A Bulgogi Cheesesteak Sandwich would seem to qualify as “unusual food”… any place but Columbus, that is.
In Columbus, the sandwich has found mainstream fame winning the title of Best Sandwich at the local 2013 Food Truck Festival Awards. The prizewinning combo belongs to Ajumama, a team that also brought home the top prize for Best Ethnic Food and Best Overall Truck this year.
It’s easy to see the appeal of the Bulgogi Cheesesteak. It starts with a big puffy bun. Inside that bun is a big supply of densely packed bulgogi meat. The fact that bulgogi, a Korean creation, is involved is a game-changer for any sandwich. Bulgogi is the sort of thing that can (and does) fuel an eating obsession. It’s beef, cut thin and thoroughly infused with a distinctly sweet and salty marinate. Bulgogi is more addictive than potato chips.
As Ajumama does it, the beef is cut tissue-paper thin – so thin it falls into soft pieces inside the sandwich. The Korean meat is topped with a lush supply of the requisite cheese-steak vegetables – including lots of grilled onions. Right on top sits… what is this? Shishitos? Two perky peppers crown it off for a fun finisher.
Wait, there was cheese in the mix too. It’s the house Kimcheez sauce. The sauce is easiest to describe by comparing it to a mildly spiked melted Cheez Whiz. It ties it together in a way that only Cheez Whiz can.
At the end of the day, all those ingredients merge together to make a terrific savory sandwich –and an excellent medium for getting a quick bulgogi fix.
Ajumama, being a food truck, doesn’t have an address. To learn more about the truck, you can check out its website here: www.ajumama.com. To find the truck, Ajumama suggests using the tools at www.streetfoodfinder.com.
Photos by Walker Evans.
