One of my friends ranted and raved about the "sushi salad" at Green Sprout and suggested I should go. Decided to check it out with another friend and we both had a break for lunch from 11-12:30, which in theory should be enough time to eat lunch right? WRONG. Super super super SLOW service.
Just to define what a sushi salad is the best I can, it is literally a California roll in a bowl. It's rice, imitation crab, thinly sliced cucumbers, and bits of seaweed. They literally just dump it all in a bowl and give you three different ketchup containers of different types of mayo (wasabi mayo, spicy mayo, and something else forgottt don't care it wasn't as good as the other ones anyways!).
Yes it was good. It was close to 10 dollars, whatever that is fine too. But it took ONE HOUR for someone to put it together? It wasn't even busy when we went, which made it even more mind boggling. With our classes starting in t-minus 25 mins and all the way in Beering, the pressure was on and we flagged down a waitress 3 various times to tell them that we would cancel the order cause it was just ridiculous. Do not come here between class ever. Call in and get it to go cause they're decently faster at that. If you want to sit down and eat there, maybe call beforehand? or just go when you don't have anything to do!
The only reason why they don't get a hard one star is because the sushi salad IS good and I don't mind getting it to go. Just really? Really? One hour for you to scoop things into a bowl? Really? Okay, I'm done.
This place has gotten a lot better than it was five years ago! I think it used to be cafeteria-style, if I remember correctly. Now it's sit-down and better than ever. The dosiraks (lunch boxes) are great if you want a big lunch. The bimbimbap always hits the spot. I'm still afraid to try the triangle rice after a bad experience many years ago, but everything else has changed so much, I may just try it again.
Review Source:bulgogi is my favorite food in the world. Â Thus, I was thrilled when I discovered there was a korean restaurant on campus. Â I rushed in to try it.
Unfortunately, I discovered that the food is not made to order. Â I saw a pile of bulgogi sitting in a bin behind glass. Â My instincts told me to steer clear, because it looked like it was 2 or 3 days old. Â I tried it anyways.
I should have trusted my instincts. Â It was the worst bulgogi I have ever tried in my life. Â It was bland, and it tasted like it came out of a can or something. Â I guess that's what happens when food sits for days on end. Â the good news, if you can call it that - is it didn't make me sick(i sort of expected it to)
I don't know how this place has remained open for as long as it has. Â the food is bad, and the service is bad. Â When you walk in, it's instantly confusing. Do I go up to the counter to order? Â is it a buffet? Â do i sit down and wait for a waitress?
i guess with 20,000 asian students at purdue it's impossible for a korean restaurant to fail... even if it is bad. Â i desperately miss bea one!
I really enjoy coming to this restaurant on cold rainy days that I'm like super hungry. The food here is Japanese Korean fusion, and is super delicious!
I usually order the tempura udon soup, and a crab triangle rice. I always have left overs and can never finish it. The food is really fresh and always hits the spot.
Sometimes however, the service is slow, and refills on water and such can take a while. But this is because they are under staffed.
Pros:
- Great food
- On campus
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Slow service
Greensprout's service is absolutely horrible. Â We have been going there since they opened and these past two years their service is the worst. Food is good (when it actually arrives), but don't expect anything else. Â It takes FOREVER for any of their food to come out and when it does it is NEVER right. Â Also, if you are anything other than Asian/Korean don't expect them to give you kimchi. Â You will have to ask for it. Â I don't expect this place to last much longer. Do yourself a favor and just don't go.
Review Source:Had a very nice lunch at Green Sprout. Â I tried their version of the bento box, though they called it something else. Â It came with spicy peanut chicken with soy based sauce, cabbage salad, tempura vegetables, chap jae noodles, and steamed rice. Â My only complaint would be the soy based sauce for the chicken was way too salty. Â Otherwise, a great meal for $8!
Review Source:Green Sprout...wish I could give it a 3.5 but at the end of the day "Yay! I'm a fan." still applies, although not as much as it used it. Â When green sprout first opened and even for at least a couple years after that it worked the following way:
You entered (the same) dining area and approached the counter.  Many of the foods are already behind the counter (such as the noodles, meat ...) there you could order anything and then seat yourself and grab some water on the way.  Food came out pretty fast since service was ONLY food preparation. Then they changed to restaurant service and it just all fell apart. The service sometimes takes a full hour for pretty simple meals. The rice triangles can take up to 20 minutes. One time we waited so long for our food, and to top it off when it came it was either cold or not well cooked, that  the owner ended up refunding our full table. It's always really young college kids working there, maybe she should invest in some better waiters. Also, they are not always up to date on what the word "nice" means. For example, last week when I went I asked for kimchi which they don't always remember to bring. 15 minutes in and still no kimchi so we went up to the counter and asked for it. It was literally in front of her. She goes "YEAH...I'm bringing it soon" Really? They're lucky that I always tip at least 15% unless service is truly atrocious.
