Socialito (已結業)

I went to Socialito once before. I sat in the al fresco dining area and had tacos and beer. It was my understanding that behind the al fresco dining area was a formal dining area with more than just tacos: gorditas, tostadas, black mole, spiny lobster and avocado crudo... but actually no.This was Saturday at 8:00pm. Surely if they are serving their regular menu it's then? I swear, I was inside the formal dining area, not out front, but the menu we were given had none of the options you will read about in the reviews below. The menu I was given had about 6 different starters (chips & guac, chips & salsa, chips & ceviche, pork rinds & guac, and two others), 6 different types of tacos (the same ones you get out front) and three quesadillas. No gorditas, no tostadas, no roasted romanesco cauliflower, nada. Am I missing something?The chips I liked. They were freshly cooked and warm, thick and crunchy, salted without being salty. I also liked the guacamole. In HK it's often this wierd perfectly smooth, alien green stuff. Here it's chunky and clearly, you know, made of avocados. It came with some salsa verde too, but the salsa was overly sweet and not particularly good. Overall, I thought the offering was good. B+There was only one ceviche on the menu and I didn't read the description very well, so I can't describe it in any detail. It had fish and corn and maybe some fruit (?) and like the salsa verde was on the sweet side. I didn't dislike it but I don't think I'd get it again. OK, C+Three kinds of tacos: chicken carnitas on the left, then mahi-mahi, and finally beef. I'll say that I liked the beef the best. It had some of that sweet salsa verde on it, but not too much, and the beef itself was really well seasoned and well cooked-- charred on the outside but tender on the inside. The chicken carnitas taco was good-- I don't see why you'd go with chicken instead of pork here-- there was some sort of sweet onion pickle on top I could've done without. The fish was nice with some crispy... things... on top (sorry, I didn't really read the menu). Unfortunately they over-did it on the sauce for the fish taco. Together I thought the tacos were very good, B+After eating the above we decided we were still hungry, so we ordered a chorizo quesadilla. It was sort of like the chimichanga of quesadillas. Was it deep fried? It was crispy and greasy, with Mexican chorizo (ground seasoned pork instead of the sausage slices one gets at Spanish places). I liked it, but it was heavy even for a quesadilla. B-My margarita had kaffir lime and jalapeno chili in it. But it cost over $100 and had the world's biggest ice cube in it, so it was maybe like a third of a drink. 8/10 on taste and about 1/10 on value-for-money.I didn't get any of my wife's cocktail, and I would have her review it but now she's gone to bed. So your guess is as good as mine. She didn't spit it out or anything.I'll definitely say I was disappointed. I like tacos, but I thought I was in for something more. Maybe they do still serve gorditas, tostadas, and "seared pork belly with green peanut mole, crispy pork skin, onion jalapano rajas, chayote peanut slaw," as one review below indicates. If so, they don't serve them to me, and that makes me hypothetically angry. The tacos are comparable to Brickhouse and better than Taco Chaca. Some of the tacos (beef, pork belly) are great, but the entire set up is marred by this HK thing of stuffing everything with rare and exotic ingredients instead of just settling down and making good, solid food.Good? B. 继续阅读

