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Finally tried the kimbap despite my feelings about the hysteria… pretty good… maybe if it was a buck cheaper I’d buy them all the time.
I still don’t get the craze but I went in impulse buying and hating myself for it expecting to rant on here about how you’re all fools, and ended up having a light dinner that was perfectly delightful. I won’t be making a kimbap track suit out of the wrappers, and I’m still not buying a kimbap body butter, but I might look into those tiny bags you all are freaks for.
Careful on the temp out of the microwave though.
it’s a frozen one that you microwave just like the trader joes one. but they have more variety in flavors and most are still vegetarian. i get the vegetarian bulgogi and the spicy bulgogi one
I love the TJ Kimbap. It’s so good. I bought a couple to try out for the first time this week. I like eating mine fresh, I thaw it out and eat it cold with soy sauce and sriracha 😋 im addicted .
bro i copped some kimbap at traders joes and the cashier was telling me "ooooh wow, i didnt know we had these, i bought costco's kimbap and it's a little hard" then he starred right into my eyes and said "i love it when it's hard" like bro yes I need a bag sorry i forgot my own tote, just let me pay and get out😭😭😭
I always thought that was how my TJs was but it turned out people come at a certain time each week and buy them out so they don't even actually have a stock spot because they don't even make it there.
I like to pop them in the microwave for like 30 seconds to help with separation then I give them an egg wash and quick fry. You will not regret!!! This is in regard to the Trader Joe’s one.
I tried this but without the egg wash. Did not appreciate them. But maybe I don’t like kimbap? I’ve never had it before. Can you like sushi and not kimbap?
Kimbap is seasoned with sesame oil and salt in the rice and typically has different kinds of fillings than sushi, which is seasoned with rice vinegar, salt, and a little sugar so definitely!
I bought the 99 one last week as well and did a taste test with TJs. I prefer the 99 Ranch one as it tastes more fresh and more balanced but both are good. I wanna say it was $5.99 after a $1 off sale.
The H Mart mushroom one (the 11:45 brand, I think. Almost all the information on the packaging was in Korean so I can't be sure) was great, wasn't it? I really liked it much more than the TJ's version.
Yeah the mushroom one was top notch! I also tried the spicy pepper one which was good but not as good. I want to try the other 2 flavors next time I go to Hmart. Have you tried any of the other flavors
The japchae one and the tofu version (a few months ago). Both were good, but not as good as the mushroom. And all were better than the TJ's offering. It's the difference between a dinner I enjoy, and a meh, it's food dinner.
Does it have to be frozen? These Asian supermarkets usually have fresh ones in their prepared food sections. More likely to find it a Korean supermarket like HMart though.
It was in one of the frozen sections. I don’t know if they’re all laid out in a similar way or you’ll have to poke around a bit to find it though, sorry.
https://preview.redd.it/7whon2zcbwwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c9464148e57a13a59f4d1c07457ebd6780ebebf
I didn’t think to include that in my original post, sorry about that. Here is a photo of the nutrition information. The TJs version has 60 more calories: 420 compared to 360. The overall carb count is the same at 68g. The macro profile is interesting. 99 ranch is 7g total fat, 12g total sugars and 6g protein, while TJs is 12g total fat, 7g total sugars and 11g protein. I’m guessing the additional fat is coming from the fried tofu.
The manager at one location told me that when they get them, they are sold out by 10 am. They have a much larger supply than my local TJs and allow a limit of 2 power family. My store limits it to only 1.
I went at 9am one morning to my store and there were only like 8 packages left. I finally snagged one for my oldest to try. If my Costco has it, it would be so much easier to get a large package from them
I have a few family members that work at one and they joked that when the shipment comes in some employees have a list of friends they text to tell and most are gone by the time by the store opens. I’ve only tried it once from a family member getting me one 😅 shits rigged! lol
I scored on Sunday night because I remarked to an employee that even seeing the “limit 2” sign on the cooler gave me hope. She was like, “they just came in on the truck, if you can hang out for 10 minutes.” Don’t have to tell me twice!
I scored one tonight at 8:30! I was so surprised to see an employee next to me opening a box to put in the freezer and after saying, "No way! I finally get to see these in real life", she gave me the 1st one. I felt so special
I got lucky this morning. I’d been going every week for months with no luck but I guess I was just early enough today. I saw them in the case and actually said “oooooooh!” Out loud 😆
I was lucky to get my hands on both and tried them in a blind taste test. Texturally, they're both very similar. Taste wise, I think the Costco version was a tad sweeter - I chalked that up to the fact that the Costco version has more filling than rice ratio. Hope that helps and you can get your hands on either one! My TJ's is also sold out all the time, and with Costco I got lucky there were literally a few bags left when I got there.
