BACK IN LA: KOGI KOREAN TACO TRUCK. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL STREET FOOD
I can often be found on twitter, Facebook, Dos Hermanos and well, just about anywhere where people will listen, railing against Britain’s lousy attempts at Street Food. Particular ire is retained for the “F**king burrito stalls” that have appeared all over London like pimples on a teenaged boy dipped daily in butter.
“What” people respond “do you have against Burritos?” as if my Ahab like dislike of our attempts at this Mexican and Tex-Mex classic has anything to do with the dish itself. It doesn’t and, for the record, I actually rather like burritos. It is just, like so many things in London, our attempts are often so half-hearted and polite that you have to shake your heads and wonder why they bothered. Burritos in London are the outward and visible sign of inward and festering ineptitude. Proof if it were needed that we still have a long way to go if we are to claim any sort of decent street food culture.
Move on to LA, where I arrived last night to spend a month in the company of my long-suffering fiancé Sybil. After a morning of writing, which is what I came here to do, we decided to pop out for lunch. As luck would have it, her research showed that a favourite taco truck would be just around the corner from her apartment, parked outside the Sony Studios.
Kogi, however, is no ordinary taco truck, it is a remarkable hybrid of L.A’s ethnic diversity and superb tradition of street food, combining as it does Mexican favourites with Korean delicacies. So popular has it become that thousands of people follow its progress on Twitter and many more similar trucks have sprung up in imitation.
None, according to Sybil are as good as Kogi and, she is not the only one who thinks so. We arrived soon after the truck did and already a long line was forming in anticipation. A happy gaggle of film studio workers talking about their choices of “Kimchi Quesadilla” and “Spicy Korean Pork Sliders” while those in the truck were already busy cooking and wrapping in rapid style.
Such a collaboration shouldn’t work. In fact it should be horrible. Given my dislike of the sort of “fusion confusion” we often see in London, I should have run and hidden under the bed when Sybil suggested I go for a couple of “Korean Short Rib Tacos”
But, like the good little husband to be that I am, I kept my mouth shut and we soon came away with a ludicrously large amount of food for a ludicrously small amount of money.
Back at the apartment, Sybil dished up, snarling at me like a rabid dog when I approached for a taste of her “smashed pork” sandwich giving a primal scream and a wave of her hands that said “this is all me, Baby” while protecting her food. It didn’t matter there was plenty for two. In fact there was plenty for two families and that we soon demolished the lot was down to our greed not their small portions.
It was wonderfully messy stuff and the sliders, small hamburger buns filled with spicy beef, were a particular hot hit as we both ate with little thought to the grease and sauce dribbling down our chins. This is real street food from a real street food culture, sizeable portions of unapologetic food with great flavours at astonishing value for money.
There are those who are genuinely trying to create a similar culture for us in the UK. I applaud that and note that we will soon have a UK Street Food awards to help promote them. All well and good, but first of all, may I suggest everyone involved heads over to LA, arguably (let’s hear the NY’ers squeal in protest) the street food capital of the US and see how it is really done.
“F**king Burritos” indeed
Labels: BBQ, Kogi, Korean, Los Angeles, Sliders, Tacos, USA
7 Comments:
Holy mackerel Kogi sounds amazing, an echt version of fusion food compared to the ersatz nonsense we get here in London.
Sybil knows her stuff. You are a lucky man Simon. Plus you'll be living in LA....who needs stuffy old NY ;)
Ahhhh... I miss these.
Just as my wife and I were thinking about moving back to the UK you have to lay this on us. This may be the deal breaker.
Nice post!
Passport Foodie
Ah, well if you do come, at least you can console yourself with attending the Dine with Dos Hermanos supeprs
S
Sorry DH,but the best food trucks are to be found in Philadelphia outside the university of pennsylvania where hordes of famished students line up for a great choice of food.
I can honestly say that after 9 years in London I am yet to try any London street food. I seem to particularly steer away from the sausage and onion in a roll carts that you get in Hyde park. Especially after having seen various programs on the TV where they often found pigeon crap in them.
Even in restaurants there is a base level of food quality that just doesn't happen in other countries. In Australia the worst food you get is like a normal pub meal in London. But you can get very good food here, you just have to find it, and it's not on the streets.
Haven't seen any of these taco carts though, where are they?
Try Leather Lane, Exmouth Market and Goodge Street.
Agree with Leather Lane- Daddy Donkey's is great.
On Fleet Street, I recommend Chilango's- good burritos here. Definately worth a try.
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