By Melissa Taylor
Capital West News
SALT LAKE CITY- Cupbop serves Korean-style take-out in several cities along the Wasatch front as part of the growing food truck industry. Their menu is simple and consists of rice, veggies, and noodles topped with different types of meat, but their unique flavors are far from ordinary.
Jung Song, one of the owners of Cupbop, says that the inspiration for the truck came because he noticed that while food trucks were growing in popularity, there weren’t any Korean options.
“We couldn’t find any food trucks with Korean food, so we thought, 'let’s make one.'” Song said. “We wanted to introduce Korean food to Utah.”
Jung and his team created a menu of original recipes, and found inspiration for their name because rice, in Korean, is pronounced 'Bop.'
Cupbop started in Salt Lake City and now has two operating food trucks. They also operates concessions at the University of Utah sporting events.
The company is expanding, and has some big news coming about future locations, Song said. He is also planning a new truck franchise, featuring Korean-Mexican tacos.
One of the most frequent comments on customer reviews is that Cupbop has amazing customer service. “We just like to have fun with the customer,” Song said. “Food is just food, but the Cupbop concept is just to be crazy, dancing and singing with the customer, and they love it.”
To make Cupbop more unique, Song developed multiple sauces so that customers can customize their cup to any level of spice ranging from 1-10.
'I recognized that American's love sauce,' Song said. 'When you go to other places, you don't have much of a choice on the flavor, so I wanted to make Cupbop more unique and customized, so that customers can choose what kind of spice they want.'
The food truck receives very few negative comments, with the majority of customers giving it a perfect 5-star review. The most popular comments rave about the quality customer service, large portions, and delicious food.
These superior reviews gave us a perfect reason to give Cupbop a try and see what all the hype is about.
COMBO: If you’re indecisive the combo cup is the perfect way to try all of the flavors in one cup. The cup comes with beef and pork and the portions are generous. Depending on the level of spice you choose, there are several different sauces that are drizzled over. The spicy mayo is full of flavor, while the tangy white lime sauce cools down the spices. This cup is layered with warm rice, crisp lettuce, noodles, and meat, all drizzled with sauces.
B BOP: The Korean beef cup is flavorful and delicious. The meat was sweet and tender, served warm on top of rice and crunchy lettuce. The sauce is what really makes this dish special. It adds a kick of flavor, while also having the perfect amount of spice.
KKO KKO BOP: The chicken cup is a particularly popular menu item at Cupbop, and often sells out before the end of the day. The thinly sliced chicken isn’t as sweet or tangy as the other meat options at Cupbop.
DON BOP: The pork bulgogi cup has a natural spice flavor, so even if you order a low level spice, it will still have a kick to it. The meat is very tender, and pairs well with the beef in the combo cup.
NOODLES: The noodles can be added to any cup, and have a sweet flavor to them. They taste similar to teriyaki, and are a glass noodle texture. These noodles aren’t pan fried like a traditional stir fry noodle. They add the perfect element of texture and flavor to any menu item at Cupbop. You can order the vegetarian option, the Noodle Bop which comes with rice, veggies, and noodles. Even without the meat, this option is very filling.
MANDOO: These Korean potstickers are covered in several sauces, and add the perfect amount of crunch. The flavor was similar to other Asian potstickers but again, the sauce is what really makes it shine.
PRICES: Compared to other food trucks, Cupbop is reasonably priced: around $8 per cup. Mandoo are three for $2.
What stands out, along with the unique flavors, is that the customer service at Cupbop is top notch. Even when the line is long, the staff goes the extra mile to interact with each customer and keep the crowd entertained, shouting through megaphones and dancing to Korean pop music.
Overall, Cupbop is an excellent food truck option for Salt Lake residents. The food is delicious, the service goes above and beyond, and the staff makes the entire experience one of a kind.