted. You can also buy it unroasted to toast in your own kitchen.
There are six fillings: bulgogi beef, spicy pork, tofu kimchi, tuna mayo, grilled pork belly and vegetable – and five sauces: soy garlic, creamy mayo, soybean doenjang, sweet chilli gochujang and fire-hot buldak.
Three varieties of gim are available: Classic, a thin, tender sheet used for snacking; Green, blended with green sea lettuce and suitable for sprinkling on soups and rice; and Gimbap, a thicker, unroasted sheet with no added oil or salt, designed to hold fillings without tearing.
On soft opening now ahead of a formal launch next Tuesday, 17 November, Seaweed Roaster is at 37 Museum Street and has 25 covers, with another 12 planned when the basement opens. Much of its trade will be takeaway, with nationwide retail and wholesale delivery options also available at seaweedroastery.com..
