Roman Reign
Blogs and Awards (click icon)
|
Blogs and Awards (click icon) |
|
Keep Austin Dog Friendly is an educational and informational not for profit service. Your contribution offsets the costs of hosting, smart phone app development, promotional materials, and the costs of sponsoring events. Thank you so much in Keeping Austin Dog Friendly. Donations are not tax deductible.
Download the Keep Austin Dog Friendly iPhone/Ipad App!
Follow us on Twitter! (click on icon to follow)
Email: Jennie at Roman Reign dot com.
Google Voice: 512-981-7627
|
Mixing it up with Chi’Lantro BBQ Nestled in deep in the heart of Texas, Austin knows tacos. From breakfast tacos to fancy pants gourmet chorizo-shrimp tacos, you can’t help but to run into a taco truck. What Austinites probably don’t know yet, are Korean tacos. That’s right. You heard me. Spicy meat, tofu, and bulgogi served up Mexican style. With the popularity of Korean-Mexican fusion dishes sweeping in from New York and California, it isn’t difficult to see why. First, let’s meet the master mind behind the counter. Enter Jae Kim. A entrepreneur with a passion for food, this young man is no stranger to the food business. With experience in coffee and sushi (separately), Jae staked out Austin as the home of Chi’Lantro while living in San Antonio. Austin’s funky culture, desire for unique foods, and love for food served out of a window brought Jae to open Chi’Lantro on Feb. 1st, 2010. In less than two months, the buzz of about this intriguing Korean-Mexican Fusion food traveled like wildfire. Some were skeptical. Some were in denial. Some said the “taco shouldn’t be messed with.” I’m typically the type of eater that likes my food true to their roots. I usually liked my food the way somebody’s grandmother would have it. However, I was so intrigued that I decided to try the spicy chicken taco. Marinated grilled chicken topped with julienned lettuce in Korean Chili soy vinaigrette, cilantro, onions, green onions, and roasted sesame seeds sat upon a corn tortilla. It seemed to say to me, “I’m weird and different, but just try me. You might like me.” With a quick squeeze of lime juice over the top of the taco, I went in for the first bite. Call me a convert, but that was a good taco. The flavors of both Korean and Mexican food balanced each other well. Sesame seeds and tortillas? Korean salsa? Sounds weird, but it was pretty good. Sweet, spicy, smoky, and savory flavors meshed well in every bite. If I hadn’t read the menu ingredients, I wouldn’t have been able to guess the combo of spices. I haven’t tried the other items yet, but judging from the buzz about Chi’lantro and the never ending trickle of customers even on a slow day, I’d hazard to guess that they are also pretty darn tasty. While I won’t share the secrets or methods of how Jae creates his fusion menu, I will share that the menu will be expanding. With more savory dishes and desserts on the horizon, I look forward to seeing what this humble Korean-Mexican truck brings. Chi’lantro’s location is tweeted daily on their Twitter account @chilantrobbq. Now off to find other tasty fusion eats! Anyone see a Chinese-Jamaican menu anywhere? |
