Mexican Seoul: Korean Tacos
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There are those who claim Korean tacos are a bygone fad, and to them I say, “Good day to you.“ Who cares what is or isn’t in style? Good food is good food, and Northeast Seattle’s Mexican Seoul is just that. Good. Great, even.
The permanently placed truck recently opened by Project 9 Brewing, where they deliver a pun-filled menu. “Seoulful flavors” and “al paskor” make me snicker, but then, I’m an easy target.
Mexican Seoul gets most everything right, with a particular focus on balanced flavors. The base, from tortillas to protein, is traditional Mexican fare, but with a Korean twist. The aforementioned “al paskor” is probably the most illustrative example, where, at first glance, the meat looks like regular “al pastor” until a bite reveals a soft gochujang marinade. It’s sort of an uncanny valley, but in a good way. Toss the meat on double corn tortillas, add a selection of toppings from the kimchi-salsa bar, and you’ve got yourself a multi-cultural meal.
With the toppings, you can be particularly creative, mixing east and west. Helpfully, Mexican Seoul has a legend that shows everything from spice levels to recommended accoutrements. As I was in the mood for something with a kick, I assembled “The Firecracker” – pickled jalapeños, chipotle gochujang, and a spicy poblano sauce. Flanked by cilantro and onions, the flavor profile was on equal footing with anything that could conceivably be served straight from the truck.
The “Vampiro” is a creative variation on the street taco, with the addition of crispy melted cheese to give the tortilla a proper crunch. That might sound minor, but it adds more to the taco than you might expect.
Right now, Mexican Seoul’s ordering system is online only – you scan an on-prem QR code, which takes you to the menu. Pick your items, pay, and you’ll get a place in a virtual line. Keeping track of where you are is easy – the website shows your current spot – and you’ll receive a text message when your order is up. A no-interaction process, in other words, and any introvert’s dream.
Fashionable or not, who cares? Mexican Seoul delivers a high-quality take on Korean tacos, the type of goodness no one should deny themselves.
This post originally appeared in The Awesomeness Digest.