We tried the $328 set dinner for Restaurant Week, which consisted of 2 starters, a main, a side, a dessert and a tea/coffe. Which is actually pretty reasonable for LKF. We were pretty hungry when we got there at 6:30pm so we thought we could start with a drink and some snacks for happy hour. Happy hour only exists for the taqueria so we went back outside and ordered a drink (30% off), the pulled pork sopes, and the mushroom truffle tacos from the happy hour menu. The kid waiter that took our order insisted there was no happy hour until two of the other staff informed him, and he didn't bother to come up to apologise for the mistake or anything, just hung out on the sidewalk smoking. I guess that was to create the atmosphere of what a real taqueria is like on the streets of Mexico.The tacos were a decent sized portion and very tasty, lots of mushroom and a dollop of sour cream, not too heavy either. The pulled pork was dry and the sopes was doughy and bland. After that we we went back in to the dimly lit restaurant and was shown a round booth that offered plenty of privacy for conversation but without being cut off from the rest of the room. The service inside was much better, in that the waiters were up front with the deals they were offering (free white/red if paying with any Amex, woot-woot!), the Restaurant Week deal of $328 and another $258 deal for the Socialito one year anniversary (similar, but only 1 appetiers). The food was served in a timely fashion, the plates were cleared at the appropriate times throughout the meal, and the table was wiped down before the mains and desserts were served. Tap water on demand, no fuss about pushing bottled water, and happily refilled by the staff without asking. At least two waiters came up to ask our opinion on the food, we almost thought it was some secret filming for the food channels as they went into a lot of details about the texture and flavour of each dish and asking us for comments on the smallest detail. It was nice to interact with the staff in a positive way and they were not intrusive at all.For starters we had the red snapper and hamachi cervice, the tomato salad and the tuna tostaditas. The presentation was different to the other ceviches I've had (the soupy ones in a glass), and I loved the sweetness of the hamachi with a bit of garlic sauce, whereas the red snapper came in a paste mixed with mango that was a bit too mousse-like, and the seasoning overpowered the fish. The tomato salad was refreshing and the tuna tostaditas was a good sized portion of creamy coconut and avocado puree and juicy cubes of tunas that went well with the crunchy chips.For mains we had the short ribs and the monkfish. The short ribs were divine, so so SO tender it melted in my mouth, I hardly had to chew any of it, and the sweet sauce