Bucheon bakery, pre-TV regular's grain & rye loaves: Chamsae Bori

This is my review of a visit to Chamsae Bori Sikppang (참새보리식빵), a Bucheon bakery famous for its sikppang (Korean-style sandwich loaf), where I bought some delicious bread. I was a regular before the shop was on TV. Things changed after the broadcast, including the range of breads, but the bread is consistently tasty and the staff are so kind that I even do the opening-time run ❤️

Where is Chamsae Bori Sikppang's Bucheon main branch, and how do you park?

From Bucheon Station, exit toward Nambu Square, pass Bucheon Jayu Market and the Simgok Overpass, then keep left and you'll find the Bucheon main branch of Chamsae Bori Sikppang. You don't have to cross any roads or wait at a signal, so you can walk straight there.

Chamsae Bori Sikppang has no parking lot of its own, so I usually just walk. If you bring a car, it looks like people use the nearby public parking lots or Daiso.

Where can you check Chamsae Bori Sikppang's closed days and same-day sell-outs?

Chamsae Bori Sikppang is closed every Monday and Thursday. You can check whether it has sold out for the day, plus other notices, in the Kakao open chat, so it's a good idea to check the chat before you visit.

What time should you go to Chamsae Bori Sikppang for the most bread?

Chamsae Bori Sikppang has the most bread at 10 a.m. This Bucheon bakery is said to have won the Grand Prize in the sikppang category on SBS's Master of Living and to have been ranked No. 1 nationwide as Korea's best sikppang.

Chamsae Bori Sikppang does have a closing time, but it closes early once the day's bread is sold out, so I recommend visiting in the morning.

The "Five Promises of Chamsae Bori Sikppang" posted in the shop go like this.

• Master of Living No. 1 sikppang
• 10 times more dietary fiber than rice
• Fullness lasts 30–40% longer
• 70 hours of silent fermentation
• 0% margarine

Judging by the open chat, it sometimes closes as early as 11 a.m. and usually closes around 12–1 p.m. I went on a weekday and, lucky me, could pay right away.

The selling points Chamsae Bori Sikppang promotes were posted too.

• Fresh sikppang baked from early every morning
• 72-hour cold fermentation for a comfortable stomach
• Only healthy ingredients, no preservatives or additives

Goods zone and financier perks inside Chamsae Bori Sikppang

At Chamsae Bori Sikppang, you put your bread in the shopping basket by the entrance.

It had been a while since my last visit, and there was a new goods zone. You can collect coupons and exchange them for memo pads, pens, stickers, masking tape, keyrings, a triple keycap keyring and tote bags.

Chamsae Bori Sikppang also sells financiers (small almond butter cakes). Buy 4 and they pack them in a sparrow-house box, and if you write a Naver receipt review you can get 1 free, so join in and get a tasty financier.

Will the Chamsae Bori Sikppang menu stay the same?

The owner of Chamsae Bori Sikppang said the range of breads will probably stay as it is now. The owners love bread, so they started making bread that is easy on the stomach and still enjoy eating what they make. When I asked whether they'd bring back the other breads, they said making larger quantities is hard, so the lineup will probably stay as is.

I miss the breads they used to have, but I decided to be happy with what's there now, and I paid for the nutty grain barley loaf and the sweet, nutty rye barley loaf.

Tasting at the counter and mascarpone milk cream

There are samples in front of the counter at Chamsae Bori Sikppang, and the staff always kindly invite you to try them first. The Chamsae Bori Sikppang mascarpone milk cream is thick with a rich milk flavor, and it's delicious. Storage instructions for the bread are posted too, so have a look.

How do the grain barley loaf and rye barley loaf taste different?

Grain barley loaf: nutty, not sweet

All the bread at Chamsae Bori Sikppang is soft and moist, and the grain barley loaf is the one that's not sweet and tastes nutty. I bought it pre-sliced; it's good with jam or fresh cream, lightly toasted and dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or alongside a salad.

Rye barley loaf with nuts and raisins

The rye barley loaf has nuts and raisins in it, so it's soft, nutty and a little sweet. If you just tear off pieces and eat it as is, you'll end up finishing a whole loaf. It's Chamsae Bori Sikppang's sikppang: a soft, moist texture with the nutty flavor of barley.

Who is this Bucheon sikppang bakery, Chamsae Bori Sikppang, recommended for?

If wheat-flour bread upsets your stomach and you're looking for sikppang that's comfortable to eat, or you want soft, moist bread with the nutty flavor of barley, I recommend Chamsae Bori Sikppang in Bucheon.