Photo by Christina Sturdivant

By Christina Sturdivant and Hamzat Sani

Banking on the fact that D.C. residents don’t mind standing in obscene lines for restaurant openings, a new fast-casual spot made its debut by dishing out free entrees.

Seoulspice, which dubs its offerings as “Korean comfort food,” has been serving crowds in NoMa all week. “You made it on the last day” of freebies, the cashier told my boyfriend and I after we waited in line for an hour this afternoon.

The guy patiently waiting behind us, Khayri, works a couple blocks away and said he came out because some of his coworkers reported back and give their approval. And “I want to try it before I buy it,” he added.

Clara, who stood about two dozen heads in front of us, said that she also found out about it because she worked nearby at the Department of Justice. Like many folks wrapped around the venue, she came with a friend, Gabrielle, and they chatted away to pass the time.

Photo by Christina Sturdivant

Photo by Christina Sturdivant

I didn’t know much of anything about the restaurant… except free food. When I walked in, I immediately got a Chipotle-esque vibe as the menu features burritos, salads, and rice bowls. After the whole E. coli thing, I’ve just started eating at my favorite Mexican chain again because, well, free food.

Upon further review, Seoulspice could best be described as a mashup of the Japanese sushi spot Buredo and Chipotle’s Asian cousin Shophouse.

One of Seoulspice’s offerings is a “Korrito.” Much like Buredo’s format, it wraps proteins in seaweed and rice. Akin to Shophouse, the menu offers suggestions or “signature combinations.” These six items range from the Klassic with traditional Korean flavors to the Kimchi Crunch, which they describe as “crunchy, pickley, funky.” The most popular combination, according to one line cook, is the “unapologetically spicy” Fireball with Korean hot sauce and creamy sriracha. There’s also a veggie option.

I ordered a signature combo, the Southwest Bowl. It had Kalbi chicken, corn, carrots, kale slaw, cilantro-lime ranch, crispy garlic, cilantro, scallions. While they suggest you try it with avocado, I didn’t because, to my dismay, it costs an additional $1.50, regardless of the free bowl.

The mixture’s most pronounced and appreciated flavor came from the cilantro, which added extra freshness. Everything else was reminiscent of what you might get at Panda Express.

Photo by Christina Sturdivant

Hamzat got a Fireball Kurrito (substituting beef for pork). A lover of spice, he said there wasn’t much and the rice overwhelmed the taste of the ingredients. On a brighter note, the kimchi made for a distinctive taste, he said.

Our verdict: We’d go to Seoulspice Spice again if we happened to be nearby… but we won’t be joining another line.