While I was in Cali, I visited one of the NikoNiko Sushi restaurants. My sister and I used to go to NikoNiko Sushi quite a bit back in the day, so I wanted to revisit as a vegan. They didn't have too many options, but I made out okay. I got their Sweet Potato roll with avocado. It was simple but still really good. I would never have thought to put sweet potato in a roll, but it added a nice texture to everything, especially with the mashed avocado. I was inspired!
So when I came back to Korea, I decided to bust out my own kimbab rolling skillzz and create my own version of the 'sweet potato roll', minus the avocado. I also added bell peppers, eggplant, and sesame leaves. Fantastical.
Rolls, aka, 'Kimbab,' is Korea's equivalent to America's burger- fast, easy to eat, and everywhere. Unfortunately, it's also hardly ever vegan. Even the 'vegetable kimbab' (야채 김밥) always has egg, imitation crab meat, or fish cake in it. They often squeeze mayo all over it too! :( Even though technically it should be so easy to make vegan, I don't buy kimbab much anymore because it gets annoying trying to tell the ajuma to take practically everything out. Even if I tell the ajuma to put "only vegetables" in it, I always have to stop her from adding things that she thinks are vegetables, like egg strips, and then when she finally gets it, she looks at me in disbelief and asks, "Only vegetables ? What taste will you eat it for?!" So now I just avoid the abuse and make my own kimbab at home, which I reckon is much tastier anyway. :)
On the other hand, last weekend, I did have a nice restaurant-bought vegan kimbab on the way home from the rock fest. (1500won)