Kogi: Biracial Tacos

So if you live in LA and enjoy going out, then you must have heard of Kogi by now.  The mobile Korean-infused taco truck has become a sensational fad with hipsters, bar-goers, Yelp elites, and foodies all over Los Angeles looking for a late night snack with a twist.  The twist?  You gotta find it first.  Kogi currently has two trucks in its fleet (Roja and Verde) and land every night Tuesday through Saturday at popular nightlife spots in LA (The Brig in Venice, Hollywood Bl., UCLA, etc.).  Last year, I had my first Kogi experience when it just showed up on Ivar as I was leaving a club.  The second and third times were just as random and I felt like the truck was following me around.  I think that’s part of the charm/gimmick though.  That you can come out of a bar and be jonesing for something to eat when *poof*, there it is!

Fortunately, Kogi makes things easy and can save you from doing a scavenger hunt all over LA if you visit their site or keep up with them on Twitter.  This is a great example of how these new social web technologies can and should be used for business.  They know their audience (savvy foodies) and get them the information that they search for (their location that you can’t get otherwise), and tell them nothing they don’t need.

This is a picture of the line outside the Golden Gopher on 8th St. in Downtown, Wednesday @ 10:30 P.M.  I was bar hopping around downtown trying to find the perfect venue to have my birthday party and stumbled upon a gathering of over 20 people around 10.  They all knew about Kogi and had formed a line before the truck even arrived.  “Loyal followers” – literally.

Three tacos – Korean beef short rib, spicy pork, and BBQ chicken.  They run for $2 each – a very reasonable price for a tasty late night snack.  They’re good.  I’m not sure if we’d think they’re as good if they were only served in a brick and mortar restaurant, but you have to hand it to them for delivering a good product in an outside the box way.  The idea works.

Beginning this past Tuesday, the Alibi Room has also begun to offer Kogi in their kitchens every night.  For those that don’t want to spot for the truck, this is where you can go to enjoy some Korean BBQ tacos.  I went here on Thursday, and while it was still good, it’s just not the same when you’re not eating it from a truck outside a bar.  The truck is just a HUGE part of its charm (plus it’s on the other side of town and the parking sucks; nice bar though).

The Alibi Room

12236 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 390-9300

To keep up with the Kogi taco truck, visit their website here: http://kogibbq.com.  You will find their locations and hours along with a photoblog of their nightly adventures.