SaladBowl’s Good Well-Being Food
Nestled behind Lotte department store downtown I find myself in a Brooklyn-style sandwich shop that is more than meets the eye. From the outside it seems like a simple eatery that offers the fair share of light brunch items, but once inside you discover a truly different way of eating and being healthy.
SaladBowl is a new concept store that fuses tradition with the modern convenience that is perfect for those who are too busy to concentrate on eating balanced meals. How? With a specialized delivery service that brings healthy, mouth-watering and delicious meals to your door daily.
The store was set up two years ago in Dae-in dong by a young businessman who wished to introduce his way of healthy eating to the masses. The owner and CEO, nicknamed Bondoo because of his love for 007, has certainly outwitted the competition on this one. Although only 31, he is ready to revolutionize the way you eat.
But why salads and sandwiches? And why Gwangju? He explains: “In the recent past, cafes making western-style sandwiches were not that popular in Korea and even if you did find somewhere that served them, it was usually fast food toasties. Also another factor is that Korean sandwiches usually have many foods mixed together which often distracts from the taste of the individual ingredients”.
His dream was thus to create American-style sandwiches layering fresh ingredients individually to create a nostalgic taste experience but with a healthier twist. Their mission is keeping flavors simple and easy. SaladBowl has two locations, one downtown and the other in Suwon, offering a vast menu. This includes many favorites, such as deep-filled BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwiches, which are all served on multigrain wholemeal bread.
Other items on the menu include classic sandwiches like chicken salad and even one made from tofu and peanut butter. Those wanting a hearty salad can choose from a subtle ricotta cheese salad, a more robust smoked chicken and grapefruit salad, or even an exotic smoked duck and orange salad. There are also various soups, perfect for lunch, and the cafe is one of only a few select stores in Gwangju to serve freshly pressed green grape juice, which is packed full of vitamins. 100% pure fruit juices with a hint of blue agave are on offer as well.
Expanding on the healthy living idea, the other ingenious side of the business is that SaladBowl offers a specialized delivery system which brings freshly packed healthy daily meals right to your door, which is the concept that has landed them regular coverage in various national magazines like Men’s Health. They have complete daily, weekly, and even monthly diet programs which you can purchase. All you need to do is open your door, unwrap, and eat. Everything is clearly labelled as to which mealtime and which course to eat when. Some of the top sellers of the moment are the “Denmark diet” and their vegetarian options, for those who seek to lose some pounds during the winter months. Diet programs start from 100,000 won.
But how did this Gwangju born and raised food maverick get to where he is right now? After completing his studies in Seoul, majoring in Sports Fitness, he moved to New York to study business, and this is where he fell in love with sandwiches. Soon after landing in the Big Apple and settling down, he found a part-time job in a sandwich shop where he learned all the ins and outs of making healthy and nutritious meals.
“SaladBowl’s motto is ‘A good well-being place’ where food is not just merely for satiating hunger, but also for nurturing your body and becoming healthier,” he explains. By using only the best in organic produce sourced from around Jeollanamdo and high-end imported products, he is spreading his love for healthy eating and also expanding his business one store at a time.
He runs the business with Creative Manager Kim Mu-sung. They joined forces two years ago and are now also looking toward the future. They plan to expand to other areas in Gwangju, such as Bongseondong, Sangmu, and closer to Chungjangro, before going nationwide.
But it is not only Gwangju that is going crazy for this delivery system. It seems that the majority of the home delivery customers are from Seoul with up to 55 percent of orders coming from the nation’s capital. This has also seen his brainchild recently become the top-selling food product on national price-busting website Coupang.
However, business is not the only thing on his mind. He is also invested in the community and knows that creating wealth for yourself means nothing if you don’t give back to it. “All young people these days think of is making money and how to get as much as they can, and theyoften forget about helping the community that supported them on the way up. Iknow where I come from and I know that it is my duty to help,” says Bondoo. He does so through regular support for various charities, special needs organizations, schools and single parent households through fortnightly food delivery.
For all those missing a delicious New York style sandwich, I would highly suggest you try out some of SaladBowl’s mouth watering offerings and also check them out online in order to take advantage of their excellent meal programs, which are great for getting in to shape in summer. They can be contacted in English, so don’t be worried, and an all-English website is also in the making at http://www.thesaladbowl.co.kr.
In-store cafe menu prices range between 5,000 and 7,000 won. The costs of diet programs can be found on their website. The closest store downtown is located just behind the Lotte Department store (동구 대인동 23, Gwangju 501-811). Its open hours are from 8 a.m. — 8 p.m.
The other location is much larger and has more of a restaurant feel. It is situated in the Suwan area and is open from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.
Stay healthy.
SPECIAL OFFER: SaladBowl is giving away five meal vouchers worth 10,000 won each to the first five lucky entrants who can answer the following question: what is the location of a Salad Bowl Cafe?
Email the answer to: gwangjunews@gmail.com. Winners will be notified via email.