Vatos Urban Tacos was founded in Seoul back in Nov 2011 by 3 Korean-Americans - Kenny Park and Sid Kim from Southern California, and Texas-based Juweon Kim. Their offerings - targetted at the large American expat community as well as the cosmopolitan Itaewon crowd - are a spread of fusion Korean-Mexican dishes. The restaurant first garnered international attention when CNN’s 29 June 2012 food article by Seoul-based correspondents, Joohwan Kim and Frances Cha, listed it as one of the 5 hottest new restaurants which opened in the Seoul in the past year. This Singapore outlet is the chain’s first branch outside Seoul, Korea.
Started off with a classic Makgeollitas - a margarita made using makgeolli, a Korean rice wine. Tasty and dangerously addictive.
- Chips & salsa, served complimentary, as one browsed the menu.
We had a quick pre-theatre meal as we were watching the National Theatre production of Mark Haddon’s “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” at the Esplanade Singapore nearby a while later.
- Kimchi carnitas fries - French fries covered with braised pork carnitas, sauteed kimchi and melted cheese, topped with Vatos hot sauce, cilantro and chopped onions.
- Honey tequila chicken wings - deep-fried wings coated with sweet-spicy honey tequila sauce, and batter-fried jalapeños, served with a blue cheese dipping sauce.
- Nacho Mama’s nachos - mashed black beans, corn chips, hot queso cheese, cilantro lime crema, Vatos hot sauce, jalapeños, guacamole and pico de gallo.
- The Fat Bastard - carne asada steak, barbacoa pork, grilled fajita vegetables, roasted corn salsa, fresh guacamole, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, cilantro lime crema, chipotle salsa and Vatos hot sauce.
Love the drinks. Not too sure about the food - most of which seemed processed anyway - warmed up and put together. Good for a quick meal.
Address
Vatos Urban Tacos
South Beach Quarter #01-03, 36 Beach Road, Singapore 189766
Tel: +65 6385 6010
Opening hours: 11.30am-11pm Sun-Thu, 11.30am-1am Fri-Sat.
