We had been through Hong Kong once before, on our first visit to Thailand via Phuket. What we recalled was the double customs/security lines so we wanted to allot enough time to go through on our return from our outing.
This time, we had an 8 hour layover and opted to see some of Hong Kong. I bought discounted tickets for the airport express on Klook prior to departure and that made our journey into town that much more seamless. During our 24 minute train ride, we got our first glimpse of Hong Kong. It’s a a city on the water. I’m not sure what I had expected but in some respects, it reminded me of Chicago in that regard. We didn’t see any riots, despite that being on the forefront of the news as of late.
Once we arrived at Hong Kong station on Hong Kong island, we didn’t have far to go for our first destination. It was a 2 minute walk and ride up an elevator to the floor above the train station. Our first priority was sampling dim sum from the famous Tim Ho Wan but we were an hour early before opening time.
To pass the time, we walked outside and around the area, doing some sightseeing, immersing ourselves in the early morning bustle of the financial district.
As we walked around, we quickly were hit with the extreme humidity. We cut our outdoor exploration short as It’s a bit jarring and exhausting on the system to be exposed to 90 degree weather and 90% humidity all in one sitting.
We headed back into the mall to enjoy the A/C. Though the restaurant at the IFC mall was not the one awarded the Michelin star, we figured it was a good introduction and sampling and would satisfy our curiosity. What I can report was the uniqueness of some of the textures and flavor combinations.
There was a dish with a chili oil sauce that had a bit of spice but had more flavor than heat.
The bread dish was surprisingly as light as a chiffon and fluffy.
The steamed fresh shrimp dumpling was a bit doughy but not heavy. It’s definitely a recommend.
We waited about a half hour for it to open but soon after we sat down, the restaurant started quickly filling up.
After dim sum, we headed to Victoria Peak.
Our taxi driver, unfortunately either misunderstood or was trying to gouge us. He took us to a garden but based on my google maps, we still had another 27 minutes to go. We eventually made it there but paid about double the fare that we should have been charged. After being dropped off at the taxi stand, it was a quick walk to the site.
We took a few photos and decided to have a drink at the closest bar.
Then we took a few more Peak photos and headed back.
Once we arrived at the airport, our hunger pangs reminded us it was time for another meal. The next location was chosen by my husband. On further research, his instincts were spot on. The restaurant was previously listed on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand. On further evaluation, it turned out to be a chain and one of the restaurants had actually been awarded a Michelin star, similar to our earlier meal.
The restaurant gave receipts with numbers depending on party size. We ended up sharing a table with another couple.
Famished we ordered with our eyes, literally as the menu had photos. Though we successfully finished the very unique and slightly spicy large bowl of Dan Dan noodle peanut soup and a plate of green beans with minced pork, we had a few more bites left of the chicken, shrimp and fried rice which we packed to go.
Sadly, due to exhaustion, we didn’t end up eating it on our flight to Chiang Mai as we slept the entire time and only woke to eat the meal the flight had for us but we just might be returning on our flight back through Hong Kong and sampling a few other offerings during our short layover.
All in all, we enjoyed our short visit in Hong Kong and immensely enjoyed their culinary offerings. If we could have squeezed in a harbor cruise, that might have rounded out our trip nicely but we definitely have no regrets on what we chose to see and where we ate during our stay.
When one hears about taco places, there’s the expectation that it should be cheap, inexpensive, fast food. Admittedly, I have the same mindset. Guerrilla Tacos does not fit that mold.
My husband and I weren’t originally planning to dine at Guerrilla Tacos. We made the trek from the Westside to the Arts District to try to head to a Food Bowl Event at Everson Royce but the line wrapped around the corner.
Famished, we decided to figure out what restaurant we had been wanting to try but were reluctant to drive to from our side of town. The first restaurant on Yelp’s list was Guerrilla Tacos. I’ve heard of Chef Wes Avila but had been reticent to make the pilgrimage. Since the restaurant was right across the street from Everson Royce, it seemed fortuitous that Memorial Day be the day to partake.
We came in and lined up to place our order with the cashier. Not having done any preliminary research, we looked up at the menu and the specials and tried to pinpoint what looked interesting. I asked what a scrambled egg was and the cashier mentioned that it’s scrambled eggs with chunks of meat similar to the consistency of a meatloaf ($16). Being a carnivore and lover of eggs, I ordered that to go with my husband’s order of a steak taco ($6), lobster quesadilla ($20) and shrimp & grits ($21). He also ordered a Belgian White ($8) on draft. The cashier suggested ordering my vodka martini with the bartender so after we paid, we grabbed our number and sat at a booth.
There was one bartender and much to my dismay it took 10 minutes before I almost lost it and asked him, after bypassing me for at least 4 other customers, if I could get a martini. He apologized and soon I had my Loft and Bear vodka martini in hand.
Luckily, the first dish arrived right after I paid for my martini. The steak taco seemed colorful but simple and regular size. I only had a bite of a sliver of steak which was juicy and lean. My husband seemed to really enjoy it and mentioned how there was not one bite with a grisly piece of beef and the taco was definitely of a higher quality than others.
Next to arrive was my scrambled eggs which almost looked like a large platter of salad with more than handful of greens nestled on top. I could see it had chunks of beef incorporated within a very thin crepe like consistency of scrambled eggs. I took a bite and the combination of the greens with the herbaceous eggs and the added bonus of the seasoned meat mixture was heavenly. The accompanying “homemade” warm, buttery flour tortillas had a slightly smoky aftertaste and rounded out the dish.
As we were enjoying our first two orders, the server brought the lobster quesadilla. It was not like the traditional quesadilla as it was open faced. Interestingly, the paper thin tortilla was slightly crisp and sitting atop it were chunks and chunks of lobster mixed with a soft sunny side up egg which oozed into the amazing sauce melding all the simple but tangy flavors and textures together.
The shrimp and grits were the last to arrive. They were the most expensive of the items we ordered and the quality and texture of the grits were spectacular, totally worth every penny. Yes, there were chunks of shrimp but the grits, the flavor combination and the creamy consistency were unlike anything we had ever sampled.
Guerrilla Tacos is not your fast food hole-in-the-wall taco place. This is Mexican cuisine which borders on fine dining but in a casual atmosphere and location. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for and Guerrilla Tacos is worth every penny.
Guerrilla Tacos
2000 E. 7th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90021
http://www.guerrillatacos.com
Grace Gambin
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