Korean taco facts for kids
Korean tacos are a super yummy mix of Korean and Mexican food. This exciting combination is called "fusion cuisine." Korean tacos became very popular in cities across the United States and Canada.
Imagine tasty Korean fillings, like grilled meat called bulgogi and spicy fermented cabbage called kimchi. These are served on small, classic Mexican corn tortillas. It's like a flavor adventure in every bite! There are also Korean burritos. They use bigger flour tortillas to wrap up similar delicious fillings.
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How Korean Tacos Became Popular
Korean tacos really took off thanks to a special kind of restaurant: the food truck.
The Start in Los Angeles
The story of modern Korean tacos often begins in Los Angeles, California. A famous food truck called Kogi Korean BBQ started serving them. The owner, Mark Manguera, got the idea after looking for carne asada tacos in Los Angeles's Koreatown.
Kogi Korean BBQ used Twitter to tell people where their truck would be each day. This was a new and exciting way to find food! People loved the idea of finding delicious, unique food on the go. In its first year, Kogi made a lot of money, showing how popular these tacos were.
Spreading Across North America
After Kogi's success, other Korean taco trucks popped up in different cities:
- In Portland, Oregon, the "KOI Fusion" truck became famous.
- Austin, Texas got the Chi'Lantro BBQ truck.
- In Seattle, Washington, "Marination Mobile" won an award for their spicy pork Korean taco.
The dish also became popular in San Francisco. Namu Restaurant's Happy Belly food cart first sold them in Golden Gate Park. Later, they moved to a farmers market stand. Even big fast food chains like Baja Fresh started trying out Korean tacos on their menus.
A Chef's Recognition
In April 2010, a famous magazine called Food & Wine honored Roy Choi. He was the chef for the original Kogi Korean BBQ truck. They named him one of their "Best New Chefs." This was a big deal because it was the first time a food truck chef received such an award!
While Korean tacos were super popular for a while, like many food trends, their fame settled down. But they remain a tasty example of how different food cultures can come together to create something new and exciting.
