Korean Tacos

Hi, new member here, recent transplant from Kansas City to Chicago. Geo invited me, as he was my professor for a time and a fellow foodie.

I have to say, as soon as I heard about the concept of putting korean ingredients in a taco format, I thought it was brilliant and hoped to see a wave. As a native Kansas Citian, I'm amazed that korean bbq isn't more popular there, and excited to be somewhere that it's better appreciated.

I've tried them at "Del Seoul" in Lincoln Park, and they were excellent. I had Kalbi Taco's, and now I can't remember if the other one I tried was Spicy BBQ Pork or (less likely) Spicy BBQ Chicken. I really need to go back and find out. I'm really interested in exploring the rest of their (still growing) menu.
http://www.delseoul.com

I also tried them at "Taco Chino" (4712 N Kimball Avenue), which is really a Mexican restaurant that has also added three different Korean tacos. I guess the flavors weren't really suited to me, but they might be better to someone else. (Pork Kimchi, bulgogi, and I believe Kalbi(?) were the options). I tried them all, but they just fell short for some reason. Especially when you consider they're the same price as Del Seoul's. Note that they don't have them on the menu board, nor on the paper menu. The only way you know that they serve them as you walk in is that they're depicted on the shopfront window.

I think that there are at least one or two other places that have dishes that fuse Korean and Mexican cuisine, but I don't recall where I saw that.

Hi DG1.

I have never been, but Benchmark lists "Korean Steak Tacos" for $10 under the sandwich section of their menu.

"Two grilled skirt steak tacos glazed in a sweet and spicy Kogi BBQ sauce and topped with a napa cabbage slaw, served with jasmine rice."

Seems to be a bit lacking on the Mexican side of the fusion, but maybe that was one of the other spots you had heard of?

If there are other places doing this in Chicago, I'd definitely like to know as well. I really like the idea of the Korean-Mexican fusion taco, but for my own tastes, I think there's room for improvement with both Del Seoul (not Mexicany enough for me) and Taco Chino (not Koreany enough for me -- if Taco Chino would opt for a more assertive kimchi and use a bit more of it, their kimchi taco might be just right for what I'm after.)

Good luck with your search!

Benchmark
http://www.benchmarkchicago.com/
1510 N Wells St