Roy Choi and Evan Kleinman talking about food and life at Aloud on Wednesday

Wednesday night's Aloud at the central library in L.A. feature an interview of Roy Choi by food expert Evan Kleinman.  Roy has recently published an autobiography/cookbook "L.A. Son:  My Life, My City, My Food."  As Evan is an excellent interviewer, as heard on KCRW's Good Food radio show, and Roy Choi is fun, creative and an impulsive subject....it was a great night!  Roy is the creator of the gourmet Korean toco truck, Kogi, that mixes Korean and Mexican tastes.  He is also runs two restaurants, Chego! and Sunny Spot in L.A.  A new restaurant "Pot" will be opening in Korea Town in January.  As Choi is an avid pot/weed smoking fan, he didn't commit if the name was from that or a kitchen pot. 

Choi talked about his childhood, born in Korea with a Clef Lip/Palette, moved to L.A. with parents at age 2.  His parents had challenges including alcoholism and they moved around a lot.  They finally made it in the jewelry business after running a restaurant...where Choi worked as a kid.  So they moved on up to an exclusive community in Orange County (OC) in a home formerly owned by famous pitcher, Nolan Ryan.  He said that the day they moved in, his father took him to the bath room, flushed the toilet, and said this is where Nolan Ryan shit.  He thought about that often while setting on the toilet.

Roy began running the streets with Mexicans while in Junior High.  He loved low rider cars and eventually had one himself.  After some significant trouble and drifting around, he woke up on a friends couch and said that the Emeril Lagasse cooking show was on T.V.  He said that Emeril seemed to be talking to him and saying you can do this too.  So, he went to chef school....but his strong mother said if you going, you are going to the best, "The Culinary Institute of American" in Hyde Park, New York....along the Hudson River, 2 hours North of the City.  This led to good internship at Le Bernardin in New York...another mystical intervention led him there.  He has worked at The Beverly Hilton and the Rock Sugar Pan in L.A. 

He then had the idea with his partners to turn what people called "roach coaches' into gourmet dining.  The Twitter age helped them succeed, announcing their changing locations. 

He said he wrote the book, now age 43, because it was time to grow up.  So the story of his life is a way to find out about who he is and to share his recipes for cooking.  He says their business does not have a plan, they just grow like a plant, without pruning.  He said that maybe next year is a time for planning. 

I went outside the library after the program and enjoyed two tacos, short rib and chicken, with the mysterious sauces.  I also had a Blue Moon Mulita (their premiere Salsa Azul dish."  For dessert I had a Sriracha Bar...a kind of brownie with crisped rich and caramel dipped in dark chocolate.  Wow!