Kalbi Hau5

Really cool food truck. Can’t say enough about the flavor of the tacos I ordered. Plenty of spice and flavor with a little kick but without the pain. Would definitely order again if I see them around again.

I stumbled across this truck as I was leaving Waitiki in downtown Orlando. I’m just in the area for a few days for pleasure so I’ve never heard of any of the food trucks or restaurants in the area. It was about 11 pm and I had a couple drinks in me and was kinda hungry for some food but didn’t feel like sitting down to a restaurant. As I was walking past, the aroma hit me and that’s when the decision was made that it was burrito time.
The young lady taking my order was very friendly, and there was no wait. About 5 mins later, a nice dude handed me my burrito and it was a one way ticket to flavortown. Holy moly, that was one of the best burritos I’ve ever had. Very different from the standard Mexican style with the Asian fusion. it was awesome, lots of flavor, fresh ingredients… really wonderful.
I wish there was one of these in NJ.

I drove by this food truck on my way to a friends house. I ordered a chicken burrito and some truffle fries, with a lychee lemonade drink. First off the chicken burrito was fitted with a perfect mix between chicken veggies and rice, i ate every last bit. The truffle fries, oh my god, THE TRUFFLE FRIES WERE DELICIOUS. And nothing better to top it all off with the asian-​esque lychee lemonade.

Tako Cheena was my gateway to the drug that is the delicious Asian burrito (I know, David Chang did it ages ago but hey! it’s finally in O-​town and my Momofuku cookbook is mostly just for show, not practice) and I am now determined to find every source of them in Orlando and get a fix. Kalbi Hau5, which I have been remiss in not checking out before now, was running a Groupon Now special tonight — burrito and truffle fries for something like $ 6 — with both being relevant to my interests, I found the truck outside Will’s Pub and gave the special a try. My spicy chicken burrito was an excellent size and filled with a ton of chicken and veggie goodies and just a little bit of rice. The truffle fries — skinny, with a liberal dusting of Parmesan and salt on top — were good too. I will be back to try other burrito varietals.
There was no wait, and I like that the menu is on a flatscreen monitor — it implies they change it up regularly and want to be able to edit on the fly if something runs out. Kinda cool. Regular pricing for the burritos ($ 6 – 7) seems reasonable given the portion provided.

I’m a vegetarian so I was excited to see a food truck that had vegetarian options. Kalbi Hau5 was fantastic! I had the tofu tacos and they were delicious – the tofu was perfectly seasoned and cooked (did not have that bland tofu taste and texture), the sauce on the tacos was delicious, and the ingredients were extremely fresh. There was just the right amount of cilantro and onions to give a little bite without being overpowering, and whatever the relish/​aoli/​sauce was there added a delicious little punch. The truffle fries were also fantastic. A very fresh and tasty food truck with a simple menu but as it says, a gourmet touch. Highly recommend!

I stopped by at this truck last night when it and at least one other (Fish Out of Water) food truck were parked outside of Will’s Pub. I had seen this truck several times in the past but it always turned out that other trucks that I really love also were in attendance, so I opted to stick to my guns. After the great burrito I had last night, I regret that I waited so long to give Kalbi Hau5 a shot.
When I arrived, I tried to order 2 tacos — one with spicy tofu and one with tempeh — but I was told that the truck had run out of taco shells as well as tempeh. (Disappointing. I guess that the truck was busy earlier in the evening … also, I arrived probably at around 11 p.m., so I guess it’s at least somewhat understandable that I wasn’t able to get what I initially wanted.) I was told by the friendly guy in the truck that he could make a small burrito for me, so I gladly accepted. I went with the spicy tofu as a filling. I forgot to ask what else goes into the burrito, but it turned out that it comes with rice and some vegetables. The spicy tofu was very good and had a Thai peanut-​esque flavor. This is one of my favorite things, so having this flavor in the burrito was a most pleasant surprise.
I hope to try this truck again soon. Hopefully, it’ll have the tacos during my next visit. (And the tempeh, too!) The prices seemed pretty reasonable — I can’t remember too many specifics, though I believe that each taco (regardless of contents) is $ 2 and burritos and other items are more (maybe around $ 6 or slightly above?).
I’ll have to come back to this truck a few more times before I’m ready to give it my full endorsement and a 5-​star review. I may not even or ever give it the full 5, but at this point I have to give it 4 just because I really enjoyed my burrito and the guy who took my order was very helpful and pleasant. I’m sorry to see so many unfavorable reviews on here … for the time being, I am assuming that the poor experiences had by previous/​other reviewers were the exception rather than the rule. I see that some of said reviews are from around Oct. of last year, and as far as I can tell that was shortly after the truck debuted. So, maybe it needed some time to figure some stuff out and get acclimated … I’m not sure. Still, some of the comments (Krista P. having to wait an hour for some rice — that’s inexcusable on the truck’s part!) scare me a little bit and now have me wondering if I will be the truck’s next victim. I guess I’ll just have to return at least once more and find out on my own.
One last thing: I’m guessing this was the lychee lemonade I saw mentioned in a few previous reviews, but I was served a cup of something (for free; I didn’t ask for it) while I waited on my burrito last night. At first, I found it to have a very peculiar taste, but it grew on me and by the time I was half-​done with it I really liked it a lot. I don’t know if this stuff always is complimentary or if it must be purchased, but try it out if you end up visiting this truck. It’s interesting.