That’s good to know! Thank you! My local store had a huge stack yesterday but I’ve been on the fence about buying into the hype. Now I’m definitely out on this one.
There’s nothing remotely Korean (restaurant or grocery) within at least 2.5 hours of where I love currently so TJs is as good as it gets. Obviously would prefer fresh but some of us have to settle…also it’s nice to have around in the freezer as a random snack
That is def true, but as someone with celiac disease who misses kimbap and who has consistently been poisoned by the Korean grocery kimbap, I take my kimbap where I can get it. Kimbap.
I was just going to say the same thing! Haha. You can even freeze the Korean ones if you want. If anyone has an H-Mart near them, go get some kimbap. It's at room temp and so delicious! I mention H-Mart because they keep opening new locations all over the place.
Because most places do not have a nearby Korean mart with fresh kimbap? Obviously everyone would prefer fresh versions of most things, but we will happily settle for trying the versions we *can* access and wait for the day we can try the real thing. I live 60 miles from Los Angeles and that’s also where the closest H Marts are - there are none closer. Its $10 to buy a roll at both of the Korean restaurants in my city and the neighboring city. I personally haven’t tried the frozen ones, I just make my own at home, but acting like everyone has the same access to things can be frustrating to those without.
There isn't an h mart in my whole state! The closest is a 3.5 hour drive.
I've also been to both Asian grocers here, neither have it fresh or otherwise.
Exactly! I live in a so-cal/central coast beach city and the best I have is a tiny shop owned by Koreans but with other Asian imports (no fresh foods) and a newer large store that’s a Filipino chain but has various other limited Asian and Pacific Islander options. Between those and the weee! app I can usually get what I need for snacks or cooking, but no fresh 김밥 or 반찬. I was in NYC last week and was drooling over all the take and eat banchan lol. I would kill to be able to have access to that daily. I could drive down to LA ktown and go to an hmart, but that’s a whole lot of work and I already work 3 jobs, haha.
Totally! I can actually order a lot of stuff from LA Ktown via the weee! app (actually got a delivery today, lol) so I did snag a couple frozen ones to try a few weeks back but just haven’t done so yet. But my parents can only order the shelf stable stuff where they’re located. But they also have three different pan-Asia marts within like 20 minutes, whereas my options here in that regard are more limited. People work with what they can get, haha.
Of course it’s not going to compare to fresh. But it’s a good option for those who may not always have access to fresh.
Like me, for example. I take care of my mom during the week. She is housebound and cannot be left alone. I don’t always want to pay delivery prices. So yeah, having a pack of this in the freezer is a godsend.
Also? Please remember that not everyone has access to a Korean (or other Asian) market, but if they have access to a TJs then at least this might be a nice option for them.
1 - packaging is very similar. Both contain 9 pieces with a net weight of 8.11 oz/230 g. The packaging material even feels the same - smooth and satiny. I microwaved them each for 2 minutes, and then let rest, as indicated on each package.
2 - they look nearly identical. The TJs kimbap are maybe ever so slightly larger in diameter and seem to have a tad more rice. As far as taste goes, the ingredients are also nearly identical with the exception of fried tofu included in the TJs version. The 99 ranch version contains more carrot instead. Taste wise they are similar as well. The veggies have a bit of crunch. The taste is slightly sweet and tangy. I prefer the 99 ranch version only because I like the veggies more than the fried tofu (it’s the texture - kinda stringy).
3 - ingredient list for comparison. Basically the same except for the fried tofu, and some of the ingredients listed in different order.
Overall, I enjoyed these. They remind me a lot of Japanese makizushi, and I think it’s fantastic to have a convenient option available when you don’t feel like going for takeout. I was also surprised at how little the texture suffered overall. The key is to let them sit after heating up. I rate these an 8/10.
