Cycle 3 – Item 328

28 (Wed) November 2012

Mexican Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos

3.0

at Vatos

(Gourmet 494 – Galleria Department Store)

-Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

solo

Project 30/30/30: 28 of 45 (see also 45/45/45)

Throughout this November, I am challenging myself to eat 30 dishes from 30 countries over the course of 30 consecutive days.

Mexico is the 28th country.

Since I reviewed Vatos a few months ago (see 3.181 Kimchi Carnitas Fries), they’ve opened a second location in the basement of Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong.  Dubbed “Gourmet 494” for reasons that I hope never to know, the space has been recently renovated into an ultra-chic-ultra-pricey grocery-store-food-court.  The lineup features many of the city’s hippest eateries, such as Vatos.  That’s big time.  I see a nationwide chain in the near future.

Tonight’s experience at Vatos failed to deliver the same wow that it had the first time.  Previously, in addition to the kimchi carnitas fries, I’d raved about the chili lime shrimp tacos as being “divine.”  This evening, however, they were good but only on a terrestrial level.  I don’t know what – less tang, less crunch, less je ne sais quoi – but something was lacking.  When I asked one of the employees whether the kitchen here followed the same recipes as used at the Itaewon location, she replied that everything was made there and simply assembled here, so the food should be identical.  Well, assembly isn’t necessarily all that simple, so maybe not – for a palm-sized taco, a half-teaspoon more/less of condiment can make/break the dish.  7,700 won for a pair (700 won more than before) – not worth it, not like this.  Sadly, I’d had the highest hopes in featuring Vatos as Mexico’s representative on this project.

(See also BOOZE)

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)