More than teriyaki

When Enjoy Teriyaki closed its doors in early 2018, it left a noticeable void in Chico’s international cuisine scene, as it had been the only place in town serving Korean food. But while I very much enjoyed that spot, a swift replacement arrived—the Oshio Teriyaki food truck. It opened last summer and has filled the vacancy and then some.

Over the past few months, I’ve found several occasions to stop by the truck, which parks at the corner of Eighth and Main streets, across from Chico Natural Foods. To date, I’ve tried about a quarter of the menu, and everything has been downright delicious.

For my first visit, I stopped by on my way home for lunch one afternoon. Owner and chef Micki Kim greeted me with a smile. I decided to order two of the truck’s staples—chicken teriyaki and bulgogi (marinated, stir-fried beef). Both come with rice, salad and a mandu (potsticker), for $9.50 and $10.95, respectively. I took it home and shared with my boyfriend, Chuck.

As an intro to Oshio, we couldn’t have asked for more. And while I’d say I preferred the chicken over the beef, I have nothing particularly negative to report on the latter; it’s just a personal choice. The mandu were more like Japanese gyoza than Chinese potstickers—which is to say they have thinner wrappers and are pan-fried versus steamed, giving them a satisfying crunch into the flavorful chicken and veggie mixture inside. Even the salad was good—something Chuck and I both noted—making the entire plate a home run.

I was hooked. I had to try more of Kim’s menu. For my next visit, I ordered the L.A. ribs (galbi), which are short ribs cut across the bone, marinated and grilled. Served over rice with salad and kimchi, they’re a little pricier at $14.75, but the meal was substantial. The rib meat was super tender and the sauce sweet without being overpowering. I skipped the kimchi because I’m simply not a fan, and the plate still lasted two sittings.

For my third and final visit, I opted for the japchae ($13.75), a traditional Korean dish that consists of glass noodles, veggies and meat. At Oshio, you get a choice of chicken or beef—I chose the chicken. This was my favorite dish yet! The glass noodles (made with the starch of sweet potatoes or mung beans) are really unique—clear and bouncy, with a slight chew. The matchstick carrot spears, cabbage and sliced bell peppers added color and crunch, and the chicken a bit of teriyaki-flavored protein.

Aside from the glass noodles, the most delightful surprise was the black fungus mushrooms. I prefer their other name, cloud ear mushrooms, which sounds both more appetizing and descriptive, as they were like little clouds in the dish, imparting a mild mushroom flavor, and a satisfying texture, soft with a slight bite.

I’m going to have a hard time ordering anything other than the japchae, but there are plenty more options that Kim serves up out of her little truck. The bibimbap is at the top of my list, but I’m also intrigued by some of the items on the phone-in-ahead menu. These are dishes that take longer to prepare, so Kim requests that extra time. The jjajangmyeon—black bean noodles with vegetables—for example, sounds particularly interesting. If it’s anything like the rest of the menu, it’ll be fantastic.