beverly soon tofu

beverly soon tofu
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (53/143)
a friend recently introduced me to beverly soon tofu, mentioning that she loved this place for their banchan, and after eating here, i have to concur that the banchan stands out for being fresh and tasty, definitely better than most i've had in my limited experience with korean food. you can tell they put some heart into it, that it's not just about the tofu soup, their specialty.

one of my favorites was the tofu with nori & scallions, which consists of soft tofu in a dashi-like soup with strips of seaweed. it was really light and refreshing with hints of sesame. other items included some crunchy bean sprouts, tangy, sweet lightly pickled cucumber, fresh celery, a super vinegary daikon kimchee, cabbage kimchee, potatoes in a sweet brown sauce.

you can get a combo meal that includes a tofu soup with galbi, which is what i did. i was amazed by the delicious galbi. tender, sweet, juicy, it was quite good. with our combo, i ordered the shrimp and vegetable tofu soup. except for needing some salt, i thought the flavor of the shrimp really came through, and enjoyed it overall.

my friend ordered the bibimbap, which comes in a large bowl with dried seaweed, cucumber, chopped pork, tofu, carrots and a fried egg. i didn't try any of it, but it looked really good. i'll have to next time.

kogi korean taco truck

kogi korean taco truck
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (7/143)
there's a new taco truck in town, & it's serving up korean bbq. using quality ingredients, something not always equated with cheap taco trucks, chef roy choi creates a balance of sweet, savory, spicy & tart that excites the taste buds.

tacos and burritos come in four protein varieties--beef shortrib, spicy pork, chicken and tofu--, and each with its own spicy sauce is topped with a lettuce and onion mixture and sprinkled with sesame seeds. tacos run $2, and burritos are $5.

the caramelized sugars of the beef shortrib, the sweetest of the bunch, has fused with the meat, giving it a rich flavor. this was my favorite. in contrast, the dominant flavor of the pork, which is also slightly sweet and equally rich, is smoky chili. a small wedge of lime or orange that comes with the meat tacos adds some acidic citrus to help break through some of the fat and heaviness. for a lighter alternative, i recommend the chicken, which has a fresh grill flavor accented by the nuttiness of the sesame with just the subtlest of spiciness. for vegetarians, there's the tofu, a light, softly textured taco. compared to the others, this one could have benefited from more marination or a more flavorful sauce. they're still working some things out, so hopefully, this will improve.

chef choi unveiled a new menu item--kogi sliders--bbq shortribs with mayo on a king's hawaiian dinner roll. i liked the idea, although the additional sweetness of the roll, which, if you've never had king's hawaiian bread, is quite good, but very sweet was a little cloying. i'd be interested in seeing other proteins on the sweet roll.

i hope this truck is here to stay. Los Angeles is known to be blessed with ethic diversity, and with it, plenty of good, authentic eats as well as fusion fare that you would be hard-pressed to find in other parts of the country. this truck combines two favorites, and after tasting them, you wonder why no one ever thought of it before as it makes so much sense.

their current favorite spot is next to Green Door and Cabana Club, but regular twitters on their site--www.kogibbq.com will keep you apprised of their whereabouts.