I checked out this truck at Tasty Tuesdays in the Milk District and there was no wait. The two gentlemen working the truck were super nice and friendly, that always wins me over.
For my dish, there seemed to be some good choices but I was famished and needed something I knew I was going to like so I went basic and got the Sweet Mandarin Chicken rice bowl.
You could definitely tell they used all-​natural chicken, it felt like I literally made it in my kitchen which was comforting. The chicken was marinated in a garlic-​mirin-​soy mixture then grilled, it was moist and delicious. Topped with hau5 fried rice (or you can get white), it was tasty. Not so much texture to the fried rice, just seemed like brown rice with flavor, no veggies. Then the mandarin oranges were fresh and delicious but after a while I could not eat them when they got hot, I have this thing with hot fruit.
Overall, I really loved my dish and can’t wait to try more!

KalbiHau5 has a new lunch & late-​night set-​up in downtown Orlando — right in the Central Business District, on the corner of S. Orange Ave & Pine Street. Great location & I think an ideal lunch stop!
I’ve eaten the spicy chicken tacos twice and enjoyed them thoroughly. The spiciness is just enough to keep it from being bland — perfect for a spice wuss like me – and I enjoy the smaller size tacos because it makes it easier to eat. The addition of the small orange slice on each mini-​taco is a great sweet kick.
I also tasted the lychee lemonade and thought it was delicious! I’m not a lemonade fan, but the addition of the sweet lychee totally did it for me. Incredibly refreshing on a sunny Orlando afternoon!
I know people complain about the portion size, but you should consider it more tapas style. I think the flavor profile fits those who are a little afraid to try something TOO ethnic but are tired of the same old same old. For me, it was the perfect lunch both times!
Can’t wait to go back & taste the pork! Oh yeah, and I plan to have that frozen hot chocolate soon, too!

I was excited that there was a new Asian taco truck in town and the fact that it was stationed in the downtown area on weekends… but food did not live up to my expectations…
First of all it took forever to get our food. There was 4 of us and we waited probably about 20 minutes for it. The service was very friendly and he even gave us extra waters for the wait.
The best two things we got were the lychee lemon-​aid… which i will say was pretty amazing, but very sugary, and the Kimchee quesadilla. The quesadilla was a little small, but had a nice flavor.
On the other hand the tacos were very small and bland. My boyfriend and were extremely disappointing and left more hungry then when we arrived.
If you want to try this place out. make sure you have lots of time. I have some friends who waited an hour for there food during food truck events. Sadly when they got their food… they weren’t happy with it either.

I was out and about at Spacebar on a Friday night and I scored big time when I saw them parked outside! I’m soooo happy to finally get my mexorean fix here in Orlando! (Coming from LA, you definitely have your choice of food trucks. Everything from the traditional roach coaches to the more gormet, innovative creations and often times you take the gamble at trying out the different fusions.)
With Kalbi Hau5 it’s not so much of a gamble but a sure bet that you’ll get quality «mexorean». (that’s my term for korean/​mexican fusion)
I ordered the following:
— Kimchi Quesadilla — You know, when it comes to kimch, you often times hope that it’s not fresh and that it’s been fermented enough so you get that spicy, tangy flavor. The kimchi was peeerrfect and the taste was definitely something my tastebuds were craving.
— Citrus Pork Jalapeño Quesadilla — Ohhhhh, the pork was seasoned just right, tender and juicy and when you get the taste of that Citrus-​Jalapeño sauce, it just brings the entire dish together. I didn’t think it was too spicy which was nice so my other friends weren’t intimidated by the spice. But then again, I’m not so sure my hot and someone else’s hot is the same… but all in all I felt the flavors were layered nicely and can be enjoyed by many.
— Sesame-​Chili Quesadilla — This is everything you would want in a sesame chicken and when you fold in the chili flavor to it, you definitely get the favorite asian heat everyone craves. It’s a hit for a reason… this was probably most everyone’s fave of the 3 quesadillas.
The quesadillas were all grilled to perfection and cut up into 4 slices so you could enjoy with friends and make trades just like you would in elementary school with your boxed lunches. :) hehe
A solid truck offering quality ingredients and a simply creative fusion menu that doesn’t disappoint.
The owners were cool and it was fun thanking them in korean and getting a korean «your welcome» :)
Secret (but not so secret… but secret) confession: I’m already re-​routing my drive home from work tomorrow so I can stop by the truck… mmmmmm :P

