A US-conceived, Korean quick service restaurant chain which fuses Mexican and Korean cuisine has made its international debut in Singapore’s South Beach Quarter.
Vatos Urban Tacos Singapore describes its offer as “Ko-Mex Cuisine”. It celebrated its official opening last week.
The original restaurant opened four years ago, the brainchild of three Korean entrepreneurs who grew up in Texas and Los Angeles, inspired by the street-style tacos commonly sold in US cities. Somehow they came up with the innovation of mixing marinated BBQ meats with Korean spices and chilli are so popular and wrapping it up in a nice warm taco.
The cuisine has drawn rave reviews from media outlets including the New York Times, CNN, The Wall Street Journal and NBC News.
The most favourite dishes include Kimchi Carnitas Fries (which was voted the “best dish in Korea” by10 Magazine), Galbi Short Rib Tacos (marinated short rib, ssamjang aioli, Asian slaw, cilantro, chopped onions, and roasted sesame seeds on a handmade tortilla) and Mango Prawn Quesadillas (chipotle marinated prawn flash fried and topped with cilantro lime crema and fresh mango salsa).
The South Beach Quarter store is the first of a chain planned for the city state. Expansion into more overseas markets is likely to follow as the brand’s awareness grows beyond Korea.