DISAPPROVES
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Posted on 02/25/2009 4:34:21 PM PST by nickcarraway
AS the sun begins to sink behind the Santa Monica Mountains and the northbound traffic thickens on the 405 freeway, the hungry refresh their browsers.
After obsessively checking the Twitter postings of the Korean taco maker to see where the truck will park next, they begin lining up — throngs of college students, club habitués, couples on dates and guys having conversations about spec scripts.
And they wait, sometimes well beyond an hour, all for the pleasure of spicy bites of pork, chicken or tofu soaked in red chili flake vinaigrette, short ribs doused in sesame-chili salsa roja or perhaps a blood sausage sautéed with kimchi, all of it wrapped in a soft taco shell.
The food at Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go, the taco vendor that has overtaken Los Angeles, does not fit into any known culinary category. One man overheard on his cellphone as he waited in line on a recent night said it best: “It’s like this Korean Mexican fusion thing of crazy deliciousness.”
The truck is a clear cult hit in Los Angeles, drawing more buzz than any new restaurant. A sister vehicle and a taco stand within a Culver City bar were recently added to quell the crowds, which Kogi’s owner put at about 400 customers a night.
Kogi, the brainchild of two chefs, has entered the city’s gastro-universe at just the right moment. Its tacos and burritos are recession-friendly at $2 a pop. The truck capitalizes on emerging technology by sending out Twitter alerts so fans know where to find it at any given time.
Yet Kogi’s popularity and the sophistication of its street food also demonstrate the emerging firepower of this city’s Korean food purveyors.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Sounds good to me! I love kimchi.
Not a fan of kimchi. In Korea its like...the meaning of life. Crazy.
Yeah, it’s pretty good. But not with tacos. Guess I’m just bigoted that way.
Kimchi on fish tacos = awesome!
Kimchi con camarones. It has possibilities.
oooohhhhh yum.... kimchi! Never thought of it on tacos...but now that mixing it with non-traditional Korean fare thoughts are stirred...how about a kimchi burger? I’m not sure that it would go so well on a cheeseburger, but a hamburger? I’m tempted.
There is a great Korean place in Sierra Vista, AZ. Before going there, I thought there was only one “flavor” of Kimchi. Oh wow.
Ech. You must be from California!
Just like the heat! and garlic
I love me some kimchi (and Korean food in general), but on tacos? Not so sure about that one...
Isn’t kimchi fermented cabbage? Authentically buried underground to do so? Or am I thinking of something else?
I was in marketing for a corporation that had a number of Laotian employees, who always brought what I thought was kimchi to company picnics and such, and I couldn’t get past the odor to try it.
“kimchi fermented cabbage? Authentically buried underground to do so?”
Indeed. An acquired taste. Lots of hot peppers and garlic
And may I recommend our own Tamar1973’s version of the “kimchi pizza”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJhSgqUrTGU
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Beautiful family! ... I have a Korean-American daughter-in-law ... such beautiful people!
"A Kimchi Fusion Taco is a creative combination of Korean kimchi and Mexican tacos. Kimchi is a spicy fermented cabbage that is used as a side dish that comes with every Korean meal. But, due to its strong taste and smell, some people are hesitant to try it.
"However, we discovered that it tastes and smells much milder when Kimchi is sauteed. For instance, sauteed kimchi goes very well with beef because it complments the beef flavor, and adds a little bit of spice. We decided to put sauteed kimchi into our tacos and it tastes amazing!"
For other interesting Kimchi combos, check this video.... Kimchi Innovations
Interesting video. Although, I am pretty sure that Morrissey would not like kimchi.
Kimchi is a great topping for any salad.
Not to change the subject, but is natto a common dish in Korea? I always thought it was Japanese, but one person I know claims it’s a Korean invention.
Koreans mix doenjang with gochujang to make a sauce called Ssamjang. Yum!
Japan occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945 so I'm sure Koreans picked up quite a few Japanese foods.
For some reason, I love natto, and it makes you feel great. I wish I could get some good natto here.
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