coating the rice was irresistable. It's almost like the Opor Rusuk I had in KL, perhaps the chef was tyring to combine some Asian flavours into a Peruvian dish? The monkfish was a little overseasoned and dry. The side of sesame kale had nicely wilted greens, and the potatoes were fried crispy on the outside.Desserts of chili molten chocolate cake and banana fritters were both beautifully presented, with an interesting combination of flavours and textures. The chocolate cake was ever so slightly overcooked and the middle wasn't runny, but other than that the dish was excellent. Both the red and white were good house wine. I like the vanilla flavour of the horchata (would have liked a bit more cinnamon too), and the hibiscus tea was a lovely dark velvet colour and very refreshing.Overall, we were very happy customers with a full belly. 继续阅读

年初我第一次到Socialito吃饭，觉得各款墨西哥菜式味道很不错，最近餐厅推出全新的夏日菜单，所以我再次来访试试。夏日菜式的味道较清新易入口，有多款冰冻醒胃的沙律或前菜选择。各款拉丁美洲风格的菜式味道都带有点甜，酸和辣，配搭很消暑。另外, 香港今年终于放宽了对美国带骨牛肉的十年限制, 准许三十个月以下的美国带骨牛肉入口, Socialito现在也开始供应美国带骨牛肉。这次对Socialito全部的菜式都很满意，有时间的话我会再来吃饭!When I first visited Socialito at the beginning of the year, I was immediately impressed by the restaurant's understated, stylish surroundings as well as the creative and satisfying Mexican cuisine. The recent introduction of a new summer menu has brought me back to this restaurant, and I was once again wowed by all the bold, delicious flavours of the dishes!The kitchen used a range of light, summery ingredients to create the dishes on the new menu, which make them more palatable under Hong Kong's unbearable summer heat. Expanding from the Mexican region, the preparation of the new dishes draw in techniques and ingredients from other Latin American countries. The portions for the summer dishes are slightly smaller than the winter ones, and there are more light and raw dishes, such as salads and ceviches - they are brilliant to go with a glass of wine or cocktail!(1) Our feast began with Scallop Tiradito (with Passionfruit Broth, Corn Salsa, Crispy Serrano Ham, Mint), which was a light, delicate dish that was lifted by a fruity, sweet sauce. The smoothness of the scallops was nicely broken up by the crunchy serrano ham.(2) The Cuban Mojo Ceviche (Hamachi with Garlic Chimichurri, Spiced Plantains, Frisee) was delightful, with the startlingly fresh taste of the hamachi accentuated by the clean-tasting garlic chimichurri.(3) The Panamanian Tuna Tostaditas (with Coconut Sauce, Avocado Puree, Grilled Orange Fennel Salsa) were deliciously comforting, and the contrast between the velvety chopped tuna and the thin, crispy tostaditas was terrific.(4) I loved the smoothness and creaminess of the avocados in this Creamy Avocado Salad (with Picked Tomatillo, Green Onions, Buttermilk Dressing, Toasted Almonds). The tartness of the buttermilk dressing and the herbal taste of the cilantro added vibrance to this salad. We also tried the Argentine Salad (with Caramel Infused Dressing, Bacon, Chipotle, Goat Cheese, Chimichurri Crisp), served with a piece of Chimichurri Crisp which was thin and fantastically crunchy. The goat cheese was enticingly rich, and the caramel-infused dressing, which was sweet and slightly hot, gave this salad a marvellous kick!