[EAT]GOSARI by BAD CARROT, Seoul

GOSARI by BAD CARROT, Seoul

Inventive vegan flavours using traditional ingredients

June 2023

Brought to you by BAD CARROT, the vegan food company launched in 2022 by founder Kim Je-eun, the GOSARI pop-up restaurant brings their signature gosari oil pasta sauce to life with a variety of fresh and seasonal dishes.

Set up on a leafy street of the very vegan-friendly area of Mangwon-dong in Seoul, the 10-seater restaurant’s exterior has been decked out in the colours and character of BAD CARROT – bright, vivid orange that you cannot miss. The interior has a local organic market feel to it, with boxes of decorative carrots and branded items to purchase, including the oil pasta sauce and a noodle tteokbokki for you to prepare at home.

The ingredient “gosari” itself is known as fernbrake in English and comes from the fern family of leafy green plants. When sautéed in garlic and soy sauce it has a distinctly dark brown colour and earthy flavour to it.

The menu at GOSARI by BAD CARROT naturally features gosari, and the chefs have come up with some incredible dishes to showcase the company’s signature sauce. While the menu can change, the basic premise remains the same: first choose if you want pasta or noodles; then select two toppings from a list of seasonal treats including vegetables and roots; add something from the small sides menu (such as broccoli nachos, salad or fresh bread); and lastly can choose something from the drinks menu, including some colourful creations of their own.

At the time we stopped by, there was an option to have rice cake tteokbokki with battered and fried vegetables. We went with the gosari tteokbokki with meowi and cabbage, and a side selection of seasonal fried vegetables. The flavour was hearty with a welcome kick of spiciness at the end, and contrasted well with the texture and freshness of the toppings. The menu has been updated several times during the pop-up, giving customers the chance to come back and taste something new, but always with the distinct gosari flavour!

GOSARI by BAD CARROT is open Tuesday–Saturday 12:00–20:30 (Break time 15:00–17:00). Seating is limited and a booking is highly recommended. Instagram: @gosaribybadcarrot