Appreciating the Taco Warriors with the Kogi Family

It was late September when I first received emails from Kogi BBQ's sweet PR point person Alice Shin. The sweet PR invited Dylan and I come out to try their new Kogi BBQ kalbi tacos but with our secretive wedding and honeymoon to plan, Dylan and I never had the chance to check out Kogi early in the game.

Months past and the lines grew...and grew...and grew. Kogi became an instant success and an hour wait for bulgogi tacos was the norm. Dylan and I have been wanting to check out Kogi, but the lines just seem so unbearable. But one day, after Dylan wrote about his taco table run in Highland Park, we received an email back from Alice. Alice sent Dylan's write up to Chef Roy and this is what he had to say:

"I ain’t got sh*t on these taco stands. I only wish our food and street sense could hold a candle to these warriors of Highland Park, Echo Park, Koreatown, East Los, and Verdugo.

Buche forever vatos."

Chef Roy

Dylan and I were so completely in awe of Chef Roy's humble spirit and quickly set up a taco hunt with PR ALiiiiiiiiice.

So late March, we gathered our taco eating crew, they gathered their's and we all met at the Kogi BBQ truck in Eagle Rock. Dylan knocked the side of the truck and out popped Chef Roy Choi.

Chef Roy is so bada$$. We got to try some Kogi tacos which this whole, entire, freegin world has already talked about. Yes, it's true. Kogi's tacos are great. Fresh kalbi dressed up with shredded cabbage and a Korean relish of scallions, soy, sesame seeds and citrus all encased in tortillas makes for a perfect chomp of mmmm. I wanted to ask for more...but I was too shy and now I totally regret it. Whaaaaaah!

First stop, York and Nolden.

Chef Roy is a quiet eater. I think he is constantly thinking. Must be a thinker eater.

Aziz Ansari, star of my most favorite boombox video also showed up with the Kogi gang. Wish he showed up with his Miami Sound Machine tracks. Aziz will be starring in Parks & Recreation with hot, hot, hot Rashida Jones on Thursdays at 8:30pm on NBC.

Roy and Dylan talked a lot. I don't know how long you can talk about buche.

Next up were tacos at La Estrella. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of La Estrella's goods. It's probably because I was too busy chatting away with PR ALiiiiiiice. She's so adorable. Notorious for her L's and her multiple lettttttttttttters. So cute. I'm totally adopting her as my new lil sis.

Next up, break time at Verdugo Bar. Tons of beers on tap.

Still talking about buche.

New friends.

Aziz's cousin Nafeesa has some of the hottest shoes.

Round 3 was at Taco Zone. Chef was eager to try out Taco Zone.

Everyone was super hungry especially after all the beer.

I think my husband went overboard with this one.

Taco Zone makes some great mulitas, though not as mean as the ones at La Taquiza on Figueroa.

Last stop, Tacos Ariza's. They were actually closing up since it was almost 2am. But they saw our gang coming and turned on the grill. I was done at this point. But the boys kept on truckin'.

Sharing the love for tacos. It was a great night with the Kogi family.

Read Dylan's post on the glorious night.

Kogi BBQ
Los Angeles, CA
(714) 697-4683

www.kogibbq.com

www.twitter.com/kogibbq

York | Nolden
York and Nolden
Highland Park Ca 90042

La Estrella
York and Ave 54
Highland Park, CA 90042

Taco Zone
Alvarado and Montana
Vons parking lot
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Tacos Arizas
Corner of Sunset and Logan
90026
(323) 555-1212

Follow Aziz too. www.azizisbored.tumblr.com