Bottom Line: The Spicy Alamo Bowl from Gogi Street in San Antonio is a big bowl of Korean fusion goodness that also brings big heat!
If you happen to be pulling into the unassuming little strip center at 12820 Jones-Maltzberger near Bitters in San Antonio, you may be tempted to head into Pepe’s Tacos N Salsa if you are hungry. And you can’t go wrong in that place with their first-rate Tex Mex and fresh salsa bar (watch for a future post). But if you want something a little different (and you can avoid the temptation of Chicago Hot Dogs which is also in the same center), just go right next door to Gogi Street Korean Fusion. They have wings and bowls and other tasty items that will certainly satisfy your hunger.
I have been meaning to visit Gogi Street for a while, and finally stopped by to try their Spicy Alamo Bowl. That is packed to the brim with their delicious Korean fusion food and contains the following according to the menu: BBQ chicken & beef, freshly sliced avocados, mild spicy mayo, jalapeno, cilantro, onions, cheddar jack cheese, sriracha, chili oil & powders, and lime.
The beef is nice and tender with the smokiness and tang you expect from Korean barbecue and with just a touch of sweet as well. The chicken is mildly seasoned and equally tender. A few of the larger chunks of that were a bit on the dry side, but that did not matter once mixed with the sauces and avocado. The rice is perfectly cooked and fluffy and acts as a good base to offset the spices. The creamy sauce and avocado help bring everything together into a decadent mixture of flavors with the cilantro and diced jalapenos adding that little extra pop to the meal.
I’m sure your mouth is watering by this point, but you are likely also wondering if this lives up to the “Spicy” in the title. Well, I am here to tell you that it does!
This bowl packs a punch in flavor and in heat. This isn’t like the chain restaurants that claim something is spicy and it barely rises to the Mild Heat level once you try it. This bowl delivers a good burn! The spicy mayo is more on the mild side as they claim on the menu, but it adds good flavor and creaminess to the bowl along with some sweetness. The diced jalapenos give a little bit of crunch and amp up the heat.
But I am guessing that most of the heat comes from the sauce that looks a lot like Huy Fong’s Chili Garlic sauce. I might have thought that they were cheating based on the look of the stuff, but I know that Huy Fong products are scarce at the moment, and this has more of a citrus taste plus plenty of kick. I am not certain if this is what they are referring to as “chili oil”, but it is quite good and brings the bowl to the Hot heat level. And with all of the flavors coming together, this is a meal that will fill you up and leave your mouth tingling from the burn for a while. It’s a must-have for chiliheads!
Now you might be tempted to eat the whole thing, but I advise proceeding with caution. I did not weigh the container that they loaded (and I mean loaded) my bowl into, but I am going to guess it was around two pounds. And they do not provide nutritional info (maybe for the better), but I am guessing that the half of the bowl I ate was in the thousand calorie range. Don’t try to eat this whole thing unless you have your stretchy pants on already and time for a nap afterward! (Followed by at least an hour on the treadmill.)
They also had cucumber kimchi on the menu, and I had to give that a try. That is a pickled salad with sliced cucumbers and red onions along with carrot strips and plenty of spicy Korean seasoning. It is not quite as hot as you might expect looking at the abundance of spices added, but it does have a nice kick and plenty of kimchi flavor. This actually acts as a nice counterbalance to the heat in the Spice Alamo Bowl, and it is a good item to have on the side.
There is plenty more to try at Gogi Street as well. I have heard that their wings are quite good and those honey glazed egg rolls look tempting as well as several other bowls on the menu. I’m going to have to go back with a group that is willing to share, though, because I will have a hard time getting past the Spicy Alamo Bowl again. If I get enough people and we order a good sampling of what Gogi Street has to offer, I will certainly report back. Let me know if you want to join me!