Very Important Taco: Bulgogi Beef at West Pac Noodle Bar

“Asian fusion” takes on new meaning at West Pac, where dishes from various Asian countries sit side-by-side on the menu with flags indicating their national origin. Think Vietnamese pho, Japanese ramen, Filipino lumpia, and Chinese bao.

But the biggest crowd-pleaser is Korean beef bulgogi tacos, served two per order. Traditional bulgogi, or “fire meat,” is thinly sliced, marinated beef. Here, it’s prime top sirloin (though it can be substituted for tofu or avocado) served with togarashi aioli, purple cabbage, housemade kimchi, pickled cucumber, and fresh lime served atop house-rolled scallion pancakes.

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A sweet and salty marinade caramelizes the beef, with the spongy pancakes providing a heavier density than tortillas. All the better to hold together the taco, which is drizzled with creamy aioli to mellow the kimchi’s spice.

1166 Orange Avenue, Coronado 

westpacnoodle

Very Important Taco: Bulgogi Beef at West Pac Noodle Bar

jim sullivan