The truck launches Friday morning from 9 to 11am in Columbus Circle, and then you can follow it on Twitter (naturally) through the end of the World Cup.   (We’ve also added it to the Midtown Lunch Twitter Tracker for those of you who have twitter blocked by your work, or don’t want to sign up for an account.)  Last time Kogi came to NYC it was grass roots, and complete insanity. It’ll be interesting to see if this ESPN branded truck attracts the same interest…

Photos Courtesy of OC Mexican Food Blog

It looks like the battle between Baja Fresh and LA’s Kogi BBQ truck is just starting to heat up.  A quick recap for those who haven’t been following it closely… at the end of last month the OC Mexican food blog first reported that Baja Fresh had added “Kogi Tacos” to one of their locations in Irvine, CA, a seemingly blatant rip off of the LA Korean taco truck with the same name.  Readers were outraged, although some commenters on various blogs pointed out that “kogi” is just the Korean term for “meat”, so it’s probably legal.  On Thursday, NRN confirmed that Baja Fresh was in fact going ahead with their Kogi named line of Korean tacos, although the owners of the NYC Baja Fresh said it wasn’t going to be coming to New York.  (And in a double whammy, neither is the Kogi BBQ Truck we were promised a few months ago!)  Well, the Wall Street Journal blog is the latest to chime in, shining some added light on the legality of the name, and whether or not Baja Fresh can use it:

[Baja Fresh] chose to call the dish “kogi” because that is a transliteration of the Korean word for meat. Although it says now a Korean-language expert is investigating whether “gogi” might be a more accurate spelling and if Baja should use that instead.

“It speaks to our non-desire to rip off the Kogi name,” Mr. Rink says. Research and development staff from the chain did sample the tacos at the Kogi truck, but didn’t copy the recipe, Mr. Rink says. It created its own Korean taco using steak and chicken.”

So it seems like the word “kogi” is not really the commonly used phonetic spelling of “meat” that we thought it was.  Which begs the question… doesn’t the Kogi BBQ Truck have a trademark!?!

The WSJ article mentions that as well:

Baja Fresh filed for trademark protection for the term “kogi” on May 8th, Mr. Rink says. Kogi filed its trademark paperwork for “kogi” on December 4th of last year, but only for narrow use, just on mobile food carts. Baja Fresh is seeking protection for the use of Kogi with everything from tacos and burritos to promotional toys. Kogi co-founder Caroline Shin-Manguera says a steep “learning curve” when starting the business accounts for the wording on the trademark application.

Ms. Shin-Manguera says she finds it flattering that Korean barbecue-style tacos are becoming so popular. But “the use of the name after we have worked so hard to create a Kogi community through Twitter and bloggers” is “disheartening,” she says.”

So, clearly Kogi screwed up their trademark filing- but they should still be protected since a) it sounds like they actually did kind of invent the word “kogi” (or at least that particular spelling of the word), and b) because there would undoubtedly be consumer confusion if Baja Fresh was to go forward with their “Kogi” tacos.  More than likely Baja Fresh will probably end up going with the word “gogi” instead, to avoid a lawsuit.  Or, maybe the Kogi BBQ folks plan on cutting a deal with Baja Fresh to allow them to use the name Kogi (and bring Korean tacos to the masses.)  This could be one explanation for why they’ve decided to hold off on their NYC plans- although their spokesperson had this to say about that theory:

“Kogi is not affiliated with Baja Fresh, nor do we ever plan on partnering with them. As for NYC, our efforts have been postponed so that we can grow responsibly. Whichever city we do decide to roll to in the next quarter or year, Kogi will be sure to bring its A-game.”

Related:
Is Baja Fresh Ripping Off Kogi? (And More Importantly How Soon Will The Midtown Branch be on Board?)
Kogi’s Korean Tacos Not Coming to NYC Anytime Soon

A rumor that had been floating around for a bit was finally confirmed at last night’s Eater panel at the 92YTribeca: Lee Anne Wong is no longer working as the East coast rep for the LA based Kogi BBQ Truck.  According to the former Top Chef contestant “Kogi will be focusing on their West Coast operations” while she moves on to “some very exciting projects down the line.”

So does this mean Kogi in NYC is dead?  Kogi’s Chef Roy Choi had this to say: “I love NYC! We are doing our best but my energies right now are trying to keep the food fresh to def! 55th and Lex….it will go down in history :)” History?  That doesn’t sound too promising.

Could Baja Fresh be our best chance of getting “Kogi” to NYC?

Nations Restaurant News confirmed yesterday what bloggers noticed over a month ago: “Baja Fresh Mexican Grill is testing a new prototype in Irvine, Calif., that features a more upscale design and will be the first corporate location to offer beer and agave wine margaritas.” Included in the new prototype is their new “Kogi Tacos” which the company acknowledges has nothing to do with the LA Kogi BBQ Truck:

“Kogi is the word for meat in Korean,” he said. “Baja Fresh since its inception has always had a more contemporary approach, meaning it wasn’t an authentically Mexican brand. We’re testing the fusion of flavors.”

Rink noted that the Korean tacos are “getting a much more positive reaction and guest participation than I ever anticipated.”

