Ko Kyu BBQ Food Truck
 Durham, North Carolina      Date of Visit: 07/24/11       
http://kokyubbq.com/ 

Someone recently said the revival of the food truck has a lot to do with their focusing on one or two things and just doing them exceptionally well. Our experience has been really positive so far with the Polish Boy from Seti’s, the PBLT from Dim and Den Sum, and the Pulled Chicken Salad from Zydeco Bistro were all outstanding. We figured being in the research triangle there had to be some food trucks parked in the area and after using a movie theater for their air conditioning (they used us for ticket and popcorn money so it all works out) in the heat wave I opened Twitter on my phone.
 



 


 
 
What is The Additional Flavor in The Buffalo Slider...Can't Figure
 

I will never tweet (I can’t believe I just typed that “Tweet”) but it is the communication vehicle of choice for most of these rolling restaurants. My phone is now receiving dozens of messages promising all sorts of deliciousness. Sure enough the Ko Kyu truck was only about nine miles away from us and after a few dozen wrong turns we found the blue trailer outside of an odd music hall and shop selling vinyl and t-shirts. The folks hanging around seemed every bit as odd, fun.

Ko Kyu is a style of Korean Barbeque and it’s the theme of the menu. There are also some things on the menu that are much less Korean in nature but almost everything has a twist that brings it back to the theme. The service was actually much faster than the other trucks we have visited and like the others Ko Kyu is not timid with flavor. Almost an assault, the bold and assertive seasoning made everything just jump on the palate.  We ordered half the menu. Two “Takos” a spicy pork belly and a lemongrass chicken. There was a special on sliders; two plus tots. We went with the Unreal Buffalo Chicken Slider and The Carolina Carnitas Slider.
 


Incredibly Intense Carolina Pork Slider, Serious Twang!
 
 
Spicy Pork Belly Tako
 

Lemongrass Chicken
 
 
 

The chicken slider had two thick slabs of chicken soaked in a very different hot sauce that had the backdrop of your typical buffalo sauce but then had something else going on that I couldn’t quite suss out but it worked well with the gorgonzola and the celery between the toasted buns. The Carolina pork slider also started with a familiar vinegaryness which was quickly transformed by the addition of some unknown and unfamiliar but exciting additions. The pork was topped with cilantro and get this…avocado. Vinegar and avocado? All I can tell you is it worked perfectly. The tacos were absolutely delicious but not perfect.
 

 
  The tortillas couldn’t hope to stand up to the juice and sauces and split down the middle the second you pick them up. Bummer. The thing is we were digging into the container with sloppy fingers pulling out the innards. The lemongrass chicken was tender and juicy and had a touch of kick in addition to the citrusy notes. The spicy pork was even better with a seriously rich kick. Both Takos were topped with brightly seasoned and crunchy veggies cutting the richness with sharp notes and umamiesqe flavors like sesame seeds. Hard to eat but worth being a mess. What was it that came with the slider combo? Just kidding…there is no way you can forget the tots. Pretty regular tots but ramped up by being fried in duck fat and seasoned with pepper and rosemary. Dark and crunchy with a steaming interior, Dunt Dunt duh Dahhhh…Super-tots. They were served with some kind of sauce topped with siracha. Overall, the Ko Kyu truck struck another resounding success for the latest craze in street food. There are more out there…pictures coming soon.


Napoleon Dynamite Would Be Losing His Mind. Tots From God.
 

 
  Ratings  
 
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Overall
 
  A B+ B A D B  
      Plenty of Oddness to Watch Tots! Tortillas    
 
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