Gochujang bread fit for a king — and a grilled cheese

Garlic, scallions, chile paste provide a kick of flavor

It’s no secret San Antonio has a remarkable and rapidly growing food scene. But with most of the foodie focus pointed toward downtown, the Pearl and other trendy locales, it can be easy to overlook the hidden edible treasures in our surrounding communities.

I recently dropped into Universal City’s Four Kings Bakery and found something truly unique and crave-worthy: Korean-inspired gochujang bread.

This unusual loaf begins life as great bread on its own, even if it weren’t imbued with the flavors of Asia. It has a light and chewy crumb, and a remarkably thin, glossy crust that becomes shatteringly crisp when toasted.

And then the party gets started. The bread ($3.25 per loaf ) has a slight rosy hue, mild hint of spice and gentle tanginess from a dollop of gochujang, a Korean fermented chile paste, worked into the dough. The bread is also laced with roasted garlic cloves and scallions for a contrast of alliums at their best — a deep and sweet caramelized pungency from the garlic and verdant green onion bite from the scallions. The overall effect is a bit like kimchi encapsulated in carbs.

While Four Kings’ gochujang bread is perfectly delightful on its own, the real reason it’s worth a drive to the far Northeast corner of the area near Loop 1604 and Interstate 35 is for the sandwiches you can make with it, specifically of the grilled cheese variety. Gochujang bread transforms that simple sandwich into a whole different experience.

I used slices of provolone cheese — a little twangy with a slight peppery edge on its own — which amplified the fermented properties of both the bread and gochujang without becoming overwhelming. The touch of garlic and scallion baked into the bread delivered a huge aromatic kick I never realized was missing from my workaday grilled cheeses.

And that’s only where the sandwich potential begins with this bread. Toast a couple slices and stuff it with ham, tomato and a smear of mayo to give an otherwise simple sandwich an extra kick of flavor. Same goes for a upgraded turkey club.

Or if want to reinvent a Vietnamese bánh mì using sliced bread instead of a roll, this loaf has just the right flavor profile. One suggestion: Skip the gochujang bread for PB&Js unless you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

Four Kings gochujang bread makes semiregular appearances in the display case. Call ahead to make sure they have a loaf before you visit.

Four Kings Bakery, 2053 Universal City Blvd., Universal City, 210-870-7535, Facebook: @FourKingsBakery. Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Paul Stephen / Staff Gochujang bread from Four Kings Bakery elevates the humble grilled cheese sandwich.