Sides Of Seoul Takeaway. Sides of Seoul makes my soul happy with quality Korean food. 8.2 / 10 on my Asian food scale makes it one of my favorite Asian places in St. Louis. I normally go with the delicious bibim-bop, but I audibled today into the spicy pork bowl-bop. Both hit the spot for $12.99 and $10.99, respectively, making both a heck of a deal. Also a big fan of their kimchi, seaweed salad, and bulgogi. Just all-around great Korean food for the money.
You can only takeout at S.o.S. At maybe 20' by 20' inside, they don't have an option for eating in the restaurant. I always call in my order, and they always give me a 10-minute quote. In the 10+ times I've been here over the last three years, they've never been late. The same, super friendly woman mans the front desk each time. Parking is easy in a dedicated lot with dedicated spots.
Sides Of Seoul Experience Summary
You're hungry at 11 am on a Friday. Staring at your boring old sandwich, you pine for something with life.
That's when you realize the cure to your Friday snide resides at Sides of Seoul.
At least, I had this exact experience yesterday.
Sides of the Soul has become one of our top spots for Asian food in St. Louis for a little spice during a weekday lunch or a quick Saturday night takeout dinner. It's where you call in your order and know it'll be ready in 10 minutes.
Hot, fresh, and fantastic Korean food up and down the menu, Sides of Soul delivers on its takeout mission.
My Friday lunch spice came in the form of the spicy pork bowl bop. Pork covered in a light chili flake sauce over a bed of glass noodles, carrots, onions, and rice, topped with a smooth spicy mayo. An 8.2 / 10 on my Asian food scale, it's an incredible value for the $10.99 price tag.
If you haven't had Korean food before, Sides of Seoul has a giant poster to guide you on your Korean food adventure.
A bit of a hole-in-the-wall, tucked away off Page Avenue near El Guanaco, Taqueria Durango, and Fire Chicken, the small space is takeout only, with only room for a few display cases full of Korean offerings.
The Food At Sides Of Seoul
Doing the quick math in my head, we probably come to Sides of Seoul every 3-4 months for the past 3 years. That puts our total visits in the 10 to 15 range.
My wife and I normally go with bibim-bop, a hearty bowl filled with an array of Korean goodies, including veggies, beef, and a delicious spicy miso paste, topped with an over-easy egg. We've also sampled the bulgogi, kimchi, seaweed salad, and veggie pancake.
Today, I went rogue. I decided to try the spicy pork bowl bop.
It didn't disappoint.
Juicy pieces of pork with chili flakes, topped with a spicy mayo, all served over rice with glass noodles, onions, and carrots. Every bite was delicious to score an 8.2 /10 on my Asian food scale. If I had to choose, I like the bibim-bop a bit more at an 8.3 / 10, but I had to spice up my Friday.
Unfortunately, the spice level would be my only nitpick on the meal. The default level of spice on the spicy pork came in at a 1 out of 5. I would have hoped for a 3, but the spicy mayo favored smoothness over spice. Next time, I'd ask for the amazing spicy pepper paste that comes with bibim-bop.
The meal weighed about a pound and only cost $10.99 before tax. That's an incredible deal for such a satisfying lunch, considering a stupid Subway sandwich goes for $11.91. Paired with a Diet Coke from home, it got me out of my Friday swoon.
Going off of memory, their veggie pancakes came in way thicker and doughier than the Chinese scallion pancake I expected.
They have excellent kimchi, in my opinion, but you have to like kimchi to like it, obviously.
Sides Of Seoul Atmosphere And Miscellaneous
You'll find Sides of the Soul in a strip mall off Page Avenue. The unassuming exterior encapsulates the whole atmosphere.
They don't have a website or seating, so it's take-out only, as their subtitle would have you know.
The interior contains several display cases filled with Korean treats, from desserts to seaweed salad and mandu.
For those of you who are adventuring for Korean food for the first time, they've got an awesome poster on the wall to guide you through all the variations of kimbop, which you can think of as Korean sushi. Thinking about it, I haven't had their kimbop yet. I need to bop on it next time.
The woman behind the counter is super friendly and helpful. I'm guessing she's one of the owners as she's been there every time I visit.
When I order on the phone, she always tells me it will be 10 minutes. The food is always ready, hot, and waiting when I arrive.
Parking At Sides Of Seoul
Sides of Seoul has a dedicated lot with dedicated spots. Parking has never been an issue. If you can swing it, I'd recommend turning right onto Page when you leave. Making a left can take a while.
Sides Of Seoul Receipt
