Mmm...Korean taco truck

[guizot]

Two trucks, now. Next time you're hungry at night in the Hollywood/Silverlake area of L.A.--or even vaguely close--hunt down the Korean Kogi BBQ Taco truck (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8uixe7DMhA&feature=channel_page). Just about everything is good, but I like the spicy chicken and tofu tacos. We caught it last night at LACE. (Web site (http://kogibbq.com/). L.A. Times article (http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-kogi11-2009feb11,0,3007869.story).)

Actually they go all over the city, including Venice. Twitter for the intersections and times (@kogibbq). And they have a stand coming, soon at Alibi Room.

[kasuo]

I just tried them out last week -- great stuff! I especially liked the pork taco and short rib burrito! They were in front of the Golden Gopher last Wednesday and I got there an hour after they started. I waited in line for about an hour.

[Flander]

Oh, I thought this thread was about Margaret Cho.

[guizot]

I think it's rather amusing that someone in Brooklyn is blogging about a couple of taco trucks in L.A.

[PopeJewish]

screw taco trucks. In my college town (santa cruz, california) we had a tamale lady who used to have impeccable timing. She'd seriously come by maybe once a week and knock on my door at the exact moment I had put my bong down and was wandering towards the kitchen looking for food. Her delicious $1 tamales were simply an irresistable proposal.

Oh, I thought this thread was about Margaret Cho.

lol

[Lucky 13]

The Korean Kogi BBQ truck was near my work a few weeks ago. Apparently there is a boutique hotel in the vicinity and the truck had gone there. Unfortunately, it was Sunday. If they ever go near there again, I hope it's on a weekday so I can organize an impromptu Korean taco run.

[guizot]

screw taco trucks. In my college town (santa cruz, california) we had a tamale lady who used to have impeccable timing. She'd seriously come by maybe once a week and knock on my door at the exact moment I had put my bong down and was wandering towards the kitchen looking for food. Her delicious $1 tamales were simply an irresistable proposal.When I lived in South Central L.A., a "tamale lady" came by EVERY DAY. (Bong or no bong.) NO BIG DEAL. The difference is that she didn't make KOREAN TAMALES. There also was a lady who sold elotes. (Actually, she lived in my apartment building, so I got a discount.) Santa Cruz? Meh. I guess you thought it was "quaint."

[guizot]

I waited in line for about an hour.Yeah, the lines are getting really long now. We waited at this scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVB-8_6z5AY&NR=1) before going to Chinatown for drinks. I hope they get more trucks so the lines cut down.

[Astroboy14]

Man! I wish those things were down here!

Added bonus for my post: "Kogi" is Korean for "meat". Now you know.

[guizot]

Added bonus for my post: "Kogi" is Korean for "meat".Or 고기, you might say.
Man! I wish those things were down here!Well, it could happen, because apparently there are a lot of investors interested in Kogi BBQ, probably thinking about the possibility for expansion. The problem for San Diego is that few people have direct contact with Korean culture and food, whereas most of the Westside in LA go through Koreatown to get to downtown, and if you work anywhere near Wilshire Center, you've probably gone for lunch at some place that is either Korean food, or Korean owned.

That's why this food is so popular.

In San Diego that isn't the case. Korean-Americans are dispersed, and Korean nationals are clustered around UCSD/UTC. These agencies won't allow a truck on their premises.

[kasuo]

Yeah, the lines are getting really long now. We waited at this scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVB-8_6z5AY&NR=1) before going to Chinatown for drinks. I hope they get more trucks so the lines cut down.

Kogi truck #2 just went into service last week! I'm waiting to see if these trucks will make it out to the Long Beach area! It'd be cool to take advantage of some of the other spots with foot traffic.

[Marathon]

:eek: They got the second truck, at last! I didn't even know; thanks for the heads-up.

Looks like I'm gonna walk over to Sunset Junction this week! SO GOOD.

[guizot]

:eek: They got the second truck, at last! I didn't even know; thanks for the heads-up.

Looks like I'm gonna walk over to Sunset Junction this week! SO GOOD.Me too! They're taking a break until tomorrow.

[Astroboy14]

Or 고기, you might say.

