Tofu-Kimchi Tacos from TaKorea

John Birdsall

From left, on the hood of a stranger's truck parked on Brannan, TaKorea's vegetarian, chicken, pork, and beef taco, $2 each.

​Friday, September 17, 2010

John Birdsall

​Mr. Cho's Korean fusion truck flaunts a Kanye clone bear in samurai armor and sunglasses, fronting a taco menu with four basic proteins. There's the Bulgogi Bomb, Hell of Earth Fire Pork, Chicken!!!, and ― because, what, only carnivores have a sense of humor? ― Vegetarian.

What emerges from TaKorea's pickup window is more delicious than it needs to be, considering the truck serves mostly as late-night commissary for the hammered at Bar Basic. Cho's careful about his tortillas (last night's were fresh and crepe-thin), the red cabbage slaw heaped on top laid down a nicely dirty foundation of soy and toasted sesame oil, and the single disc of house-pickled truck-pickled cucumber kimchi dotting each was fantastic.

The Bulgogi Bomb? Less explosive than we'd hoped. And as an editor, we would've red-penciled at least two of Chicken!!!'s exclamation points, though the meat was plush. Thin slices of shoulder in Hell of Earth Fire Pork, however, were really good, though our favorite was the Vegetarian, with its mashup of wispy shredded tofu and cabbage kimchi. Even without being hammered, we could've eaten three, huddled over the hood of a stranger's pickup.

TaKorea: Truck parks Friday and Saturday nights at Bar Basic, 510 Brannan (at Fourth St.), 10 p.m.-2 a.m., and occasionally at Off the Grid; follow @taKoreaSF on Twitter for the latest.