Rolling Rice Review: 10 Types of Gimbap and Tteokbokki At This Marina Square Korean Restaurant | Eatbook.sg
Korean Restaurant Reviews

Rolling Rice Review: 10 Types of Gimbap and Tteokbokki At This Marina Square Korean Restaurant

19th May 2022

Rolling Rice at Marina Square

rolling rice flatlay

I may not be a lover of Koreaโ€™s many K-dramas and K-pop bands, but I am definitely an ardent fan of their food. Like many, I enjoy Korean food for its balance of sweet and spicy flavours. Thus, I needed no convincing to pay a visit to Rolling Rice, a Korean restaurant that serves over 10 types of gimbap and tteokbokki.ย 

Food at Rolling Rice

rolling rice gimbap intro shots

Each order of gimbap comes cut into eight, with the exception of the Traditional Gimbap which is sliced into 10. All their gimbaps also go for a dollar cheaper during Happy Hourโ€”3pm to 5pm, and 8:30pm to 9pm Mondays through Thursdays.ย 

rolling rice traditional gimbap intro shot

We began our Korean crusade with the Traditional Gimbap ($9.90+). Given the choice to add Beef, Spam, Tuna, Fried Chicken, and Fried Pork Cutlet, we went with the last option.ย 

rolling rice traditional gimbap close up shot

As Rolling Riceโ€™s most-stuffed gimbap, the different textures were certainly aplenty. The vegetablesโ€”carrots, cucumber, yellow pickled radish, and burdock, added a great amount of crunch to the softer rice and egg.ย 

I, however, found the fried pork cutlet a tad too tough, and felt that it wouldโ€™ve benefitted from being crispier and more tender.ย 

rolling rice salmon and cheese roll intro shot

We also decided to opt for something a little more modern with their Salmon and Cheese Roll ($6.90+), which came with cubes of salmon sashimi, sliced cheddar cheese, and tartar sauce.

I believe that sashimi is best enjoyed when itโ€™s eaten on its own, and this dish has proved me right. The strong flavours of cheddar and tartar meant that the fresh taste of the sashimi was overshadowed.ย 

rolling rice bacon and kimchi roll intro shot

The last gimbap we tried was the Bacon and Kimchi Roll ($6.90+), filled with slices of bacon, and kimchi that stained the rice a striking orange.ย 

The naturally strong flavour of kimchi definitely dominated the flavour of this gimbap, as I struggled to identify the salty taste of bacon amidst the sourness.ย 

rolling rice spicy cream topokki intro shot

Of Rolling Riceโ€™s sprawling menu of tteokbokki and rabokki, we decided to go for the Spicy Cream Topokki ($11.90+). The beloved rice cakes, along with pieces of bacon and thin slices of mushroom, are cooked in a classic spicy tteokbokki sauce that’s laced with cream.ย 

rolling rice spicy cream topokki rice cakes interaction shot

As with all good tteokbokki, these had a wonderful chewy QQ texture that was neither too soft nor unpleasantly hard.ย 

rolling rice spicy cream topokki mushroom interaction shot

However, if youโ€™re someone who yearns for the punchy kick of spice, donโ€™t get your hopes up. This sauce is far from spicy, and I had no trouble gobbling this dish down, even as someone who canโ€™t handle spice well.ย 

rolling rice ufo kimchi fried rice intro shot

Moving on from the tteokbokki, we also tried kimchi fried rice. Rolling Riceโ€™s UFO Kimchi Fried Rice ($14.90+) isnโ€™t your typical rendition, served on a hotplate and surrounded by a moat of omelette and cheese.ย 

rolling rice ufo kimchi fried rice interaction shot

Unfortunately, both my colleague and I found the rice too salty, lacking the sour and spicy kimchi kick we were expecting.ย 

The omelette mightโ€™ve helped to balance out the salty flavour of the rice with its creaminess, but the lengthy time we took to complete our shoot meant that we were left with a rather firm and well-cooked omelette.ย ย 

Ambience at Rolling Rice

rolling rice ambience

Located at Marina Square, Rolling Rice is within walking distance from Esplanade, Promenade, and City Hall MRT Station, though not directly connected. Upon entering, you’ll notice hanging light fixtures and a brick-walled interior that create a rustic vibe. Despite the many tables in this restaurant, Rolling Rice still falls prey to the lunch crowd. So, if youโ€™re met with a 30-minute wait time, donโ€™t say we didnโ€™t warn you.ย 

The verdict

rolling rice verdict shot

Rolling Riceโ€™s major pull factor is its sprawling menu, which doesnโ€™t fail to cater to everyone. We barely scratched the surface on our visit, as there are still stews, bibimbap, and ramen on the menu that we hadnโ€™t tried.ย 

Although the food here was decent enough, it definitely didnโ€™t come close to bringing me back to the streets of Myeongdong. Iโ€™ll probably only be back if Iโ€™m in the area, and there isnโ€™t a long queue.ย 

If youโ€™re looking for more Korean food, check out our Itaewon Jjajang review for legit jjajangmyeon in Tanjong Pagar, or our Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu review for $6 soondubu jjigae sets in AMK.ย 

Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-105A, Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am to 8:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 9pm
Tel: 6222 0801
Website
Rolling Rice is not a halal-certified eatery.

Itaewon Jjajang Review: Korean-Chinese Restaurant with Legit Jjajangmyeon In Tanjong Pagar

Photos taken by Zadelin Wong.
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg.

Rolling Rice Review: 10 Types of Gimbap and Tteokbokki At This Marina Square Korean Restaurant
  • 7/10
    Rolling Rice Review: 10 Types of Gimbap and Tteokbokki At This Korean Restaurant At Marina Square - 7/10
7/10

Summary

Pros

– Extensive menu
– Spicy Cream Topokki was moreish

Cons

– Gimbaps were average, but cheap
– Kimchi fried rice was too salty

Recommended dishes: Bacon and Kimchi Roll ($6.90+), Spicy Cream Topokki ($11.90+)

Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am to 8:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am to 9pm

Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-105A, Marina Square, Singapore 039594

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