I might if I knew how to code Korean up in here! ;)

In San Diego that isn't the case. Korean-Americans are dispersed, and Korean nationals are clustered around UCSD/UTC. These agencies won't allow a truck on their premises.

Actually, San Diego does have a smallish Korean town of about 2 or 3 streets in the Clairmont area... mostly around Convoy Street. Lots of Korean restaurants, a couple of Korean markets, and lots of other Korean businesses. We held a Dopefest there a couple of years back at a Korean restaurant (at my wife's suggestion), and when we got there we realized that the restaurant's name was in Korean, not English! :eek: I had to stand out front to try to wrangle in the Doper's coming who could not read Korean.

[guizot]

I might if I knew how to code Korean up in here! ;)
Actually, San Diego does have a smallish Korean town of about 2 or 3 streets in the Clairmont area... Of course I know about Convoy (I grew up in San Diego), but it's not a "Koreatown" in the way Koreatown in LA is, because really it's "Asiatown." Anybody who wants to buy some kind of Asian food ingredient (like galanga, for Thai curry) has to go there, because you can't find it anywhere else, except City Heights, which has Vietnamese stores.

The history of that neighborhood goes back to the Vietnam war. Vietnamese who'd married US soldiers and refugees in general ended up buying houses in the Clairmont area because that's where houses were cheapest. It became by default the place to go to shop for Asian ingredients. The restaurants were the logical result.

There are a handful of Korean restaurants on Convoy.

mostly around Convoy Street. Lots of Korean restaurants, a couple of Korean markets, and lots of other Korean businesses.I wouldn't say lot's, but I guess for San Diego that's "lots." I think the number of Korean restaurants on Convoy is under ten. (Compare that to Koreatown in LA--dozens, maybe hundreds.) We held a Dopefest there a couple of years back at a Korean restaurant (at my wife's suggestion), and when we got there we realized that the restaurant's name was in Korean, not English! :eek: I had to stand out front to try to wrangle in the Doper's coming who could not read Korean.Well, that's really cool. Was it "Friendship House"?--my favorite Korean restaurant in San Diego?

But with access and good publicity, Kogi BBQ might find its way to San Diego. Probably the largest barrier is to communicate that taco trucks aren't solely the realm of migrant workers.

[kasuo]

According to the L.A. Times, Kogi BBQ is gonna have a fixed spot (in addition to the two-truck fleet) at The Alibi Room in Culver City/Mar Vista area.

link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2009/02/the-kogi-korean.html

[Ponch8]

Is there any chance one of these miracles will come to the Chicago area?

[Astroboy14]

Was it "Friendship House"?--my favorite Korean restaurant in San Diego?


Heck if I know now... I can picture the restaurant, but not its name. I'd have to take a drive down that way and look at it to tell you now.

[guizot]

Heck if I know now... I can picture the restaurant, but not its name. I'd have to take a drive down that way and look at it to tell you now.I was thinking of this place (http://www.yelp.com/biz/chon-ju-jip-san-diego). Read the reviews to see. It's small and has wooden booths. In any case, you might want to consider it for the next meeting.

[tr0psn4j]

I'm sorry but do trucks have running water? I dont think I'd ever be comfortable eating from a place without a bathroom or even a sink for the employees to wash their hands in.

[guizot]

I'm sorry but do trucks have running water? I dont think I'd ever be comfortable eating from a place without a bathroom or even a sink for the employees to wash their hands in.Kogi is licensed by the State, so they have to have a sink and the ability for employees to wash their hands, as well as some other things. They also are required to situate within 200 feet of a restroom, which is why they're always outside a business that allows them to use their facilities.

But your concern is on the mark, because there are many unlicensed MFPUs (mobile food preparation units) in LA.According to the L.A. Times, Kogi BBQ is gonna have a fixed spot (in addition to the two-truck fleet) at The Alibi Room in Culver City/Mar Vista area.Here's a picture (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kogibbq/3290095386/in/photostream/). The prices will be higher, but that's to be expected.

[kasuo]

Here's a picture (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kogibbq/3290095386/in/photostream/). The prices will be higher, but that's to be expected.

They posted their tenative menu for The Alibi Room: http://kogibbq.com/2009/02/22/the-secret-thats-not-so-secret-no-more/

Kimchi-sesame quesadilla? Ay!