6.023

28 (Wed) January 2015

Taste Test : Flavored Seaweed

2.0

by Yangban

in my apartment

-Ermita, Manila-

solo

From the duty free shop at Incheon International Airport.

4 flavored varieties–bulgogi (brown), plain (yellow), wasabi (green), kimchi (red)–in single-serving packs, 5 packs of each flavor, 8 sheets per pack, $13 per set.

Purchasing a few sets as gifts to staff, I kept one for myself.

 In Korea, dried seaweed is lightly brushed with oil and seasoned with salt.  Flavored seaweed is unheard of–I’ve never seen anything like this sold in any local stores–other than newfangled versions involving different types of oil (e.g., olive oil), which does affect taste but not in a substantial way.

Clearly, these flavored varieties were developed for tourists.

Other than the plain, the bulgogi was the only one that I liked.  Sweetish soy flavor, nice.  Good to eat straight out of the pack, sans rice, as non-Koreans are wont to do.  If sold separately, I might consider buying this one again.

The wasabi was ridiculously white hot, way more than fresh wasabi, unbearable even with rice.

The kimchi was kinda sour at first and finished with a spicy aftertaste, no real kimchi flavor, unpleasant.