So the past couple days the foodie universe of Orange County has been abuzz due to the new “Kogi” items at Baja Fresh in Irvine. Not because they are new, but because of the perceived imitation that Baja Fresh was doing of KogiBBQ, with both the name and the product. The internet “mob reaction” began to attack Baja Fresh, and they came out with a press release changing the name of the Kogi items to Gogi. Now all is right with the universe, or something like that. In my opinion it was much ado about nothing and if the KogiBBQ product is as good as the foodieverse says, I doubt they have anything to worry about.
I ordered the Baja Kogi Taco Platter (soon to be renamed Baja Gogi Taco Platter) with one each of the chicken and beef. The beef Kogi (Gogi) taco wasn’t really that good at all, overly salty and lacked much other flavor then that, it tasted as if they just soaked it in soy sauce for hours. The chicken Kogi (Gogi) taco was a bit better, but also also suffered from an over salty taste. The chicken is a more spicy meat compared to the beef version. Along with the tacos the platter comes with a salty lime flavored rice, as well as the only redeeming item, a side of black beans. Overall I was really disappointed in the meal everything was too salty, plus the corn tortillas overpower the tacos so much I had to remove one of the two that each taco comes with.
I suppose I was just expecting something else when I ordered this. If I was Baja Fresh I would go back into the kitchen and try something else, because this isn’t going to be a winner for them. My suggestion of a great ‘asian-fusion” inspired taco would be using the Hot and Spicy chicken or pork from Busy Bee, that is cooked with kimchi, and then to drizzle some Mexican sour cream on top, all in a flour tortilla; and I think I’d have a winner. From what Baja Fresh has right now, I can honestly say without even trying them yet, KogiBBQ has nothing to worry about and should appreciate the free press they received the last couple days from this.
If you are interested in other reviews of Baja Fresh’s Kogi / Gogi tacos, check out Christian’s review at OC Mexican Restaurants as well as Nancy’s over at Fast Food Maven (Orange County Register).
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Baja Fresh Mexican Grill
5633 Alton Pkwy # 200
Irvine, CA 92618-4058
(949) 551-2252
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{ 4 comments }
Let us know when you make your own!
@Christian: Haha, I will. I just need to find a Busy Bee and figure out their recipe so I can try to make the Hot and Spicy Pork/Chicken myself. I’m pretty sure they just cook kimchi with the meat, since that’ what it tastes looks like, but I’ve actually never had kimchi by itself before, so I’m not 100% sure.
So am I reading this correctly… a hardly-mexican-taqueria is attempting to be global by introducing a korean flavor inspired taco platter? In what world does that make sense? Didn’t anyone ever teach them to eat steak only from a steak house?
I think there should be a law against fresh mex trying to do Korea-Mex. My palate winces at the thought of kimchi and blackbeans.
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