Trailer Food Diaries
Food truck fare for a family-friendly New Year's Eve
Chi'Lantro Taco
Chi'Lantro Burrito
Austin’s New Year (ANY) is a free, family-friendly, alcohol-free party where folks enjoy art, film and live music at Auditorium Shores. Among the many wonderful food vendors participating in this year's celebration is Austin’s own Chi’Lantro. Don’t let the Korean BBQ menu scare you, they are bringing festive foods for all ages and palates, and owner Jae Kim has suggestions for newbies.
“For adults, try our burgers or tacos and fries with our new chili dipping sauce. For kids, try our beef quesadillas. They are not spicy and you’ll really like them,” says Kim.
Chi’Lantro opened February 1, 2010. Starting with one truck, they now have three in operation (two in Austin, one in Fort Hood) with a fourth opening in Houston this coming February. Many of the recipes are inspired from Kim’s youth in Korea, growing up in the back of the kitchen at his family’s food business.
Later living in Orange County with a large population of Koreans and Hispanics, Kim continued to build recipes and experience with his passion for good food. He combines the best of both cultures to produce a menu that is smoky, sweet and spicy (with mild versions, too).
If you can’t make it out to the festival, you can make your own Chi’Lantro Korean Bulgogi Tacos at home, as found in the Trailer Food Diaries Cookbook: Austin edition. These tacos are one of his best-sellers and quite popular among Chi’Lantro fans.
Korean Bulgogi Taco
Courtesy of Chi’Lantro
Beef Taco Filling:
- 2 lbs. thinly sliced beef rib eye
- 14 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. vinegar
- 4 Tbsp. white sugar
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- Corn or flour tortillas (4.5 inch)
Korean Vinaigrette Salad
- Napa cabbage
- Green leaf lettuce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup Rice vinegar
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 3 cups Water
- 4 Tbsp. sesame oil
- Onions, chopped
- Cilantro, chopped
- Korean pepper
- Korean-Mexican salsa
- Sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Marinate the meat for 24 hours in the combined soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, onion, and sesame oil. Cook the meat shortly before serving.
- For the salad, shred the cabbage and lettuce.
- To serve, fill tacos with salad and top with meat.
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Austin's New Year, a family-friendly party with fireworks takes place at Auditorium Shores on December 31, 2011 from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Fireworks start at 11 p.m.
