Store bought kimchi brands

Cafe Society
1

I have tried three: Tobagi, Bing Gre, and Jo San. I like all three, but not the same:

Tobagi is my favorite, but is the hardest for me to find in my area. It’s crisp, spicy, sour, and has the funky-fishy taste that I love. Good all around.

Bing Gre is the fishiest, IMO, but not as well balanced as Tobagi. Still really good. Also hard to find around here.

Jo San has a great taste balance, but isn’t as crisp as Tobagi. But it’s the easiest for me to find, so I probably eat it the most.

I’ve also tried some brands I don’t recall the names of from Mom’s Organic Market, but they were all very disappointing – I think they didn’t use fish sauce/shrimp or whatever fishy ingredients that authentic kimchi needs, so it ended up very bland for my palate. Now I know to look at the list of ingredients!

Some folks tell me they make their own kimchi and it’s easy, but I haven’t tried that yet. The recipes I’ve seen still look like logistical trouble (more the space in my refrigerator, and hard to find ingredients, than the actual work required).

2

Do you have Hmart by you? We’ve bought most of the kinds there, but I still find that generic kind is the best.

We’ve made it and it came out super spicy and hot. We let it set for awhile on the counter and it was good. Do you want a recipe?

3

There’s an H-Mart about 30 minutes away or so – that’s where I found Tobagi. Next time I go I’ll try their generic.

As for a recipe, sure, if it’s not any trouble. Thanks!

4

For store-bought kimchi, we have a choice of Sun Luck. We like it, but I think it can be hotter.

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5

The only time I’ve seen kimchi in a grocery store, it came from the local Korean restaurant (incidentally, the best restaurant in town, of any ethnicity). That doesn’t help you much unless you’re in Bozeman, MT, though.