Another big difference was that they used to have a huge table filled with baked goods in the middle of the first dinning area. Â Everything was really delicious, like the UFO buns made of kaluah. They also had fresh bred that I used to buy all the time. A few times after they got converted into a restaurant I asked if I could have the bread and the owner baked it for me for the next day, which was really nice. But I still wish I could go weekly for baked goods.
Anyway, on to the good stuff: Rice omelets! It's a big omelet covering rice with some side (like curry, spicy shrimp) with a salad on the side. I usually get the omelet or a bunch of rice triangles or onigiri (rice in triangle shape with different ingredients inside, such as tuna salad, spicy tuna, crab etc). A big favorite is the sushi salad, if you like sushi in the area there's no way you won't like the sushi salad. Truthfully, everything is pretty good, it just depends on how much BS you are willing to go through to eat there.
I really wish they went back to bus yourself :( Nothing improved by removing the do-it-yourself aspect.
If you want some Japanese or Korean inspired food in this area I think this is probably one of the most interesting places. I had the tuna sushi salad and the spicy tuna rice triangle. The salad was really good specially when you put lots of the sauces they serve it with :-) If you like sushi flavor but don't like the seaweed this is the perfect option. The rice triangle is not bad at all and it's kind of big and fulfilling. The price is very decent and the service is not bad at all.....
Review Source:This place is great! I love their "sushi salad," which is basically deconstructed sushi with lots of ways to customize it. Triangle rice is great too- try the spicy tuna. Everything is very fresh and tasty. The only reason I'm docking them a star is because service is s-l-o-w for both dine in and carry out (they always seem to have too few people working). But it's still one of my favorite spots in the area for a fresh and flavorful meal.
Review Source:Food is good. Service can be better. I had the seafood udon, which was tasty, albeit a little spicy. And instead of a large bowl of udon, the entree was a combination of a small bowl of udon, a bowl of rice, and some cold dish. Overall, the food was fine. But we had to wait for about 15 minutes to order(apparently the waiter was not aware of the fact that we hadn't ordered), and almost an hour for our food, and the waiter didn't bring us our waters until we got our food. I sure don't recommend going there for a quick bite on a busy weekday, especially during lunch hour, because it may take more time than you expect.
Review Source:Green Sprout was definitely an interesting experience for me. A good experience at that. I went there for dinner with someone on a weekday evening and I didn't really know what to expect. I order a sushi salad, which was unbelievable, and I couldn't have been more pleased with it. It is so much fun to eat and all of the dipping sauces are spectacular. My partner didn't want the rest of her's, so I gladly helped her out by eating what was left of it. By the end of the meal, I was beyond full. I was also very intrigued by the triangle rice that they had, so I ordered one. I ordered the spicy tuna triangle rice. It was good, but I think I might have expected something a little more complex, as it tasted sort of like mayonnaise, tuna, and rice. Like I said, it was still a good eat. This restaurant has my approval.
Review Source:The sushi salads are pretty nice. Â Comes with your choice of 3 or 4 sauces - I use them all! Â My wife is gluten-free and she can have some of the rice triangles (the spicy tuna is her favorite). Â It's usually not crowded but the wait can still take a while now and then, depending on who's making the food. Â It's not uncommon for us to wait 15-20 minutes after we've ordered our food.
Review Source:I was very surprised that I enjoyed their food. Â I only tried the Seafood Udon, and still in disbelief, it was amazingly awesome. Â The broth was so incredible, and my expectation was so low that I can only think I was just in a great mood.
But, I will 100% return, and I will ask them to put more noodles in the bowl.
Oh yeah, the kimchi sucked.
Green Sprout is an awesome addition to the W. Lafayette landscape. I love Korean food and Green Sprout delivers some awesome staples at a decent price.
The Good:
- Bibimbop. Although I am a major fan of the Bibimbop in a hot stone bowl, this dish did not disappoint. Large serving size, great mix of rice and veggies and meat, and awesome Bibimbop sauce.
