The taco is perhaps the perfect street food. It's deceptively simple, often no more than three ingredients, sometimes only two, on the most basic of conveyances, a flat tortilla. But somehow a good taco transcends its humble construction to become something greater.
And tacos are fun: finger food designed to go with tequila, margaritas and frosty beers. No other snack lends itself more freely to spontaneous group singing and making new friends from a bar stool. Thanks to the recent proliferation of taco restaurants in Hong Kong, there is now an alternative to Hong Kong's famously image-conscious nightlife. Not all live up to expectations, but they offer a varied introduction to the world of Mexican street food.
So drink lots of water, skip lunch and hit the taco trail. Saturday night may never be the same. Ole! I start my taco tour at one of Hong Kong's older taco establishments, Mr Taco Truck in Quarry Bay. If you don't want to go all the way there, or if it happens to be Saturday (when it is closed), there is now one in Lan Kwai Fong as well.
People love the decor, which looks like a big taco truck. And then there's the price, which, at HK$17 a taco, means you will have some cash left over for the rest of the evening.
Unfortunately, however, the experience is a little underwhelming. The space is disorganised and the service, while friendly, is haphazard. The salsa is a bitter tomato water, and the tacos are garnished simply with coriander and a handful of diced onions. Diners are given the typical choice of four meats: pollo (chicken), carne asada (steak), carnitas (roasted pork) and al pastor (which they describe as spicy pork but is traditionally pineapple-marinated pork shaved from a spit like a kebab). The chicken is fine, moist but not flavourful enough to stand out from the onions. The carnitas and al pastor are the best options. The carnitas is especially flavourful, but tough. A good selection of Mexican beers (Tecate, Bohemia, Sol and Carta Blanca) can be had for only HK$45 a bottle. As the tour progresses, you may appreciate these prices even more. Another stop on the taco trail, is justa few blocks from the Lan Kwai Fong outlet to the most talked about Mexican restaurant in Hong Kong at the moment, Brickhouse. This hip Mexico City-inspired restaurant and bar, down an alley, is the brainchild of Texas chef Austin Fry. Think of it as the Mexican Yardbird, with an in-crowd sharing small plates and drinking to glamorous excess. Sit down, order some Latin-inspired cocktails, a Bohemia beer, a few shots of Don Julio tequila and a taco platter to share. The platters vary each day, but fish, rib-eye, lengua (beef tongue), pork belly and chicken are typical.
What really sets the Brickhouse tacos apart are the tortillas, made fresh as you watch. The fish taco is a crowd pleaser, with crisp fresh flavours and a nice bite of citrus. The beef tongue is also popular, well cooked with good texture and not too chewy. Be sure to order a simple side dish of sliced avocado - it's delicious.