Yum N Roll Kimbap Rolls: Grub for Your Next KDrama Marathon

Samgyupsal has been the talk of the town for the recent years. The grilled meat paired with side dishes is definitely something people can’t resist. But I tell you, there’s more to Korean food than just samgyupsal! Kimbap is the Korean version of the more popular Japanese sushi, and for me, it’s a good dish that’s severely underrated. And as people turn to preparing their own samgyupsal at home, I suggest you may also order some kimbap rolls from my recent Korean food discovery, Yum N’ Roll, to maximize the experience!

THE STORY

Yum N’ Roll is a home-based food business started by Ms. Czarina last June 2020. While she’s not new to the online business as she had her own clothing online shop five years ago, venturing into the food business is something unfamiliar to her. However, her limited work operations inspired her to think of something to augment her income: and a bright idea from almost a decade ago came to mind.

She used to roll kimbap during her college days, as she and her friends fancied over the food they see in Korean dramas. Fast forward to today, Ms. Czarina has harnessed this fond memory and turned it into her own food business — thus, Yum N’ Roll Kimbap Rolls was born. She wanted something unique and affordable, and I think she has perfectly captured the essence of both words. What’s amazing is: she actually does the cooking, rolling, and social media managing on her own!

THE FOOD

Yum N’ Roll serves affordable and healthy kimbap options that will fit everyone’s palate. To date, they have five different flavors, all priced below Php 150 per order. Their Pork, and Crab flavors sell for only Php 100. Protein lovers will definitely enjoy their Beef flavor at Php 120 per order. On the other hand, spicy food lovers will surely love their Spicy Cheesy Tuna Rolls for just Php 140.

And to keep it unique, they have thrown in an original idea: Low Carb Kimbap Rolls (Php 130)! These are perfect for those on a diet as it contains chicken breast, lettuce to replace the rice, cucumber, egg, some cheese and carrots — definitely just the good and healthy stuff. Also, it comes with a creamy garlic dip instead of the usual Japanese mayo and Kikoman soy sauce dip.

THE VERDICT

I was able to try most of their flavors during a recent weekend binge eating session. Actually, I remember promising to tell Ms. Czarina which flavor’s my favorite, but I was left speechless. Everything tasted so good, I was not able to choose just one! Let me walk you through my taste test to help you decide which one’s for you:

CRAB

This, for me, is the most basic type of kimbap among the four flavors I have tried. Its crisp and clean taste is light, and is not that heavy on the tummy since they use kani sticks in this. Since the flavors are not that strong, I recommend you to dip it into the Japanese mayo for an added depth in its flavor.

PORK

This is fairly similar to the crab one in size and other ingredients, except for the crab, of course. But I find this to be more flavorful than the crab flavor. The pork is sliced into thin strips, but stuffed in ample amount so each bite remains meaty. As always, there is egg, cucumber and carrots, all wrapped in rice and seaweed wrap. Best dipped into the soy sauce.

SPICY CHEESY TUNA

People who enjoy some heat in their food would definitely love this! The tuna filling is spicy enough already, but they amp up the heat further by putting in a lot of chili powder, too! You may opt to have them drizzle the cheesy spicy tuna sauce on top of your kimbap, but for those living a bit far from the seller, you may opt to have it on the side and use it as a dipping sauce instead to prevent the sauce from absorbing too much into the kimbap. This one kept me reaching for more water, as the heat becomes quite intense after a couple of rolls. Proceed with caution, don’t tell me I did not warn you!

LOW CARB

I know, I know. while the main ingredient of kimbaps is usually the rice, this one’s definitely worth a try. I actually loved how light it was, and had various textures to complement each other. The freshness of the lettuce takes the cake, as it definitely kept the rolls great tasting. The chicken was lightly seasoned, and is a great source of protein, too. On another note, the crunch of the carrots and cucumber made sure the rolls are refreshing. The garlic dip is the best! (Sharing a secret with you, I actually dipped the other kimbaps into this dip too, sooo good!).

Each flavor definitely has its own yumminess, and I’ll leave it up to you to decide which one you love the most. Just an insider note, Ms. Czarina’s favorites are Spicy Cheesy Tuna, Low Carb, and Beef flavors. (See, even the owner had a hard time in choosing just one! HEHE). Something to note is that regardless of the flavor, all their kimbap are rolled with 100% of love and passion.

By the way, I heard they’re coming up with new flavors, so do watch out for the release soon!

Yum N’ Roll is a home-based business located in Pasay City, and can cater to your order via delivery. They book for you to save you from the hassle, too! But if you prefer, you may also book your own courier via Grab / Lalamove / Angkas, or other delivery platforms. For inquiries and orders, you may contact them through their Facebook and Instagram accounts.