When I read on this very website that there was a Bulgogi Cart on 49th Street in Manhattan, I knew I had to try it.

New Yorkers are getting pretty serious about their street food. So much so that for the last three years they’ve been handing out Vendy Awards to the very finest in NYC street cart cuisine, with judges like Michael Musto of the Village Voice, comedian Mo Rocca, and a defense lawyer who had his name dropped by The Dude in The Big Lebowski.

Usually, the finalists and winners feature pretty heavy food: The Dosa Man (Indian/Sri Lankan, 2007), Sammy’s Halal (Indian/Pakistani, 2006), and my favorite Hallo Berlin (German, 2005). Some good Korean food sounded like a perfect alternative.

So, after four weeks and one failed attempt that featured a very long walk, I finally found the Bulgogi Cart tucked between giant office buildings between 6th and 7th Avenues.

On the recommendation of owner/operator John Yongsun Lee, I tried the Galbi Combo. I was pretty psyched when I found a place to sit and popped the top on that styrofoam bad boy. I had a nice mix of Galbi (tender, flavorful short ribs), white rice, thin cold noodles, kimchi and two pieces of fruit for desert. Not bad at all for six bucks.

I was so busy eating and enjoying that I’d eaten almost all of it before I remembered to snap a picture.

I went back and thanked Mr. Lee, who was very friendly and gave me his card which had his website, bulgogiandkimchi.com.

According to the site, he and his wife, Haejin, immigrated from Korea to the U.S. in 2004. Mrs. Lee does the cooking inside the cart, and “uses her family’s best kept secret recipe for bulgogi and kimchi.”

Mr. Lee’s card proclaims that they have “The Best Korean Food In Midtown.” It’s a bold claim since the cart is only about a 20-minute walk from the many restaurants in West 32nd Street’s Koreatown.

But the Lee’s say they want “to bring the best of Korean BBQ and food to more New Yorkers at reasonable price.” And they probably do have a better chance to introduce Korean cuisine to Americans from their cart than they would in Koreatown. (I love Korean food, but I’ve only been to one restaurant on West 32nd Street and that was with a Korean chaperon. I’m sure I’m not the only non-Korean who feels a little intimidated there.)

The Bulgogi Cart’s location on West 49th St. is close to the heart of Times Square, and within two blocks of Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, NBC and SNY Studios. There’s also many huge office buildings, including the McGraw Hill Building. For office workers, food carts are the best option for a fast lunch at a reasonable price. I’m sure a lot of people who work in those buildings and some lucky tourists are getting their first taste of Korean food from The Bulgogi Cart. And if what they had is as good as what I had, they’ll probably be wanting a lot more.

If you’re in the city, The Bulgogi Cart is usually there from 10-3:30, Monday to Friday. Starting in April, they’ll stay later so you could try them for dinner.

Words and  photos by  David Chalk. David covers the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays for Bugs and Cranks. He lives in Tampa, likes pie, and is an erstwhile supporter of Elijah Dukes.