- Sushi Salad. Fresh and lovely.
- Customer Service. They will give you pretty much whatever you ask for. They mention the specials and don't seem to be out to gouge you. They are always friendly.
- Water. They always have cups out and available, you don't have to ask for them. A small perk, but very much appreciated.
- Location. Convenient to Purdue campus, but near a parking garage so not impossible to find parking. Also close to Red Mango for dessert :)
- Menu. Lots of delicious Korean staples.
- Triangle rice: Yum!
- Atmosphere. Comfortable, easy to relax in, they don't pressure you to leave your table so you can sit and do homework or read a book.
The Not So Good:
- Baked goods... I'm sure they are delicious, if they ever had any left by the time I get in! I think that's a sign they must be good because they are always gone.
- The format: Green Sprout recently switched to more of a sit-down restaurant style. I am not a fan... it is confusing to me to not have the menu up and for me to just go up and order at the counter. The food doesn't seem to fit the sit down style, and while you still can order at the counter I found the switch confusing and somewhat frustrating.
I was so excited when I found out that Green Sprout would be opening up in West Lafayette. It is a very nice, clean, and friendly place. At first their menu was a bit hard to understand, but they now have menus you can take and look over and if there is anything you do not understand, just ask. They are very helpful and will explain anything you may be unfamiliar with. They have rice omelets, which I have not yet tried, but they look like a great meal. I like the BiBimBop. It is now served in a big bowl, with sauce on the side to add extra flavor to an already amazing amount of flavors coming together and pleasing the palate. They give Kimchee on the side too, yum. I enjoy everything I have ever ordered. It is always a good amount of food, so I feel quite satisified.
They also have salads, sushi, appetizers, baked goods from their bakery. They have a Triangle Rice item, that I have yet to try but these are very reasonably priced. They have many hot dishes to choose from such as Peanut Chicken or Teriyaki Chicken.
The restaurant is casual, clean, and has a good warm feeling within it's environment. The owners are quality conscious, it shows in what they serve, and how much quality has gone into everything. They offer free Wi-Fi and many Purdue students frequent Green Sprout. It is located south of the WL library and there is free parking in the parking garage.
What more can I say, I like it and I think it is a great quality place.The food is amazing and you know you will receive a quality meal for a very reasonable price.
Two words: Bara Sushi. Â I usually get it with eel, and I love playing with all the sauces! Â
The daily special is usually a pretty good deal too. Â I've only had the udon, but a friend of mine had the sashimi over rice, which she enjoyed very much - especially since the portion size was humongous. Â
They have free wi-fi here, so it's definitely a convenient spot for students to get lunch. Â And, they play GOOD MUSIC - I'm a sucker for indie tunes and anything that is NOT considered "chill" (sorry DMB fans).
So, if you enjoy eating really fresh food in a comfortable spot while listening to Radiohead, you'll enjoy Green Sprout.
We stopped here before heading to the Wolf Park in Battle Ground, IN (we're from Cincinnati, OH). Â I got bibimbap with tofu instead of meat & my boyfriend got a couple of tofu rice triangles. Â Both were really great, fresh, fast and reasonably priced. Â The rice triangles were really tasty, I want to try to make rice triangles at home!
Review Source:The perfect "college town" eatery, Green Sprout is staffed with helpful and accommodating people willing to adjust most any recipe to your needs. I was still full from breakfast when we stopped in so I only ordered two tofu Triangle Rice but they were tasty and warm. My girlfriend ordered korean bibimbap  which they gladly substituted with tofu instead of meat.
We arrived too late for most of the baked goods but the place is surely swimming in delicious warm bread smells all morning with an array of freshly made choices including red bean, custard, sweet potato and more.
We were visiting from out of town and I'm completely jealous of all the folks in LaFayette who get to eat at Green Sprout every day. We'll be back... one day!
I've only been to this restaurant/bakery once, but I definitely will go back. Â The staff are all really helpful and friendly. Â The food is pretty good, especially if you don't go in there with any preconceptions about what "category" of food it's supposed to be in. Â Maybe "pan-Asian-American" would be the best description... The bibimbap was pretty tasty, although I was a bit shocked that it was all cold but cooked ingredients (including the meat). Â I suppose I've only ever had warm bibimbap. Â My friends had sandwiches, which they also enjoyed, and a couple left with baked goodies like bread and cookies as well.
Review Source:
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