[CLOSED] FUTORU: Gimbop stall with 20 outlets in Korea has 15 unique gimbop rolls filled with soba & cream cheese in Orchard

Of all the delicious dishes in the Korean cuisine, gimbop is one of the healthiest and most wholesome options, in my opinion. These rice rolls are often filled with fresh vegetables and an assortment of meat, then wrapped in a thin layer of seaweed. If you’re someone who can’t get enough of gimbop, FUTORU is an eatery that you must check out.

FUTORU is located within Market Blue, a Korean food court in the basement of Tanglin Mall. This eatery is pretty well-known in South Korea, with 20 stores in the country. Their Tanglin Mall outlet marks their first overseas venture!

FUTORU offers 15 variations of gimbop, including traditional rice rolls, plus keto rolls for those looking for low carb options. You can also enjoy other famous Korean dishes, such as tteokbokki and Korean fried chicken.

What I tried at FUTORU

FUTORU’s most popular item is their bestselling Bulgogi Gimbop (S$13.90), stuffed with bulgogi beef, assorted vegetables, shredded eggs and their house special sauce.

Personally, I love when gimbop rolls have a significantly large ratio of fillings to rice, so I was delighted at how generous FUTORU was with their ingredients. The tender beef bulgogi was slightly sweet and meaty while the veggies and carrots were nice and crunchy. The soft shredded egg rounded up the whole dish nicely with its light taste and texture.

If you’re currently on a diet, FUTORU has a range of Green Keto Gimbop rolls that are made with fresh greens instead of rice. Imagine eating a wholesome salad, but in gimbop form!

The Chicken Green Keto (S$14.90) roll was stuffed with chicken, fresh vegetables, carrots, red cabbage shredded eggs and pickled vegetables.

Compared to the Bulgogi Gimbop, the Chicken Green Keto was crunchier, with a tantalising freshness from the greens. While I typically avoid salads as they tend to be a little overwhelming in the vegetable aspect, Futoru’s Chicken Green Keto made the consumption of greens delectable and fun, with their flavourful bite-sized pieces of gimbop.

You may be familiar with rice gimbop, but have you ever tried gimbop made with soba noodles? Futoru’s Soba Gimbop (S$12.90) is a unique fusion of Korean and Japanese cuisines, featuring soba noodles, fried shrimp, green bean and shredded eggs packed within the seaweed rolls.

While this creation may sound unorthodox, I couldn’t get enough. The nutty, earthy flavours of the soba paired nicely with the fresh veggies and eggs, providing an elevated take on the classic Japanese noodles.

The fried shrimp was crispy and juicy, adding a slightly more indulgent touch to the gimbop‘s otherwise healthier elements.

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I was pretty fascinated by the Bacon Cream Cheese Egg Keto (S$13.90) roll on FUTORU’s menu — this fusion gimbop replaced rice with omelette, and was stuffed with bacon, cream cheese and shredded carrots.

Biting into this unique creation reminded me a little of carbonara, due to the creaminess of the cream cheese and the smokiness of the bacon. This was certainly a lot richer in flavour compared to the previous 3 gimbops I tried — I felt that this roll would be better for sharing, as its richness did get a tad jelak after a while. However, in small portions, it was the perfect blend of savoury and creamy flavours.

Moving on from the gimbop rolls, I tried Futoru’s Soy Sauce K-Chicken (S$18.90), containing pieces of boneless Korean fried chicken topped with soy sauce and sesame seeds.

The chicken chunks were super crispy on the outside, while the glistening white meat within was tender and juicy. The drizzle of soy sauce struck a nice balance between sweetness and saltiness, without being too overwhelming, due to the generous amount of chicken provided.

I absolutely loved Futoru’s Rosé Tteokbokki (S$14.90), which included 2 pieces of seaweed rolls. Each tteokbokki and fish cake slice was coated in a vibrant orange rosé sauce, adding to the dish’s appeal.

The Rosé Tteokbokki was surprisingly spicy. It packed a bit of a punch, while not being too overwhelming or fiery. I loved how creamy and milky the sauce was, adding lots of flavour to the chewy tteokbokki and the soft fishcakes.

The seaweed rolls were crisp on the outside while the glass noodles within were smooth and slightly peppery. I’d recommend consuming these fast as the rosé sauce did make them a little soggy.

Finally, I had FUTORU’s Bibim Noodles (S$12.90), consisting of thin noodles coated in gochujang sauce and topped with seaweed and shredded vegetables.

The noodles were silky and smooth, with each strand being well-coated in the saucy gochujang. The dish was sweet, salty, tangy and ever-so slightly spicy all at the same time. It was also served cold, making it a refreshing dish to savour.

Final thoughts

FUTORU is the perfect spot to drop by for some great Korean fare — their gimbops are naturally the stand-out choice, with a wide array of fillings to select from. Definitely give the unique Soba Gimbop a shot, or go for the more classic Bulgogi Gimbop if you’re in need of a wholesome and satisfying meal.

I will definitely return to FUTORU when I’m in the Orchard area!

Expected damage: S$12.90 – S$18.90 per pax

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