While cleaning the house I found the most recent copy of their famous Fearless Flyer. From reading that flyer I learned that Trader Joe's now carry bibimbop bowls. How interesting! What does it taste like? Bibimbop is a Korean dish that translates to "mixed rice". It's rice, a whole bunch of cooked vegetables, protein of some kind (usually marinated beef), sunny side up egg, sesame oil, and hot chili pepper paste. It's our favorite Korean dish but I don't really see it going mainstream in America. It involves a lot of vegetables that might be too foreign to a lot of people. I mean, if I didn't grow up Korean I don't know that I would be really into sprouts and roots. I was very curious to see how Trader Joe's would make it more palatable to the masses.
It was... not that good. For starters, microwaved beef never tastes that good. They always have this weird, off putting taste, like you're eating the reject part of the cow. It would've been better to just make it vegetarian. The main disappointment, however, is the "spicy chili sauce". Blech. Very one dimensional. I'm not a chili paste snob. I didn't even know chili pastes had different layers of flavors until I tasted the one that came with this bowl. Sometimes it takes something very bad to make you appreciate the average.
So, a bit of a disappointment, but, from what I recall, the Korean Style Beef Short Ribs (also pictured) is pretty good. And, you know, kudos to Trader Joe's for trying new things and giving other countries a shot. There's more to this world than just Italy and China (looking at you Wegman's!). I hope they come out with some Ethiopian food soon.
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