In my family, the higher risk of gastro-intestinal illness a taco is likely to cause, the more authentic and therefore "better" said taco must be. This, of course, means that I have not yet fulfilled my duty as a true Mexican food aficionado because I have yet to order any food from a real L.A. taco truck. White van, silver heated roof, and aluminum foil-wrapped tacos dripping with the fat of pork al pastor is what comprises a true taco truck and that, my friends, must be what eating real Mexican food is like.
Alas, I attend school in West Los Angeles where an authentic taqueria cannot be found because - well - there's plenty of authentic Mexican food to go around in Downtown L.A. Also, unfortunately, accessing Downtown L.A. without a car (as is my state right now) is a rather laborious task as it requires transferring to different buses and/or subways. Public transportation for me is only an issue when it takes longer than an hour to get somewhere that, by car, would take only 30 minutes. So, my reasoning for never tasing the joys of a taco truck seem reasonable given the expensive cost of my time.
Yet today, I can say that I experienced the joy of ordering from a taco truck, even if it wasn't of the traditional Mexican variety...
The Kogi Korean BBQ taco truck circulates around the Los Angeles area, selling $2 tacos and $5 burritos filled with a choice of short ribs, pork, chicken, or tofu. The toppings on the tacos (alas, I cannot speak for the burrito) include a spicy cabbage salsa with sesame seeds, cilantro, onion, and romaine lettuce "tossed in Korean chili-soy vinaigrette."
Feel free to salivate. It's delicious.
The particular truck I found was on the corner of Landfair and Ophir (a few blocks from my apartment) and a few of my literary journal buddies and I waited, discussing the joys (?) of the Twilight phenomena, David Foster Wallace, and hipsters/poets (e.g. "I'm so cool I don't need a TV. Also, I write experimental poetry."). We traced the path of every passing car and truck with our eyes, glancing around the corner to catch a glimpse at the newest oncoming headlight hoping that it would be our truck.
Needless to say, the wait for food was worth it. I write this one tofu and one short rib taco later and am content reimagining the dripping of the tender cubes of beef, the satisfying spice of the tofu, and the crunchy cabbage topping encased in corn tortillas. While the tacos were decidedly more Korean than Mexican, the spice factor and sweet, sesame flavor more than compensated for any salsa I may have missed.
New food always provides opportunities to explore different senses and to appreciate the melding of different cultures. It's easy to take Los Angeles for granted, but with moments like this, it's difficult not to appreciate the beautiful culture union here and the ways in which people create their own unique, cultural communities.
If you, too, would like to appreciate the Korean BBQ Taco Truck in the near future and you live in L.A., here's the website. There's a schedule posted for where the taco truck will travel next: http://kogibbq.com/
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