Natasha Phan, director of business development for the Kogi BBQ truck in Los Angeles, said she wasn’t aware of Baja Fresh’s test of a Korean taco until recently. She declined to comment on any potential trademark concerns.

“Our only comment is that we’re focusing on building and strengthening our core business,” she said.

I talked to Natasha last night, and she confirmed that “core business” means Kogi’s product in L.A. All plans for NYC are completely “on hold”.  And when I checked with the owner of Midtown’s Baja Fresh (on Lex. btw. 45+46th) he had this to say “Our Lex location is kind of a hybrid of the new prototype and the old Baja in the sense that we do have the new menu and look, but we do not have the plates/silverware or table service. We are waiting on our beer and wine license, after which we will be offering several beers/wines, and the agave wine margaritas. However, as for Kogi tacos, I have been informed that we will not be able to offer these anytime soon.”

What a total bummer (because this is just not cutting it.)

Related:
Top Chef’s Lee Anne Wong to Bring Kogi BBQ Truck to NYC By End of Summer… or Tomorrow
NYC Baja Fresh Says Kogi Tacos Could Happen

Related:
Is Baja Fresh Ripping Off Kogi? (And More Importantly How Soon Will The Midtown Branch be on Board?)

Photos Courtesy of OC Mexican Food Blog

There have been scores of Kogi BBQ Truck Korean taco imitators, both in LA (where the truck is based) and here in NYC (where we hope one day a Kogi truck will be based.)  But none are as big as this:  The OC Mexican Food blog is reporting that a Baja Fresh in Irvine is now selling something called “Baja Kogi”, a menu with a Korean style burrito and Korean tacos complete with “sesame salsa” and “kimchi slaw”.  The Kogi BBQ Truck rep I spoke too hadn’t even heard about this yet, so it’s unlikely it’s been officially licensed by the company- and right now it’s only at that one Baja Fresh location in California.  I just hope Baja Fresh adds it to their Midtown location (on Lex btw. 45+46th), before they get sued and have to scrap the whole thing! (Although technically “kogi” is just the Korean word for beef meat, so I’m not sure if it’s illegal to use it in this way.)

Ever since Momofuku Ssam Bar stopped selling their namesake dish, there has been a Korean burrito hole in my heart, and you know I’ll take Korean tacos however I can get them.  Bring it Baja Fresh! [via Food Section Twitter]

Related:
At Lunch Now: Live Coverage of the Kogi BBQ/Dessert Truck Midtown Mash-Up
New York City Baja Fresh Nails the Baja Chicken Burrito

The best thing to come out of our live coverage of the Kogi BBQ truck’s invasion of Midtown today was finding out that Chef Lee Anne Wong, from Top Chef Season 1, was just named the Executive Chef of Kogi BBQ’s east coast operations.  What does that mean exactly?  Well, she is going to be spearheading their operations here on the East coast.   First order of business?  Opening a Kogi BBQ Truck here in New York City.

Once the kimchi quesadillas ran out, she told the disappointed crowd that Kogi would hopefully be opening in NYC by the end of the summer.  Then she told me, they’d be open tomorrow if they could.

In other words- they’re ready.  Chef Wong said that as soon as they get the permit for the truck, they will be up and running. Unfortunately there is a 3 year waiting list for permits- so, if anybody has one lying around that they’re willing to part with let the folks at Kogi know! The other option?  Kogi’s chef Roy Choi suggested to me that Midtown Lunchers start a petition urging Mayor Bloomberg to just give them a permit outright.

I think that might be a little unfair to all the hard working vendors here in NYC struggling to get their own permits.  But I’m all for raising the cap on the number of vending permits issued each year. Right now the city issues so few annually that it has created an expensive underground black market for cart and truck permits.  It’s an issue the Street Vendor Project feels very strongly about, so if fighting for higher caps will help them- plus bring Kogi to NYC faster.  I’m all for it!

Anybody know Mayor Bloomberg?

In what should be no surprise to anybody, the line at 11:40am is already stretching down the block for the Kogi BBQ truck’s first forray into NYC. For $4 you get a kimchi quesadilla from Kogi, along with the Dessert Truck’s famous chocolate mousse with peanut butter center. All proceeds benefit Citymeals-on-wheels, and there are only 200 servings. Line count right now… 65 and growing- and the truck doesn’t open until noon!

Keep checking back right here for live updates from the scene!

11:47 AM BLOCKBUSTER: Lee Anne Wong from season one of Top Chef is on hand to help dish out the food. Why you might ask? Because she is now the executive chef of east coast operations of Kogi BBQ and will be in charge of the first Kogi BBQ truck in New York.

Live updates after the jump!

12:01 And there it is… According to one of the first lunchers: “Awesome”

12:10 View from the back of the line. It’s not moving very fast…

12:35 “About 100 left,” according to Chef Lee Anne. “But we’re blowing through them.”

12:47 Only 32 portions left.  Kudos to the Serious Eats: New York team for waiting in line and paying for their food.  The other “media” on hand… not so much (and by media I mean the interns the other websites sent to cover this epic event!)

12:58 And that’s it. These were the last two people to get served.

Photo courtesy of kogibbq.com