I was really disappointed with my first visit to the Kalbi Hau5 truck, I went with 2 friends and we ordered:
1. Spicy Chicken Tacos which were ok, nothing memorable and the 3 tacos are VERY small, you’ll need a second order for the average person to be full but at $ 6 per order it isn’t worth it.
2. Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl & Spicy Chicken Rice Bowl: $ 6 each both bowls were also not very substantial in size, the tofu and chicken were cut very small about ¼ in size served with white rice and topped with a tasty salad and awesome spicy sauce
3. Beef Quesadilla: $ 6 it was actually half of a quesadilla (can u tell that the portion size is a problem with this truck!!!) the flavor was better than the rest of the food we ordered, the right about of cheese and meat.
4. Parmesan Truffle Fries: $ 4 THE BEST part of our meal, we all gravitated to them and couldn’t stop munching on them! At the beginning I wondered why there wasn’t a dipping sauce available, bit once I tried them I realized it was because the fries were great on their own! YUMMO!
5. Lechee Lemonade: $ 2 it was okay, not an intense flavor but refreshing.
Next time I see the Hau5 truck I will try any of the special items, such as the fries, that aren’t on their regular menu, because I am not about to pay for small portions that aren’t very memorable.
Oh and one more thing, whether they are busy or not the wait is always long.

I waited an hour for a bowl of rice. My husband stood in line For An Hour. for a bowl of rice. To be clear, it took an hour from the time he ordered and paid to get that bowl of rice. Others had demanded refunds and left.
Why so long Kalbi Haus? WHYYYY?
I was so hungry I couldn’t stand it and the only thing leaving this truck was fries.
Siiiiiigh.
The pork in the bowl wasn’t anything to rave about, yet I snarfed that little bowl of crap down faster than a maggot on a bloated armadillo. Then ended up at Oblivion to actually fill my belly.
Next time I think I’ll stick with KBBQ.

I got to give it a shot after weeks of seeing their tweets online. They were at the Food Truck Bazaar at the Fashion Square… now on to it. I really liked the guys they were very nice, I got there a half hour before closing and all was still available. They are somewhat of a newer truck around town without a heavy set schedule of locations, although they did say they were booked up just not at very regular spot or regular days so check their twitter for the daily spots.
I ordered the tacos, I noticed that it was 3 tacos for $ 6 bux which is good, but i did not want to fill up because I wanted to try some other spots, so I talked to the guy at the Window, Herbert, and he told me I could get 2 if I wanted for $ 4. So I did that… he did warn me that I would not get full, and I sure didn’t. He also told me they were on traditional corn tortillas, which was awesome, but he didn’t really mention how small they were, these were like mini miniature corn tortillas, which was not bad in the taste dept, but just not a normal size. More like traditional street tacos from mexico. Amazing taste and they packed a huge punch of flavor from each kind, i got a spicy chicken and a spicy pork, the pork had a char on it which gave it sort of a crunchy texture which I really liked. He told me that one of the best sellers was the short ribs, which I plan on trying next time. This place is really good, and I think they are much better than the now defunkt Mobile Deli… although the tacos at Mobile were Mo-​bigger. a lil.
Anyhow great food and nice guys, the guys were munching on stuff from their menu inside the truck which is usually a good sign. I also ordered the Lychee lemonade which was good, but not too lemony or lychee’y for $ 2.50. I do love Lychee drinks, but next time I will prolly skip it unless they throw some vodka in it, or do something a lil different. Looking forward to the next time though guys.

This seems to be a new addition to the food truck options in Orlando, and looking at their schedule, they have been busy hitting up all the local food pods and nightlife hot-​spots.
For their up to date locations and hours:

From their website: «The Kalbi Hau5 Truck brings you quality Asian Barbecue with a gourmet twist. We combine the freshest and finest ingredients to create unique and exotic flavors.
Kalbi Hau5 was designed to bring you exquisite style without compromising taste and quality. Give us a try, and we’ll win over your taste buds on the first bite. Far from your average food truck, Kalbi Hau5 represents the finest in Asian-​Mexican fusion and an experience without peer.»
I was able sample a kim-​chee quesadilla, with added short-​rib, and truffle oil fries after an evening at a local club. Service was friendly and food took a few minutes to serve as everything is cooked to order. The quesadilla was good, with yummy short rib pieces and kim-​chee inside and a delicious sauce heavily drizzled on top. I would have liked a more spicy kim-​chee, but know that taste isn’t really for the masses. The truffle fries were… they were. Not really fitting into the theme of the truck, and just tasted odd with an overpowering parmesan taste. I would skip those in the future. Kim-​chee Quesadilla– $ 5, +$ 1 for an added meat. Truffle fries– $ 4.
I would love to try some of their other offerings and will at some point in the future!