The Power of the Roach Coach
What is it about standing in line for food that makes it taste better? In Los Angeles, the Kogi BBQ truck is proving that fact true, as their $2 tacos have people standing in line for over 2 hours just to sample the unique Korean fare. With a fairly simplistic menu consisting of Korean short ribs, spicy pork, chicken, and tofu, all presented in either taco or burrito form, and a small sample of specials that change daily, the Kogi truck has taken Los Angeles by storm, one late night location at a time. With two trucks, Verde and Roja, Kogi BBQ’s trucks scower the southland stopping at various late night hot spots catering to Angeleno’s nocturnal food cravings. And although most of the reviews have been nothing short of spectacular, not all citizens, specifically the residents of Koreatown, are happy with the Korean BBQ roach coach company.
Although I am not one of the true followers, I too have stood in line to sample the Kogi cuisine. One night, my friend Debbie and I, stood in line for about an hour before getting our food. Our order consisted of the following: one spicy pork burrito, one Kimchi quesadilla, one order of short rib sliders, three spicy pork tacos, two korean short rib tacos, and two chicken tacos. Total cost: $29. Seeing as one of the many locations of the Kogi truck is 9-iron away from my front door (Wilshire & Cloverdale), Debbie and I walked back to my apartment, sat down at the kitchen table, and began to sample the food. I was very curious to know Debbie’s opinion, because besides being a chef like myself, she is also a Korean-American. We both tried one of the short rib tacos and one of the spicy pork tacos, and weren’t impressed with either. The garnishes on both of the tacos, as well as the burrito, were identical: sesame chili salsa roja, julienned lettuce and cabbage tossed in Korean chili-soy vinaigrette, cilantro-green onion & lime relish, crushed sesame seeds, and sea salt. The lettuce and cabbage were wilted, and although the spice from the chili was nice, it was completely overpowered by the vinegar. In fact, the vinegar was the primary flavor in everything we tasted. The sliders were bland and over charred, and the Kimchi quesadilla was inedible. Kimchi, a traditional Korean dish of pickled and fermented napa cabbage, hot peppers, ginger, and scallions, has a strong and pungent flavor, but is not overpowering, and is usually served as a staple accompaniment to other Korean dishes. Like the other garnishes, The Kogi kimchi was extremely vinegar heavy, and lacked any balancing flavors like the ginger or chili.
In Korean cooking, there are two types of Korean bbq: Bulgogi, which is thinly sliced ribeye, and Galbi, which are the short ribs served by the Kogi truck. The Galbi served by Kogi is grilled twice, once before service during prep time, and then thrown on the grill again before it is served. Galbi Jim, the braised form of the Korean short rib, is not used by the Kogi team. Debbie and I agree that they would be better served implementing it, as the braised version is more tender and would absorb all of the flavors more effectively than its grilled counterpart. Its not that I didn’t like the short ribs, but I did feel they were dry, which is probably why they are soaked in vinegar-based garnishes to mask their dryness.
The truth is simple: I am very impressed with the concept that Roy Choi, Mark Marguera, and the rest of the Kogi team has come up with. They have fulfilled a need for late-night food in a city that lacks in the innovative food category, and they are raking in dollars by the day. But waiting in line for an hour or more for vinegared-down versions of Korean staples is not my idea of late night cuisine. Choi, who graduated at the top of his class from the Culinary Institute of America and worked on the line of Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin, has the ability to create unique and different dishes than are more representative of traditional Korean fare than he is putting out. So it begs the question: is the Kogi team more interested in serving food that could expose a new generation to the wonders of Korean cuisine, or are they just focused on making a quick buck.