In Korean, the word daebak means ‘jackpot,’ but in recent years it’s become a popular slang expressing happiness or amazement. Casa Choi, San Marcos’ Korean/Mexican fusion restaurant, is a perfect example of daebak: an awesome and welcome surprise.
Fusion food takes the most distinctive elements from two cultures' cuisines and blends them together, creating something bold, brilliant and uniquely its own. Nowhere is this more true than at Casa Choi, where savory, spicy Korean dishes meet that beloved, versatile staple of Mexican food: the tortilla. Toss in generous helpings of street corn, Sriracha, spicy mayo, and avocado, and you have the best that fusion has to offer: dishes that are even greater than the sum of their already delicious parts.
Casa Choi’s owner, Jason Choi, was born in Korea so he knows his way around a Korean grill. “I knew how to cook Korean food,” he said, “But living in Texas where we have a lot of Mexican food, I wanted to combine the two together. I’m proud of Korean barbecue, so the idea was really kind of simple.”