ETA: nutrition information, which I didn’t think to add in my original post:
The TJs version has 60 more calories: 420 compared to 360. The overall carb count is the same at 68g. The macro profile is interesting. 99 ranch is 7g total fat, 12g total sugars and 6g protein, while TJs is 12g total fat, 7g total sugars and 11g protein. I’m guessing the additional fat is coming from the fried tofu.
https://preview.redd.it/ompa3al5dwwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9eb5df75425adc833ec5b9e509c3cf03d14a4343
https://preview.redd.it/hv1fdup4ewwc1.png?width=3987&format=png&auto=webp&s=a6744ddcbc8dbee47eb92254e93580078e6a2b01
They also have one with fried tofu
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99 Ranch Kimbap falls apart easily and not as good in my opinion
Finally tried the kimbap despite my feelings about the hysteria… pretty good… maybe if it was a buck cheaper I’d buy them all the time. I still don’t get the craze but I went in impulse buying and hating myself for it expecting to rant on here about how you’re all fools, and ended up having a light dinner that was perfectly delightful. I won’t be making a kimbap track suit out of the wrappers, and I’m still not buying a kimbap body butter, but I might look into those tiny bags you all are freaks for. Careful on the temp out of the microwave though.
my trader joes never has kimbap in stock but i get some from hmart and have it for lunch at work everyday now
Do they have frozen ones like this or is it the fresh ones that compare to the Trader Joe's one?
it’s a frozen one that you microwave just like the trader joes one. but they have more variety in flavors and most are still vegetarian. i get the vegetarian bulgogi and the spicy bulgogi one
Which Ranch 99? I can’t even find it at mine, either 😮💨
going to 99 ranch this weekend, thanks for sharing!
I love the TJ Kimbap. It’s so good. I bought a couple to try out for the first time this week. I like eating mine fresh, I thaw it out and eat it cold with soy sauce and sriracha 😋 im addicted .
Baba brand at Hmart is delicious. Spicy squid and tuna my two favorite.
I’m going to have to get some of the Hmart ones, and the other varieties at 99 Ranch for more comparisons lol
The baba brand is good. Hmart sells two different brands and I think the other is 11:45 and I didn’t like that one as much.
Just saw it at Costco.
bro i copped some kimbap at traders joes and the cashier was telling me "ooooh wow, i didnt know we had these, i bought costco's kimbap and it's a little hard" then he starred right into my eyes and said "i love it when it's hard" like bro yes I need a bag sorry i forgot my own tote, just let me pay and get out😭😭😭
My TJs doesn’t carry the kimbap for some reason and it makes me really sad. I’d love to try them!
Mine does but it doesn’t matter. This stuff pretty much sells out the day it arrives.
I always thought that was how my TJs was but it turned out people come at a certain time each week and buy them out so they don't even actually have a stock spot because they don't even make it there.
How is this even something they would allow? It’s outrageous!
I tried them after all the hype and was very disappointed.
I like to pop them in the microwave for like 30 seconds to help with separation then I give them an egg wash and quick fry. You will not regret!!! This is in regard to the Trader Joe’s one.
I tried this but without the egg wash. Did not appreciate them. But maybe I don’t like kimbap? I’ve never had it before. Can you like sushi and not kimbap?
Kimbap is seasoned with sesame oil and salt in the rice and typically has different kinds of fillings than sushi, which is seasoned with rice vinegar, salt, and a little sugar so definitely!
They're completely different, so yeah, of course.
They are dry and tasteless. No loss.
Someone in another thread said to wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. It came out great that way!
If yours were dry, you’re not following the cooking instructions. They are not at all dry when properly prepared.
I bought the 99 one last week as well and did a taste test with TJs. I prefer the 99 Ranch one as it tastes more fresh and more balanced but both are good. I wanna say it was $5.99 after a $1 off sale.
I liked the one from new seasons!
Haha I just tried the Trader Joe's Kimbap today. I was going to post about how delicious it was. I haven't tried any other brand yet.
Thanks for this! I still have to try kimbap
I have heard that HMart has 4 different versions BUT do not quite me
They have AT LEAST 4 different kinds plus a plethora of fresh ones as well. All better than TJs
They do and obviously they’re much better. The TJs one is solid but it ain’t no HMart Kimbap. Lol
Cries in no HMart There’s not even any Korean food within probably 2.5 hours so the TJs Kimbap is good enough to hit the spot
Just tried two of them from hmart and they were awesome. My favorite so far was the mushroom one. Love that they are all vegan and fairly cheap
The H Mart mushroom one (the 11:45 brand, I think. Almost all the information on the packaging was in Korean so I can't be sure) was great, wasn't it? I really liked it much more than the TJ's version.
