Gluten-Free and Kongnamul Gukbap

Published 27 Sep.2022 16:30(KST)

A Day to Warm the Heart and Body Welcoming Autumn

It was summer. Autumn has arrived.

The weather suddenly turned chilly. Last year, it seemed warm until October, but after Chuseok with the full moon, this year the evenings already felt like winter was just around the corner. Maybe it's the weather, but no matter how much I sleep, the fatigue doesn't go away. Before I knew it, the season for nourishing food that’s good for the body had come.

There are many kinds of health foods, but first, I wanted to eat something comforting to soothe my upset stomach. I went to the basement level 1 of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam branch. Sunny Bread, a gluten-free bakery, was holding a pop-up store until the 28th, welcoming customers.

Sunny Bread, famous for a CCTV video showing a thief stealing bread in the store, is a gluten-free bakery founded by CEO Song Seong-rye, who has congenital gluten intolerance. They sell two versions of food: vegan and low-carb. Especially, the cream pot that can be eaten frozen is a signature menu unique to Sunny Bread, rarely seen elsewhere. At this pop-up store, scones, cookies, and cakes are also sold together.

Foods labeled gluten-free or vegan often fall into the trap of using excessive other ingredients to enhance flavor. However, Sunny Bread’s products seem to take care of both health and “taste.”

I bought a chocolate bar to eat with coffee. It was a bit dry to eat alone, but that dense texture was charming. If you haven’t visited their Seoul Forest or Huam-dong stores, it might be worth stopping by this pop-up store. You can enjoy a delicious day that cares for both health and the environment.

After visiting the Sunny Bread pop-up store, I went to Sambakjip, a bean sprout soup restaurant located on the ground floor. Named Sambakjip because they used to sell only 300 bowls before closing, this place originally started in Jeonju but has now grown into a franchise with 21 stores nationwide.

In fact, bean sprout soup is somewhat bothersome to make at home but feels a bit plain for dining out. Perhaps because when we think of dining out, meat or fancy dishes come to mind? Nevertheless, bean sprout soup has always been a hearty, affordable meal and a popular hangover cure.

Sambakjip’s bean sprout soup starts at 8,000 won, so it’s not exactly cheap. However, after a spoonful of the broth, you fall for its stimulating yet mild flavor made with natural seasonings. It’s like the Pyongyang cold noodles of the bean sprout soup world. It differs somewhat from the strong-flavored Korean-style hangover soups designed to clear the stomach. The accompanying spicy fried dumplings also have a soft flow, unlike typical fried snacks from snack bars, making you forget when you last ate them.

I felt good that day. Maybe because I slept well. Or maybe because of the bean sprout soup and gluten-free food. I felt like I gained the strength to endure the cool autumn night.