Vatos Urban Tacos

Tacos in Korea!!

We just had our 11th wedding anniversary (I do have a frickin amazing wife!!!) and for dinner I searched "fun places to eat in Seoul." The most popular place to pop up was "Vatos Urban Tacos", in Itaewon, a part of Seoul with a much more Western feel to it. The joint was packed (I took this as a good sign) so we found the host stand and were told an hour wait. Karen wanted a "big ass" margarita she had the "Grow a pear" (so many jokes here, did I mention I love my wife!), as we approached the bar two seats opened up next to a couple of guys in the military and had a fun conversation with them. So far the people we have meet here are kind and so helpful with anything you need. Once a group of us where looking for a subway station and we were lost(no big surprise there) and Megan asked this older man for directions. Well he didn't give us directions... he walked us to the subway station a good 10-15 minute walk and it was hot(like hot, salsa HOT!)this is how the Korean people are, this is everyday that we are embraced by kindness. Ok, back to Vatos, we started out with some chips and salsa the red was a little more spicy then the green. The green was more like a chimichurri sauce.  

CHECK OUT THOSE CHIPS!!!

We came here for the tacos, Karen ordered three of the Chili Lime Shrimp(see above picture with her big ass margarita) fried shrimp with red onion, pico, cilantro and a lime-cilantro sour cream. I was starving so I ordered two of each of the following Carnitas taco with cilantro, onion and hot sauce. Galbi short rib(Korean BBQ) taco with Asian slaw and last but not least the Chimichurri chicken tacos with salsa and lettuce. Karen liked hers and my favorite was the Galbi taco. As with many of the portions over here they were small (ok maybe normal compared to the US) Overall, we were very pleased with the food and experience of Vatos Urban Tacos and I will go back for more. BY the way, I love my wife!

One funny sign... (Karen is amazing!)

Street Tacos

I have not been posting much lately! We have one month until we move to South Korea. Things are starting to get crazy, last minute things to buy and ship. Putting your stuff in categories like stuff to take, stuff to ship, stuff to store and stuff for Goodwill. This just feels crazy weird to me... at least we are purging a lot of things(and keeping Goodwill well stocked) it's crazy the amount of stuff you can accumulate, that at one point you thought you needed. This process really makes us think about what we want and what we need. Ok, off the soap box, this is an easy 20 minute meal that tastes awesome we make this at work 2-3 times a week. During this insane time here at home we are all about simple meals (especially if it is all in one tortilla!).

Ingredients-
Flour or Corn Tortillas
1 Medium Onion diced
1 1/2 Cup White Rice
1 Jalapeno sliced
1/4 Cup Cilantro
1-2 Tbl Cumin
1 Lb Beef(I used tenderloin use what you have or what is on sale)
2 Tbl Oil
1 Lb Cheddar Cheese

Directions-
1. Cook rice as directed but add the cumin to the water (This flavors the rice throughly).
2. Cut beef into strips 1/2 inch wide 2 inches long.
3. In a large saute pan over medium heat add oil. Once the oil is hot add onion, jalapeno, beef and cilantro. Cook for 5-7 minutes add salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a medium saute pan over medium low heat warm up you tortillas if using corn add a little bit of oil to the pan.
5. Once rice is done, add rice to tortilla add beef and onion mixture and cheese...enjoy

Tilapia Fish Tacos with Pablano Aioli

I made this at work, we didn't have any Cabbage to make a slaw for the tacos so I made up a "slaw". The guys at work loved it(so did my wife) so I hope you try it.

Ingredients-

4 Tilapia Fillets(Tilapia were one of the three main types of fish caught in Biblical times from the Sea of Galilee, dating as far as back as 1500 BC.)
Corn or Flour Tortillas
Vegetable Oil
Flour

Batter-
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Cream (whole milk)
1 Egg
Old Bay Seasoning (awesome with fish)
Salt and Pepper to your liking

"Slaw"-
3 Yellow Peppers (or what ever color you want)
1 Med. Red Onion
1 jalapeno
3 Lemons squeezed
3 Cloves Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 Cup Cilantro

Aioli-
3 Pablano Peppers
2 Limes Squeezed
1/3 Cup Cilantro
1 Cup mayonnaise
Pinch of crushed Red Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions-

Batter-
1. Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk, should be like pancake batter.

Slaw-
1. Cut Peppers and onions into long strips.
2. Deseed jalapeno and 1/4 inch dice.
3. Med. dice Cilantro.
4. Mince Garlic.
5. Place all ingredients into a Med. bowl, squeeze Lemons, salt and paper to tasteand mix. Refrigerate when done.

Aioli-
1. Grill Pablanos until the outside is charred. Put into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap(or use Tupperware or a baggie). Wait 15-20 Min. then pull off the skin of the pepper.
2. Cut Cilantro Med. dice.
3. Cut Pablano into 1/4 inch pieces.
4. In a Med. mixing bowl add all ingredients and squeeze limes and whisk.
5. Put Aioli into a blender and blend for 1-2 Min. pour into a squeeze bottle or pour into a bowl and refrigerate.

Tilapia-
1. Put oil into med. saucepan and put over med.-high heat.
2. Cut Tilapia fillets in half length wise, put fish into flour and coat all sides. Dredge fish into batter and put into oil, cook fish until 145 degrees.
3. Cut Tilapia into 1/2 inch strips.
4. Place half of the Talapia into tortilla, the other half into another tortilla, put on slaw and aioli… Enjoy.