(5) The Brazilian Spiced Pork Loin (with Garlic Sauce, Braised Pork Empanada, Micro Salad) was gorgeously grilled and beautifully tender, and the meaty taste of the pork was magnificent.(6) The Roasted Monkfish (with Caribbean Coconut Sauce, Crispy Polenta, Spinach, Red Peanut Crunch) was gorgeously crispy on the surface, and the seasoning was spot-on. The crispy polenta confused us for a while as we wondered why it was in a brown colour, but the staff later explained that the colour came from the spices which they cooked the polenta with.(7) The scallops in the Sea Scallop Fideos (with Spanish Pasta, Poblano Cream, Mussels, Corn, Cilantro) were tenderly cooked and had a melting texture, but the Spanish pasta, which was deep fried instead of boiled, was rather dry and grainy texture; I wished that normal, smooth pasta was used instead, which would have matched the buttery texture of the scallop.(8) Due to the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease in the USA years ago, Hong Kong imposed a 10-year ban on US bone-in steaks, and the ban was only lifted earlier this year! Many steakhouses have jumped on the US bone-in beef bandwagon, and Socialito is no exception. The USDA Prime Bone-In Ribeye (18oz) with Kumquat Mojo was lip-smackingly good, and the taste of beef, layered between fat, was sublime. The Kumquat mojo was a light, citrus dressing which worked incredibly well in cutting through the fattiness of the beef.(9) I have a weakness for most forms of carbohydrates, and the Bravas Potatoes (with Chili Tomato Aioli, Spring Onion & Cilantro), which were crispy on the surface and powdery in the middle, completely won me over. The sweet potatoes were cut into little chunks, and the entire portion was gone in minutes! The Baby Corn Esquites (Grilled Baby Corn with Aioli, Queso Anejo, Lime, Cilantro) had a lovely crunch, and the aioli matched with the corn perfectly. The Sea Beans with Cauliflower (with Slow Cooked Garlic Sauce) were also tasty, and a strong taste of garlic gave this dish some flair.(10) Even though we already had enough food to feed a family for a week, our appetite knew no bounds and we decided to order the Dry Aged Strip Loin with Truffled Chimichurri. The strip loin was more fatty than the rib-eye we just had, but it was just as delicious. Even though the steak would have sufficed on its own, the Truffled Chimichurri tasted terrific and was a welcomed addition.(11) When I thought that the meal could not get any better, it did when we finally got around to eating desserts. The Fig Crepas, fresh figs served with crispy, eggy crêpes, were simply sublime. Figs are very commonly eaten in Mexico and in Latin America, and this light, delicate fruit worked wonders with crêpes, a caramel sauce and some almond crumble. Some house-made Cajeta ice cream, which tasted a bit like salted caramel or dulce de leche ice cream, was served on the side, and it was so ridiculously tasty, sweet and sticky that we were almost fighting over it!