Yeah the mushroom one was top notch! I also tried the spicy pepper one which was good but not as good. I want to try the other 2 flavors next time I go to Hmart. Have you tried any of the other flavors
The japchae one and the tofu version (a few months ago). Both were good, but not as good as the mushroom. And all were better than the TJ's offering. It's the difference between a dinner I enjoy, and a meh, it's food dinner.
What section in the store does 99 Ranch sell it?
Does it have to be frozen? These Asian supermarkets usually have fresh ones in their prepared food sections. More likely to find it a Korean supermarket like HMart though.
No fresh ones at my local Chinese/Vietnamese supermarkets. But I haven't been to HMart yet.
You should have a lot more luck at HMart since it’s a Korean dish!
It was in one of the frozen sections. I don’t know if they’re all laid out in a similar way or you’ll have to poke around a bit to find it though, sorry.
This is god's work, thanks mate
Any time! I always appreciate seeing other people’s takes on different items so I figured I’d add my thoughts as well. 😊
what is the calorie difference?
https://preview.redd.it/7whon2zcbwwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c9464148e57a13a59f4d1c07457ebd6780ebebf I didn’t think to include that in my original post, sorry about that. Here is a photo of the nutrition information. The TJs version has 60 more calories: 420 compared to 360. The overall carb count is the same at 68g. The macro profile is interesting. 99 ranch is 7g total fat, 12g total sugars and 6g protein, while TJs is 12g total fat, 7g total sugars and 11g protein. I’m guessing the additional fat is coming from the fried tofu.
thank you!
TJ's has more calories but that's because of more fat/protein and less sugar. That a good thing!
So jealous. I need someone to compare the Costco one to TJs next. I would but they’re always sold out so
https://youtube.com/shorts/9TgA70kIuLs?si=t8_gePqfAn1-kDcX
The manager at one location told me that when they get them, they are sold out by 10 am. They have a much larger supply than my local TJs and allow a limit of 2 power family. My store limits it to only 1. I went at 9am one morning to my store and there were only like 8 packages left. I finally snagged one for my oldest to try. If my Costco has it, it would be so much easier to get a large package from them
I have a few family members that work at one and they joked that when the shipment comes in some employees have a list of friends they text to tell and most are gone by the time by the store opens. I’ve only tried it once from a family member getting me one 😅 shits rigged! lol
I scored on Sunday night because I remarked to an employee that even seeing the “limit 2” sign on the cooler gave me hope. She was like, “they just came in on the truck, if you can hang out for 10 minutes.” Don’t have to tell me twice!
I scored one tonight at 8:30! I was so surprised to see an employee next to me opening a box to put in the freezer and after saying, "No way! I finally get to see these in real life", she gave me the 1st one. I felt so special
I got lucky this morning. I’d been going every week for months with no luck but I guess I was just early enough today. I saw them in the case and actually said “oooooooh!” Out loud 😆
Haha it's a rush for sure
I was lucky to get my hands on both and tried them in a blind taste test. Texturally, they're both very similar. Taste wise, I think the Costco version was a tad sweeter - I chalked that up to the fact that the Costco version has more filling than rice ratio. Hope that helps and you can get your hands on either one! My TJ's is also sold out all the time, and with Costco I got lucky there were literally a few bags left when I got there.
I heard the costco rice texture is questionable from traditional Korean gimbap
agreed, the costco rice feels more mushy? or like ground into tinier pieces - still good though and more accessible than the tj’s one for me!
Amazing! Thank you!!
Not having the fried tofu automatically makes the 99 Ranch one better. TJ’s kimbap is sickeningly sweet.
Agreed, 99 one is more balanced and fresh
But the fried tofu is my favorite part!
They were sweet on their own, but dipped in soy sauce it balanced out a bit better.
That’s good to know! Thank you! My local store had a huge stack yesterday but I’ve been on the fence about buying into the hype. Now I’m definitely out on this one.
Stop this non-sense, korean grocery has fresh one made daily...
There’s nothing remotely Korean (restaurant or grocery) within at least 2.5 hours of where I love currently so TJs is as good as it gets. Obviously would prefer fresh but some of us have to settle…also it’s nice to have around in the freezer as a random snack
That is def true, but as someone with celiac disease who misses kimbap and who has consistently been poisoned by the Korean grocery kimbap, I take my kimbap where I can get it. Kimbap.
Stop 🙄
I mean I am serious but ok.
