RECIPE: Monterey Bay Aquarium Chef Matt Beaudin's Korean bacon tacos.

Institute food no longer need be so institutional.

Where museum, zoo and aquarium food was once cafeteria-style sod assembled by afterthought, there now appear pioneering places like TASTE at the Seattle Art Museum and Patina at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

And, triumphantly, Cindy's Waterfront at Monterey Bay Aquarium. 

No more fear of gnarly anonymous nuggets.

Which is part of the reason new Aquarium Executive Chef Matthew Beaudin loves his new gig.

“You were always afraid to eat the food; you never knew what you’re going to get,” Beaudin says. “At the Aquarium, it’s a forethought.”

Some of the tastiest thought projects have come with special summertime Evenings by the Bay, with which Beaudin and company set up food stations ($5/station; $25/five stations), and let loose on some tasty creativity.

One Saturday they reimagined junk food with things like Cool Ranch Dorito tostadas with bay shrimp ceviche and “Doritos” they made themselves, and “Not So Krafty” mac & cheese with slow-cooked pulled pork.

Another time the dishes crisscrossed the country, from the Floribbean (jerk wings and stewed plantains) to California (sweet corn elote with crispy chorizo).

A different and most daring week it was 11 different dishes including hazelnut-grasshopper brittle, Mongolian barbecue octopus, bacon-fat chicharrones and Oaxacan cheese-beef-pea empanadas.

One of the dishes that night was Korean bacon tacos with kimchee slaw. Beaudin asked to share it with readers, presumably because he wants to perpetuate the clean creativity that’s a main course at Waterfront. 

It appears below.

Learn more about the new adventuresome foodie era at the Aquarium with this week's column, "Big Blue Live means new Aquarium chef gets busy."

•••Korean Bacon Tacos•••

Kimchee

1 small head Napa cabbage shredded

1 yellow onion julienned

3 large carrots shredded

3 Fresno chilies

½ cup kosher salt

3 cloves garlic

1 inch of ginger grated

¼ cup fish sauce

1.5 cups rice wine vinegar

¼ cup gochujang chile paste (found at most Asian markets)

Combine cabbage, onion and carrot in a small mixing bowl and pour in salt. Mix thoroughly and let sit for approximately 2 hours at room temperature mixing occasionally. While waiting combine ginger, garlic, fish sauce and vinegar in a blender and blend until combined. After two hours rinse vegetables in cold water and return to mixing bowl. Pour liquid over vegetables and enjoy. Kimchee can be eaten immediately or used the next day as well.

Korean Pork

½ cup black coffee

½ cup maple syrup

2 Tbsp. Gochujang chile paste (see Asian markets)

12 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon (or any bacon)

Whisk coffee, maple and chili paste until combined. Lay bacon flat on baking sheet and brush with glaze. Cook in conventional oven for approximately 12-15 minutes. Brush bacon minimum of one additional times during cooking process. Bacon can be brushed up to three additional times, each additional time will only reinforce the spiciness of the glaze. When finished remove bacon and rough chop lengthwise.

Sriracha Aioli

1 clove fresh garlic minced

1 cup mayonnaise

Juice of ½ lemon

2 Tbsp. Sriracha

Whisk all ingredients until combined & refrigerate (May be made ahead up to one day)

Assembly: Using soft or hard tacos put a layer of warm chopped pork down first followed by desired amount of kimchee. Drizzle with Sriracha aioli.