(12) After we finished our meal, we ordered some cocktails. This Walking Dead was a drink with absinthe in it. In order to mask the taste of absinthe, the drink was made very sweet, but the taste was still perceptible. It was definitely not the most delicious drink I have had, but it would surely be very effective in getting you or your friends intoxicated! I also had a drink called "Aphrodisiac", which was (despite its crude name) an elegant drink with a remarkable taste of aged tequila.Socialito really appealed to me the first time I visited, and my second visit turned out to be just as good as my first, if not even better! The menu was innovative and playful, and the Latin America-inspired dishes were full of complex, exotic, fabulous flavours - the meal was a job well done. 继续阅读

有幸收到公关的邀请，来到位于云咸街的食店试食，此店其实集Casual Fine Dining及Clubbing于一身，本人是老饼一名，当然不会跟大家推介什么夜生活的东西了，但吃的，就会尽力如实的告之。说回公关背后的这集团，继数所大热店Lily & Bloom，就开了这所主力做墨西哥菜的店子，除此之外，为了涉猎更多层面的顾客，大厨William Otis也做了一系列美州风格的菜式，而我们是夜要试的，就是它们为了迎接夏天而创出的新菜单。未吃东西，吃西餐都会先来几杯酒，Happy Hour一番，店家是夜就全场弄了一个估红白酒地区及品种的比赛，本人十分之水皮，先不计嬴输，单单是要本人估地区，本人真的是填不出答案，所以Blind Tasting真的很难。都是谈回吃是会比较好一点，是夜先来数道头盘小吃，墨西哥人喜欢吃牛油果，这一道每件Bite-Size的烘饼小吃Panamanian Tuna Tostaditas，其实就是用了南美人爱吃的Tortilla，面层的馅用上牛油果浆，混入椰汁及墨西哥人的茴香沙沙汁来调味，再加入吞拿鱼蓉，整体的感觉很夏天。而且更难得的是每种食材混和之后，不会一方盖过了另一方，基本上本人是能同时吃到牛油果的香润、椰子的丰香及茴香的刺激，配合脆口的Tortilla及软绵半生的鱼肉一起吃，实在真的很合夏天这个主题。第二道要尝的是Scallop Tiradito，其实用了帆立贝来作鱼生，切成薄片后，我们蘸的不是酱油，而是以热情果熬出来的汤汁，再随意撤点粟米粒及脆烟肉，帆立贝片本身鲜味十足，其实不用蘸任何东西来吃，已经是鲜味爆灯，加上酸酸甜甜的热情果汁，不但没有遮掩它的鲜，但配合起来又真的很清新，确实又中夏天这个主题。第三道看来就是刺身料理，名字为Cuban Mojo Ceviche，以数片Hamachi鱼生为基础，鱼生本身嫩滑可口，而在酱汁方面就渗入了南美的元素，加入Garlic Chimchurri及Spiced Plantains，前者具有大量的欧芹及蒜，混了点醋之后，既酸且香，而后者则带来一份辛香的刺激，味道浓郁又开胃，面层的那条菊苣，其实是装饰品而已。之后就吃点蔬菜，先来一份Argentine Salad，虽然看来是以普通的沙律菜为基础，Dressing中加入Goat Cheese及Bacon是等闲事，但其实在酱汁方面还是渗入了南美的元素，当中的Chimchurri Crisp及Chipotle，就真的很有南美风情了，前者具有大量的欧芹及蒜，为沙律提香，而后者则是当地的一款辣椒，带来的微辛，刚好跟加入了焦糖的Dressing配合得很好，味道浓得来又很开胃，再加上一点点的奶酪芝士来吃，时而一口香脆而带牛油香草味的多士，如果中午来当午餐吃，其实已经是一件快事。而另外的一款沙律是加入了牛油果的Creamy Avocado Salad，也是以普通的沙律菜为基础，不过是次的Dressing则用了牛奶及牛油打烂而成，入口很Creamy，又带奶油香，配合点牛油果及烤过的杏仁来吃，口感很饱满，味道真的已经够好，不过另外还加入了腌渍过的树茄，看来是用来平衡那饱满的感觉，但个人又认为它的味道不算突出，但至少也没有带来任何坏的影响，所以吃味还很不错。接下来就吃主菜了，先来吃巴西猪，用上巴西猪腰肉，其实即是里脊肉，烤好之后布满了炭烤过的网状纹，光吃它已经是既有炭香，又有猪油脂的丰香，加上本身猪肉肉质软熟，其实已经是够好吃，再蘸点伴来的蒜蓉酱汁吃，就更带一点辛香。在猪肉旁的一堆菜是店家称呼为Micro Salad的东西，基本上都只是普通一堆菊苣，反之另外那件如馅饼的东西，其实是以炖煮过的猪肉为馅，然后再以饼皮包住烘烤而成，饼皮酥脆，而里头的猪肉馅也够软腍，加上大量不同的香料，吃起来味道比起刚才的猪腰肉更丰富。吃过了猪就吃鱼，我们是日吃的是𩽾𩾌鱼，烤过的𩽾𩾌鱼件有点如煎封的感觉，外层有点干旱，不过幸好里头还算湿润，但可能始终𩽾𩾌鱼本身的肉质都是比较实净的关系，吃起来是非一般鱼类的口感，不过鱼肉会较甜美，所以烤过之后的鱼肉味道就更丰富了。为此店家大胆的用了加勒比海式的椰酱，混合小玉米粉开成糊状，以作为伴鱼肉吃的酱汁，可知道当中其实除了椰子忌廉外，更有葱、青柠汁及各式香料提味，令酱汁的味道既开胃又澎湃，但却同时不会令人完全尝不到鱼肉本身的味道，混点花生碎同时入口，坦然又真的带有很强的夏日色彩。Sea Scallop Fideos看来是一碟很普通的扁意粉，但原来当中的煮法是内有干坤，用了一种如中国人的干煸的做法，令意粉煎至半干焦的状态，务求令意粉更吸收之后的酱汁，令其吃味更佳，这个做法，又令本人想起我们的咕噜肉。当然这意粉的吃味一点也不像咕噜肉，因为它予人的感觉是重身得多，以牛油、面粉、上汤及酸忌廉混合而成的Poblano Cream Sauce，令意粉带有黏稠的感觉，入口带丰富奶油牛油香味，不过意粉本身的质地就跟平常的很不同，口感绝不Al Dente，反之就有如一团干身收水了的粉皮，坦然本人就不太喜欢这个感觉，但拌匀当中的一点栗米来吃，掺入一点爽口甜美的风味，又确是非常独特。本人较为欣赏的，反之是它那Pan Fried至近乎焦黑的带子，入口顿时带来一阵很重的炭香味，但原来带子的内层仍旧非常嫩滑，而且还保留其天然的鲜甜，咀嚼起来更十分有弹性，就连在座的另一位食友也大赞这烤带子，而在旁的蚌就显得相形见拙，但其实也并不难吃，只不过是那带子太好吃罢了。最后一味主菜是USDA Prime Bone-In Ribeye，这个也不用本人多说了，就是以最基本的烤炉烤至半熟，然后伴以Kumquat Mojo酱汁，此酱汁酸酸甜甜的，除了令大家去掉吃太多肉的腻滞感，当中的一点点香料，与及有如果泥般的质地，配上肉食真的是绝好的配搭。说回那件牛扒，不难发现牛扒的外层被烤至像炭，但原来里头还非常粉嫩，咀嚼起来有着肉纤维应有的弹性，啖啖细味都是丰富的牛肉味，这相信就是Dry Aged牛扒的好处，但同时又不见得它有什么Dry Aged所带来的坏处，牛肉咬起来还有着相当的肉汁，这一点真的令人佩服。