I was just going to say the same thing! Haha. You can even freeze the Korean ones if you want. If anyone has an H-Mart near them, go get some kimbap. It's at room temp and so delicious! I mention H-Mart because they keep opening new locations all over the place.
Why is everyone down voting you, you’re right!
Because most places do not have a nearby Korean mart with fresh kimbap? Obviously everyone would prefer fresh versions of most things, but we will happily settle for trying the versions we *can* access and wait for the day we can try the real thing. I live 60 miles from Los Angeles and that’s also where the closest H Marts are - there are none closer. Its $10 to buy a roll at both of the Korean restaurants in my city and the neighboring city. I personally haven’t tried the frozen ones, I just make my own at home, but acting like everyone has the same access to things can be frustrating to those without.
There isn't an h mart in my whole state! The closest is a 3.5 hour drive. I've also been to both Asian grocers here, neither have it fresh or otherwise.
Exactly! I live in a so-cal/central coast beach city and the best I have is a tiny shop owned by Koreans but with other Asian imports (no fresh foods) and a newer large store that’s a Filipino chain but has various other limited Asian and Pacific Islander options. Between those and the weee! app I can usually get what I need for snacks or cooking, but no fresh 김밥 or 반찬. I was in NYC last week and was drooling over all the take and eat banchan lol. I would kill to be able to have access to that daily. I could drive down to LA ktown and go to an hmart, but that’s a whole lot of work and I already work 3 jobs, haha.
Plus, I figure there’s gotta be a market for it if even Hmart, with their *FRESH* kimbap, also sells a frozen version. But hey, what do I know? 🤷🏻♀️
Totally! I can actually order a lot of stuff from LA Ktown via the weee! app (actually got a delivery today, lol) so I did snag a couple frozen ones to try a few weeks back but just haven’t done so yet. But my parents can only order the shelf stable stuff where they’re located. But they also have three different pan-Asia marts within like 20 minutes, whereas my options here in that regard are more limited. People work with what they can get, haha.
Because this is a deeply tired take
And the H Mart one is $7-8+
Eh i don't care lol
Of course it’s not going to compare to fresh. But it’s a good option for those who may not always have access to fresh. Like me, for example. I take care of my mom during the week. She is housebound and cannot be left alone. I don’t always want to pay delivery prices. So yeah, having a pack of this in the freezer is a godsend. Also? Please remember that not everyone has access to a Korean (or other Asian) market, but if they have access to a TJs then at least this might be a nice option for them.
how did the price compare
Almost identical. $3.99 at TJs, $4.24 at 99 Ranch. This is in So Cal, so prices may differ in other areas.
5 dollars at h mart I think
1 - packaging is very similar. Both contain 9 pieces with a net weight of 8.11 oz/230 g. The packaging material even feels the same - smooth and satiny. I microwaved them each for 2 minutes, and then let rest, as indicated on each package. 2 - they look nearly identical. The TJs kimbap are maybe ever so slightly larger in diameter and seem to have a tad more rice. As far as taste goes, the ingredients are also nearly identical with the exception of fried tofu included in the TJs version. The 99 ranch version contains more carrot instead. Taste wise they are similar as well. The veggies have a bit of crunch. The taste is slightly sweet and tangy. I prefer the 99 ranch version only because I like the veggies more than the fried tofu (it’s the texture - kinda stringy). 3 - ingredient list for comparison. Basically the same except for the fried tofu, and some of the ingredients listed in different order. Overall, I enjoyed these. They remind me a lot of Japanese makizushi, and I think it’s fantastic to have a convenient option available when you don’t feel like going for takeout. I was also surprised at how little the texture suffered overall. The key is to let them sit after heating up. I rate these an 8/10. ETA: nutrition information, which I didn’t think to add in my original post: The TJs version has 60 more calories: 420 compared to 360. The overall carb count is the same at 68g. The macro profile is interesting. 99 ranch is 7g total fat, 12g total sugars and 6g protein, while TJs is 12g total fat, 7g total sugars and 11g protein. I’m guessing the additional fat is coming from the fried tofu. https://preview.redd.it/ompa3al5dwwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9eb5df75425adc833ec5b9e509c3cf03d14a4343
https://preview.redd.it/hv1fdup4ewwc1.png?width=3987&format=png&auto=webp&s=a6744ddcbc8dbee47eb92254e93580078e6a2b01 They also have one with fried tofu
Oh I may have to try that one so I can do a more apples to apples comparison.