Fusion eatery Casa Choi is a prime example of when a product is greater than the sum of its parts.
By combining the hallmarks of Mexican cuisine with the flavors of Korea, owner Jason Choi elevates both with combinations of kimchi, tortillas and bulgogi.
The restaurant, temporarily restricted in capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic, is styled after a Korean street vendor and is situated a few doors down from Choi's other restaurant, Umami Sushi, which he also co-owns with his wife and brother-in-law.
When the lease for Casa Choi's location became available, Choi and his familial business partners pounced and figured they would decide on a concept while the space was prepared.
What resulted was Casa Choi, opened in January of 2019.
Previously a sushi chef, Choi brought a passion for fresh ingredients with him when the shop opened.
"All the recipes—we make everything from scratch, like the sauce and all the marinades," Choi said.
Kimchi, made from fermented vegetables, is a Korean staple that can be found in many of the dishes where it punches up the flavor of burritos, tacos and quesadillas.
The menu is a delightful mish mash of flavors with a few more traditional items such as Kimchi Fried Rice, Mexican Street Corn and Ddeok-Boki.
Ddeok-Boki, one of the stars of the menu, is a spicy rice cake with fish cake stir-fried in a Korean sauce and is traditionally sold by Korean street vendors.
When it comes to trying new things with the menu, Choi said he isn't afraid to experiment, and a prime example is the Bulgogi Philly Cheesesteak.
"As I make [dishes] every time, I kind of like to add more stuff to make it more flavorful," Choi said.
Casa Choi
700 N. LBJ Dr., Ste 102B, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 392-1717
Open: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun., noon-7 p.m.
By combining the hallmarks of Mexican cuisine with the flavors of Korea, owner Jason Choi elevates both with combinations of kimchi, tortillas and bulgogi.
The restaurant, temporarily restricted in capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic, is styled after a Korean street vendor and is situated a few doors down from Choi's other restaurant, Umami Sushi, which he also co-owns with his wife and brother-in-law.
When the lease for Casa Choi's location became available, Choi and his familial business partners pounced and figured they would decide on a concept while the space was prepared.
What resulted was Casa Choi, opened in January of 2019.
Previously a sushi chef, Choi brought a passion for fresh ingredients with him when the shop opened.
"All the recipes—we make everything from scratch, like the sauce and all the marinades," Choi said.
Kimchi, made from fermented vegetables, is a Korean staple that can be found in many of the dishes where it punches up the flavor of burritos, tacos and quesadillas.
The menu is a delightful mish mash of flavors with a few more traditional items such as Kimchi Fried Rice, Mexican Street Corn and Ddeok-Boki.
Ddeok-Boki, one of the stars of the menu, is a spicy rice cake with fish cake stir-fried in a Korean sauce and is traditionally sold by Korean street vendors.
When it comes to trying new things with the menu, Choi said he isn't afraid to experiment, and a prime example is the Bulgogi Philly Cheesesteak.
"As I make [dishes] every time, I kind of like to add more stuff to make it more flavorful," Choi said.
Casa Choi
700 N. LBJ Dr., Ste 102B, San Marcos, TX 78666
(512) 392-1717
Open: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun., noon-7 p.m.
