Delish Eats: El Taquero, Real Mexican Flavours Come to Play in Wan Chai

Restaurant history: El Taquero popped up on the corner of Ship Street and Queen’s Road East in Wan Chai’s wonderful culinary corner in August to great local fanfare. Executive Chef Alejandro Ramírez Pérez joins the all-Mexican operation to deliver family-style recipes from Central Mexico to a Hong Kong foodie community desperate for great tacos.

What’s the vibe and venue like: Fitting 45 seats inside the restaurant, El Taquero houses a spacious floor of hungry diners and celebratory vibe. Low orange lighting and touches of oak brown and orange ooze heat and colour in the fun-loving venue. The open kitchen is a nice touch that fills the restaurant with meaty pork smells.

How much does it cost: My split of the meal came to HK$506, which was fair with the six tacos I enjoyed, alongside sharing spicy mains, churros to end, and a refreshing micheladas cocktail. 

What’s the menu about: Brashly Mexican with a fair selection of familiar Mexican entradas, seven choices of tacos, platos grandes for accompanying sharing dishes of tangy and salty classics, and margaritas and micheladas (think Mexican version of Bloody Mary with beer) to wash down the salt and spice.

What did we order: Guacamole (HK$128), Tuna Tostados (HK$62), Tamales (HK$48), Lengua (HK$48), Fish Sayulita (HK$56), Pollo Adobado (HK$42), Nopales (HK$46), Chapulines (HK$46), Chicken Enchiladas (HK$168), Churros (HK$48), Verdita Micheladas (HK$88).

Tuna Tostados: Tangy bites of raw tuna appeal to a local crowd in search of familiar flavours at El Taquero. Each bite oozes with a briny, fishy juice that pairs excellently with the topped jalapeno for needed spice. It is the perfect starter to cleanse the palate for saltier bites later.

Nopales (left) and Fish Sayulita (right): The nopales tacos marries preserved cactus, with its strong vinegar flavour, and fruity pico de gallo for a well-balanced taco. I fell in love with the fish taco that held a crunchy texture, soft meaty insides, and chipotle aioli for a salty and sour bite.

Lengua (left) and Chapulines (right): Messy is the name of the game at El Taquero, where the lengua taco oozes with beefy juices, effectively tempered with sweet-sour onion cuts. I loved the chapulines (grasshoppers) taco that held mouthwatering notes of sundried tomatoes and garlic salt. The added guacamole was the cherry on the cake.

Chicken Enchiladas: Indulge in bright flavours with the enchiladas wraps that match salty chicken and sticky cheese with pickled salsa verde. Notably, you can taste the freshness of the chicken, which holds a stringy and salty flavour. The added cream and onion help balance the richness of each bite.

Churros: A much needed bite to the end of a rich meal, the churros wish you on our merry way with a delectable cinnamon, sugar, and doughy combination. Swipe some rich chocolate sauce on your churros piece for extra rich sweetness.

What we liked: The taco selection is vibrant and offers varying flavour combinations, especially with the chapulines for a unique grasshopper bite. The enchiladas were strong with a balanced salty-sour flavour.

What we didn’t like: The bathroom available on site is unfortunately located outside the venue, which means an uncomfortable journey outside in the weather.

What you should order: Guacamole, Chicken Enchiladas, Lengua, Fish Sayulita, Pollo Adobado, Chapulines, Churros.

Location: El Taquero, Shops B-F, G/F, Yan King Court, 119 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2811 1998

This food review is based on a complimentary media tasting provided by El Taquero in exchange for a truthful review and no compensation. The opinions expressed within represent the views of the author.

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