Yesterday, we received some nice media coverage, courtesy of John T. Edge over at the New York Times. You can read the article here. It follows a trend of past coverage that both KOi and Korean fusion as a genre have received over the last year, and it now appears that the concept of “fusion” has become a full-on epidemic in the US. Following the original Kogi model, trucks have started popping up over the past year, spanning the country– from Midwestern locales like Indianapolis and Oklahoma, all the way to Atlanta, New York, and of course California. Our very own city, Portland, has even received some increased competition over the past year, as no fewer than four Korean barbecue competitors have rolled into town.

What does it all mean? It’s something we as a team have talked about more recently. When we started, the concept of the Korean taco was strictly the domain of Kogi and LA. We were one of the first to take Roy Choi’s pioneering vision and mold it into our own concept; using his blueprint, we ran with the idea and re-invented the recipes so that they tasted uniquely KOi. One of the reasons we’ve been successful in this new sea of competition has been a consistent adherence to our original vision.

By sticking with the homemade marinades that only Mama Kwon knows the recipe to, using locally-sourced tortillas and tacos, only buying fresh, local vegetables, and only selecting the highest quality meats to buy, we’ve been able to consistently deliver the best Korean BBQ in Portland, even as we’ve expanded over the past year.

Everything we serve is cooked to order, and when you come to KOi, you know everything you eat has been grilled, chopped, diced, and prepared that day. It’s not a marketing gimmick–it’s the only way we know how to do business, and we refuse to change our commitment to those ideals.

As the genre continues to grow and expand, we’ve prepared ourselves for the inevitable increase in competition by making sure we continue to do the best everyday. As Bo said to the New York Times, we’ve built our business not on trying to be just another Kogi, but by taking the idea of the Korean taco and “Portlandizing” it. Our marinades, tortillas, meat, and recipes are unique to KOi. We have much love for the growing legion of Korean taco trucks across the country; but for us, it’ll always be a KOi and Portland way of doing things–and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Love, Peace, and Taco Grease,

Scott, Team KOi

That’s why this recent LA Times article rubs us the wrong way.  It appears that Los Angeles is cracking down on mobile food cart vendors (AKA our food cart homies) in some dubious ways.  According to the article:

“Some drivers said they were cited for minimal violations such as parking too close to the curb, or parking too far away. Others said they were ordered to pack up and leave.

Police officials said the crackdown Wednesday was part of a one-day operation to clear the area of illegal vendors.”

So now you’re thinking, “KOi peeps, have you inhaled too many grill fumes?  Of course we don’t want illegal vendors serving us food!”  But the real problem came from one of the officers quoted in the article:

“Restaurants complain because the lunch trucks are taking their business, and they don’t have [proper] permits.”

KOi’s view?  Food carts don’t “take” business from non-mobile eating locals any more than the stationary folk “take” from us.  We know you’re making choices based on the food factors that are most important to you – whether it’s local, convenience of location, price,  or degree of deliciousness.  All we (and our food cart brethren) are out to do is meet your wants the best we know how.

Picture courtesy of a Miracle Mile customer's blog post on the issue - click on the pic to read it!

This also means we know you can’t eat KOi 24/7/365 (oh that it could be so…but we digress).  You’re going to support other food vendors, and we think that’s great!  A strong dining scene, from high end fancy places to food carts, makes a stronger economy overall.  Portland has one of the most diverse food scenes you’ll ever come across, and we want to keep the community hopping as much as anybody.  The cool thing is that YOU – not the cops and certainly not us or other vendors – get to decide what to support and what to eat.  It’s all about consumer choice.

So, for the record, we want you all to know that KOi Fusion supports our mobile vendor peeps in LA. They create jobs, start independently owned businesses, and bring positive and active uses to somewhat stale and empty parts of the city. Food cart vendors also provide good food that is affordable to just about everyone. The City of Los Angeles should take note.

What do you think about the role of food carts in the PDX economy?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Eduardo, the owner of Stadium Flowers, is kind enough to let us park our mobile kitchen in his front yard before every game.  His family sold flowers in Mexico, and he’s been in the business ever since.

What are your favorite kind of flowers?

Lilies and roses

What do people come to you most often for?

Weddings, especially in the summer season

What are your hours?

Mondays-Saturdays 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM and

Sundays 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

How can people order flowers?

Give us a call at 503-944-5757, or visit online at StadiumFlowersPDX.com

What’s your favorite K-treat?

Short rib taco (definitely)

As we creep into the peak of the summer season, there’s been a unique phenomenon happening across the country. As some of you may have already noticed, media coverage surrounding the emerging food cart scene has been rapidly gaining traction the past six months.

Whether it’s the state of the economy, smarter spending, or simply a desire to escape fast food hell, there’s been an explosion in popularity towards street vendors and food carts all over the country.

Recently, the Oregonian wrote about the new influx of carts on Mississippi Ave in Portland in an article published two days ago, noting “Multnomah County has more than 375 food carts, with action blossoming in the suburbs — and the applications keep coming.”And apparently, some other people in Portland see potential here.

“Food carts are the entrepreneurial adventure of the 21st century,” says Howard Shapiro, a board member of the nonprofit Albina Opportunities Corp., one of the lenders that helped Goldingay with financing. “These are more than little things on wheels. They’re serving darn good food and prices at a time when people just love food.”

The New York Times have also caught on. In addition to their thorough review of Portland’s street food scene (found here), they’ve also been detailing some of the new ideas street vendors are implementing to reach customers. A series of open-air, after work summer parties has seen the marriage of local street food, good music, and a relaxed vibe.

This article details the set-up further: “Entry is free; $5 buys a plate of food. Menus have included tacos from the celebrated food truck Calexico and pulled pork from Egg, a beloved local restaurant; indie stalwarts like Tim Harrington of Les Savy Fav have played D.J. (At the next BBQ, on July 29, the chef Sam Mason mans the grill, and the Harlem Shakes, a Brooklyn band, are on the decks.) The mood is chill hipster hangout.”

Hmm…. is this a hint of things to come for our Portland scene? Stay tuned, K-heads.