GS25 Edward Lee Ribs & Hamburg Steak Dosirak Review [Korean Food]

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Hello. Today’s new GS25 menu item is one of the collaboration dishes with Chef Edward Lee: Chef Edward Lee’s Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak Lunchbox. This collaboration is said to add Chef Edward Lee’s signature American-style taste and aroma, which you rarely see in typical convenience store lunchboxes. That’s probably why the pairing of hamburger steak and pork ribs may feel a bit unfamiliar. Still, the flavor was solid overall. Now, let’s take a closer look at what it’s like.

Table of Contents

📋 At a glance

Product name: Chef Edward Lee’s Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak Lunchbox
Brand: GS25 (Chef’s Dinner lineup, Chef Edward Lee collaboration)
Price: 5,500 won
Weight: 516 g
Calories: 909 kcal
Main components: Galbi hamburger steak (Korean pork rib meat + hind leg meat, shredded cheese), pork rib ribs (imported), pasta, beef ssamjang sauce, kimchi, stir-fried fish cake
Overall: ★3.5 — A good-value lunchbox with a high-quality hamburger steak and generous portions, but the ssamjang is hard to know how to use.

Chef Edward Lee’s Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak: Price and highlights

GS25 has launched the “Chef’s Dinner” lineup. According to the official materials, it was created in collaboration with Chef Edward Lee to offer a differentiated Korean-American style flavor. Of course, that’s the marketing angle. Still, the bigger reason may have been the timing, since Culinary Class Wars Season 2 was expected to be released around then.

In any case, five fusion-dining-style items were released this time. Among them, the lunchbox-style option is the Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak.

Chef Edward Lee Pork Ribs Galbi Hamburger Steak lunchbox

Price and the chef’s “kick”: beef ssamjang sauce

To be honest, hearing only “Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak” doesn’t immediately scream Korean-American fusion. However, the description says the chef’s “kick,” a beef ssamjang sauce, is placed on top of the rice. The price is 5,500 won.

Nutrition facts and ingredients

The total weight is 516 g, with 909 kcal. Sodium is about 73% of the recommended daily intake. For the price, the calories are quite reasonable. Also, the sodium doesn’t feel excessive for the portion size. The hamburger steak uses Korean pork, while the pork ribs are labeled as imported. Interestingly, the hamburger steak is made by mixing actual pork rib meat and hind leg meat.

Pork ribs composition and features review

Chef Edward Lee’s Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak: What’s inside

Let’s check the contents right away. This isn’t a single-item meal, but it’s a lunchbox that’s arranged almost like one. The main items are grouped together in one large compartment. The side dishes are placed in two smaller compartments.

Convenience store must-try lunchbox recommendation

Overall galbi hamburger steak composition

Main: galbi hamburger steak

First, one of the mains is the galbi hamburger steak, made with Korean pork rib meat and hind leg meat. Since it’s described as Korean-American fusion, I wondered if the sauce would be like galbi marinade. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The sauce isn’t meant to be poured on separately. It’s already applied, and a light sprinkle of shredded cheese is added on top.

Sides: ssamjang, kimchi, stir-fried fish cake

One of the side compartments has a very small amount of kimchi. As shown earlier, there’s also ssamjang placed separately on top of the rice. It doesn’t seem like something you’re meant to mix into the rice. Instead, it’s probably intended as a condiment to eat with the hamburger steak and ribs.

Main: pork rib ribs and pasta

The other main item is the pork ribs. Underneath the ribs, there’s also a small portion of pasta. The sauce looks like it might be the same hamburger steak sauce. As for another side dish, there are about four pieces of stir-fried fish cake on the opposite side from the kimchi.

Convenience store franchise menu features

Chef Edward Lee’s Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak: Taste test

Looking at the overall setup, it feels closer to a neatly arranged hamburger steak lunchbox than to “fusion dining.” Still, let’s taste each item and see how it actually is.

Hamburger steak: solid quality, very GS25

This is just my personal take, but among Korean convenience store chains, GS25 tends to do hamburger steak especially well. True to form, the patty is thick, and the taste is quite good.

GS25 Chef Edward Lee lunchbox composition

The sauce is the familiar hamburger steak sauce. It has a bit of extra savory depth, so it goes well with rice. That said, it didn’t feel particularly “fusion” to me.

Pork ribs and how to use the ssamjang

Pork ribs naturally have a lot of bone, often more than half. So it’s normal for one piece to feel a bit lacking on its own. However, for a convenience store lunchbox, it’s still acceptable. The sauce is applied quite heavily. Compared to freshly grilled ribs, the meat also felt a bit tougher and more stuck to the bone.

Pork ribs and galbi hamburger steak features

By the way, I couldn’t quite figure out how I was supposed to eat the ssamjang on top of the rice. I looked around, but there was no guidance on how to use it, so I just ate it as-is. Both the hamburger steak and the ribs have bold, rich sauces. So while eating, I didn’t really think, “I need ssamjang.” It’s labeled as the “kick,” but as an average eater, I didn’t know how to make it work. That part was a bit disappointing.

Kimchi side dish and hamburger steak pairing

The pasta seemed to be coated with the hamburger steak sauce, but it wasn’t overly salty. Overall, the portion was generous, and I even left some behind. Taken as a whole, it offers decent value, and it worked well as a satisfying meal.

Final verdict

Personally, I liked the quality of the hamburger steak, and the ribs were also decent for a convenience store lunchbox. However, the way to use the ssamjang wasn’t clear, so I couldn’t fully appreciate the chef’s intent. Rather than focusing on the “fusion dining” concept, you’ll likely be happier if you approach it as a hearty hamburger steak lunchbox. Considering it’s 5,500 won and over 900 kcal, I’d say it’s definitely worth recommending in terms of value.

Convenience store lunchbox portion comparison

Frequently asked questions

Q. How much is the GS25 Chef Edward Lee Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak Lunchbox?

It’s 5,500 won. With a 516 g serving and 909 kcal, it’s generous in both portion size and calories for the price.

Q. What does the Chef Edward Lee Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak Lunchbox taste like?

The hamburger steak is thick and solid, made with Korean pork rib meat and hind leg meat. The pork ribs are also decent, with a rich coating of sauce, and the overall setup pairs well with rice. However, the way to use the ssamjang isn’t very clear, which was a slight downside.

Q. What comes in the Chef Edward Lee Pork Ribs & Galbi Hamburger Steak Lunchbox?

It includes a galbi hamburger steak (topped with shredded cheese), pork ribs, pasta, beef ssamjang sauce, kimchi, stir-fried fish cake, and rice. With two main items, it feels quite hearty for a convenience store lunchbox.

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