是夜就连Side Dish的阵容都是异常庞大，先来介绍主理人自己也狂迷的Bravas Potatoes，单看其名字，还真的以为是跟在西班牙吃过的Bravo Patata一样，但原来它的分别就可大了，除了本身薯仔粒切得够细，而令薯粒每件也带数分脆口的感觉外，当中以带辣椒蕃茄的蛋黄酱拌匀，也令它的吃味来得异常丰富，香脆得来又可口，可口得来又味浓，其实真的叫人吃不停口，不过它唯一的不好，就是它很撑肚子，所以好吃也不能吃得多了。Baby Corn Esquites其实就是烧粟米仔，烧好之后再涂上蛋黄酱，粟米仔嫩口无渣又够热辣辣，入口尽是蛋黄酱那如忌廉的香浓，另外相信当中还加入了Queso Anejo及青柠汁，前者是墨西哥的一款芝士，味道有如 Feta Cheese 般浓郁，而后者就令酱汁多了数分清新的感觉，可是本人坦然真的不太吃得出当中两者的存在，这可能是店家的蛋黄酱味道已经很足够的关系吧。最后一款Side Dish是Sea Beans with Cauliflower，以如烩豆的方式去煮，慢慢的就将豆煮腍，豆粉从其中爆破出来，形成这有如糊状物，入口很糊很黏，但同时也很够滑，吃起来没太多豆壳哽口，而且吃得出当中的的豆香还带点蒜香，口味也是够重，但同样可惜的，就是它很饱滞，所以吃多两口就要投降了。这夜的甜点是Fig Crepas，其实顾名思义，就是是以无花果为Crepas的馅料的班戟，班戟饼皮松软，洒上了杏仁碎及一点焦糖浆后，带来点坚果香及焦糖的甜美，基本上就已经不会难吃，不过那当中的无花果，个人认为是放得细粒了一点，令它的味道全然突出不来。在相片中远处的雪糕，不是普通的云呢拿雪糕，而是Cajeta Ice cream，这雪糕是墨西哥式的羊奶雪糕，吃起来很甜身，而且质地很黏很浆，那感觉就有如雪冻了的吉士一样，单吃起来有点奇怪，但如果用来伴Crepas吃，其实问题也不大。吃饱了之后，就有点东西垫一垫酒精了，此店其实最大的一个卖点，就是它们的Cocktail，毕竟店子就在老兰，隐敝的在云咸街这酒吧林立的地方，没有好的酒精供应是不行的，所以热情的店家也为我们预备了两款鸡尾酒。先来的是The Zombie，其实这名字虽然没有Long Island般出名，不过如果大家用Google搜寻Cocktail及The Zombie，你会发现原来坊间有上数十种不同冲调此鸡尾酒的配方，那就知道它也不是很冷门，The Zombie从来不是简单的鸡尾酒，用上超过十款酒类混合而成，主要酒精成份来自Rum，所以难怪喝起来带有Rum的独特香味，同时带着数分热情果的味道，不过个人还是认为它并未至于店家所言的那么易入口，但以其酒精浓度来计，酒的香味及层次还属不错。另外一杯带绿色的是Cucumber Margarita，其实坦然本人都不是听得很清楚它是一杯含有青瓜的Margarita，不过面层那阵柔和的Fruit Essence Foam，加上酸酸甜甜又开胃、如果汁般的酒，入口后酒精感觉不重，但又带有浓浓龙舌兰的香味，个人认为这一杯鸡尾酒就真的如店家所言，很易入口，能不知不觉之间贯注大量酒精到人体内，嗯！这对于女士们可是危险品呢！最后也抵抗不了诱惑，要了杯店家的Mexican Coffee，光光的看是有点像杯Espresso Con Panna，甫入口是滑溜的Whipped Cream，咖啡入口后，带有一种很烈但却又感到很醇厚的感觉，这相信就是XO给本人的感觉，可惜的是那天然的麦甜，完全被Kahlua所遮掩，坦然本人不懂什么墨西哥式的咖啡Cocktail，不过纯以咖啡的本质而言，本人一向都不喜欢喝甜的，所以就连云呢拿的味道也被遮掩得七七八八，幸好本身咖啡味道够浓，加上一口厚滑的Whipped Cream，喝起来也还不赖。这夜是饱足偷快的一夜，很高兴认识了数位识饮识食的Food Blogger，而店家的招呼，与及以小型游戏所带起的气氛，也真的令人更投入，相信如果有天再来，以此店的生意模式，相信应该会越夜越有机，令人由傍晚玩到深宵。 继续阅读

So the other day my friend and I wanted to try out something different other than the usual pasta or fish and chips for lunch. We headed over to Socialito for a late lunch around 3pm, and chose to be seated at the casual high tables at their taqueria where we enjoyed the early afternoon sunlight. Food was served after a quick 10 minute wait, first came the market fish tacos which I absolutely loved (I’m definitely going back for this!) By first sight, it looked like a boring fish with tartar sauce taco, garnished with some fried onions. But there was a fine twist to the tartar sauce, it had a hint of coconut taste to it (I must admit I’m not a fan of coconut but the faint taste of it mixed really well with the fish and all.) Heres the chicken carnitas sopes and the wagyu beef pastele whilst we were finishing our last bites of the tacos. The chicken carnitas sopes were mini sized, not particularly special to me, all I can recall now is just chicken with guacamole on an oily bottom (the sopes). Last came the wagyu beef pastele, nothing too fancy with the sauce but the beef was nicely braised, very tender and well seasoned. I personally didn’t like the banana masa, probably just didn’t like mushy textured foods in general. Lunch totaled to a bit over $100 for each of us, but overall I would consider to revisit Socialito to try out their restaurante (apparently they have a restaurant behind their taqueria, and the entrance is actually the silver kitchen door.) But definitely will be back for their market fish tacos!! 继续阅读