The Soul Behind Seoul’s Vatos Urban Tacos

When you think of South Korea, you might think of Samsung or Hyundai. Of course, “Oppa Gangnam Style” probably rings a bell too. But, what many people may not know about South Korea is its diverse food culture. People frequently associate Korean food with kimchi (which is completely understandable – we Koreans can’t get enough of our spicy fermented cabbage), but in addition to traditional Korean dishes, the country is also beginning to grow as a home to a plethora of different cuisines, foreign flavors, and innovative fusions.

Vatos Urban Tacos is a prime example – this Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant has been incredibly well-received in Korea, crowned the #1 Hottest New Restaurant in Seoul by CNNGo just eight months after its establishment in November 2011. Interestingly enough, Sid Kim, co-founder of Vatos, is a respected UC Berkeley alumnus who graduated from Cal in 1991 with a degree in Political Science. Go Bears!

Today, just a short two years after its birth, Vatos has grown to several more locations, and is all the rage amongst the hipster generation. After having an unforgettable lunch at Vatos during my last visit to Korea, I knew I had to reach out to Sid and share his incredible story.

Caliber: Vatos has a unique concept, in that it blends Korean flavors and spices with Mexican foods. What inspired the idea to create this fusion?

Sid Kim: Fusion foods seem to have been all the rage over the last several years. However, we didn’t create our fusion dishes just for the sake of following a trend. The dishes that we offer are actually natural evolutions of dishes we had as kids growing up in Southern California and Texas. I was born in Korea but immigrated to Southern California when I was four years old. Hence, I grew up on both authentic Mexican food and Korean food. When I came home after school, I would look in the fridge to see what there was to eat. Almost always, there would be some leftover bulgogi (grilled marinated beef), galbi (barbecue short rib), or jaeyuk bokkeum (spicy pork kimchi stir fry) that my mom cooked for dinner the night before. I would take those ingredients and make a sandwich or a burrito, and voila… Ko-Mex fusion. So to me, these dishes weren’t fusion, they were just food. I think many Korean-Americans living in So Cal can probably relate.

We also wanted to bring the SoCal-style Mexican food to Korea. At the time, there were a few places serving mainly TexMex foods. However, TexMex often has loads of cheese and beans, or the dishes are covered in thick sauces. We wanted to offer tacos and other dishes that were made with fresh ingredients that would fit both the foreign and Korean palates.

C: Generally, Koreans love and stick to their traditional cuisine – blending these flavors together does seem a bit out of their comfort zone. Obviously, your restaurant has seen huge success, but in the beginning, did you see it as a bit of a risk to introduce food like this to the Korean population?

S: Yes, but our risk was tempered by the fact that we were opening a small restaurant in Itaewon (district in Seoul, South Korea) to start. The Itaewon district in Seoul has been the stomping grounds of expats and U.S. soldiers for years. We figured that if we could draw the expat crowd to our restaurant, we would be okay. Luckily, the locals followed. At first, our customers were probably 80% expats and 20% locals. Now, those figures are reversed. And in our other branches, I would estimate that over 90% of our customer base is comprised of local Koreans. From the beginning, we decided to stick to our ideals about what our food, service and atmosphere should be like. We didn’t want to change our philosophy just to cater to local tastes.

We were lucky in that the gentrification of Itaewon led to an influx of Korean customers to the area. Usually, Koreans did not venture into Itaewon at all. We were also lucky in that Koreans, particularly the younger generations, were now savvier to the authentic flavors of foreign foods. Many Koreans flock to Itaewon because they know they can find more authentic foreign restaurants.

I believe we became popular because 1) Our food is actually good. 2) We have interesting, fun drinks. 3) We have a lively, fun atmosphere. So in short, people come for the food, stay because of the drinks, and come back because of the atmosphere. All three elements have made us who we are today and are core to our motto of “Eat, Drink & Chill.”

C: What would you say was the highest point, or most rewarding part of founding and pioneering your own business in Vatos Urban Tacos? What would you say was the lowest point, or greatest setback you encountered?

S: I would say that we have had a series of high points. When we started being featured in global media outlets, such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, etc., we were obviously very proud. However, I think I am most proud of building something new and showing that a successful company can stick to its ideals, treat its employees well and create a family-type atmosphere. And during our first Cinco De Mayo, we had a line out the door and down the stairs with a 3-hour wait.

We’ve had many setbacks in the last two years. In fact, it seems that nothing ever works out as planned, and we have several mini-emergencies on a daily basis. I think we have learned to be flexible and make quick decisions when the time comes. That ability to adjust is important for any business, I believe.

Right now, I believe our biggest challenge is expanding at the right pace and in the right way. We are going from a small local business to a bigger corporation with multiple branches. Currently, we have three branches and are working on our fourth. Maintaining the quality of food and service that we have been offering and growing as a company is an intricate balancing act. We, just like other small companies, are going through some growing pains, so this next year will be very important for our company.

C: As a Berkeley alum, what is some advice you have for current Berkeley students who strive towards similar entrepreneurial ventures?

S: Stick to your ideals, but always be flexible to adjust to your surroundings or your customer base. You should never give up your core values, but you’ll often have to make quick decisions that you had not foreseen. A successful entrepreneur will realize the small adjustments needed to have a successful venture.

I really believe my time at Berkeley helped me with my business. As you know, Cal is a very competitive atmosphere. Students have to constantly strive to not only excel, but also sometimes just to survive. The business world is the same – especially in F&B.

C: What is in the future for Vatos Urban Tacos? Any chance of expanding to the USA? Back to Berkeley, perhaps?

S: We are currently working on our fourth location in Seoul. We are in talks to open up another location outside of Seoul sometime this year. We have been in talks to open in other major cities in Asia as well. We hope to go international by the end of the year or early next year at the latest. It is my dream to one day open in the U.S. Right now, we have no concrete plans, but I am sure the opportunity will arise in the near future. Again, the important thing for us is to focus on sustainable expansion while making sure to adhere to our core philosophies and maintaining the quality of our services and food.

It’s no surprise that it was a Cal alumnus that took part in the creation of the tasty tacos and trendy vibes at Vatos Urban Tacos. Next time you find yourself in Seoul, treat yourself!

Photos courtesy of Vatos Urban Tacos.