Kimchi Taco Truck

Every day between the hours of 11am and 3pm, a block away from North End Grill, and outside the courtyard of The World Financial Center, are five parked food trucks.  Every Monday, one of these trucks is the Kimchi Taco Truck, and unless you decide to come early, expect to wait in line of upwards of twenty minutes.  For this truck has the best food offered all week.

Phillip Lee, the founder of the truck, is a madman.  Seriously, think about it.  A man in love with Korean flavors who wants to make the distinct impact on the American public by bringing it to them in a recognizable form.  Tacos.  Who doesn't love tacos?  Who doesn't love Korean food?  Who the hell wouldn't love a Korean taco??

Now you understand.

If I'm lucky enough to have the time to wait on line at the truck before heading into work, I'm a very happy man.  For $8 you can get three tacos, and then you can eat them right in the park overlooking the waterfront.

Kimchi Taco Truck offers four different types of tacos.  Korean-marinated short ribs, spicy pork, braised chicken, and a falafel kimchi taco for vegetarians.  The rest of the menu is very diverse.  Kimchee bowls and even a kimchi cheesesteak are offered.  All ingredients are made on the truck, and set you off on an intense culinary journey, if only just for a few bites.

David Burke Kitchen

Summer restaurant week in New York City.  Over 300 restaurants offering a 3-course prix-fixe menu for $24.07 at lunch, and $35 at dinner.  No matter where you go being able to eat three courses for those prices in NYC is an amazing deal.  However, I have never been able to get excited for restaurant week, as it's all promotion.  I know a lot of restaurants will do throwaway menus, offering nothing they normally would, smaller portions, and cheap offerings.  Every now and then, though, you will find one out of the bunch that surpasses the rest.  I found that here, and my meal at David Burke Kitchen was quite possibly the best restaurant week deal I've ever had.

David Burke is a very acclaimed chef, becoming very well known in the past few decades for his whimsical American-style cooking.  Lollipop tree, anyone?

The sign hanging outside the restaurant

DBK is his newest venture, opening in Soho in early February of this year.  First and foremost, the space is  beautiful.  DBK is located inside the James hotel, and the entire building is bright white, which is a very strong stand-out for its location.  The name of the restaurant is displayed proudly in two bronze signs both in the front and left of the building.  As you enter the building the main dining room sits below street level to the right, and to the left is the entrance to The Treehouse Bar, which is a wide open second-story rooftop bar, with glass enclosures and barriers, overlooking Grand St and Sixth Ave.  The main dining room is reminiscent of a country barn, set inside a wide-open Soho-style loft.  The decor is very chic and a perfect fit for this trendy neighborhood.