Cara discovers a hidden tiki destination, a stone’s throw away from buzzing Covent Garden, to try Hawaiian inspired street food.
Just off Covent Garden Market is 3 Henrietta Street, a restored Grade II listed building home to 3 eateries, each focusing on a different cuisine.
One of them is El Ta’koy, a Hawaiian inspired restaurant with a strong presence of raw fish dishes and corn wraps on the menu, so exactly my cup of tea.
Painted in deep green and adorned with rattan lamp shades for the tiki style it feels spacious and tropical, despite being quite a compact establishment with a capacity to seat only 25 guests.
It’s Friday 5 o’clock and it’s us and one more couple sipping exotic cocktails in giant balloon glasses, part of the bottomless brunch with XL cocktails.
The quietness is quite unexpected given the charming décor and vibrant menu with plenty to choose from. There is taquitos, tempura, lumpia and a few ahi pokes to name a few, most dishes also offer a selection of toppings of meat, fish and veggie.
Already an established restaurant in Miami and New York, created by critically acclaimed Cuban chef Lois Pous. El Ta’koy serves an eclectic menu of dishes from Asia to Latin America, reflecting Hawaii’s reputation as a melting pot of food and culture.
There is a la carte, bottomless brunch or the Tacos and Margs to choose from, for diversity it’s a la carte for us today, with tuna taquitos arriving first.
Petit crunchy shells filled with copious fresh tuna on a bed of creamy avocado and aromatic coriander. The chilli mayo seals the deal for a light spice kick. Can one really wish for more?
Perhaps they could, more of the dishes like that please. Next is the ceviche. I’ve always had love-hate relationship with ceviche.
On one hand I love raw and cured fish, on the other I find lime juice too acidic interfering with fish itself. Perhaps today it’s going to change.
El Takoy takes raw seabass and mixes it with lime, edamame and coconut dressing. The coconut milk works wonders softening the sourness of lime while also remaining light and exotic.
Forget Peruvian, it’s Hawaiian ceviche from now on. You still get the same ceviche style pieces of fish but without that sourness that makes your face cringe.
It would be hard to pick a favourite especially after we also spot baos on the menu. Are lotus leaf baos a thing in Hawaii too?
A brisk online search shows panapua, Hawaiian adaptation from the Chinese baozi or char siu bao. Further investigation and sampling is needed of course so we order the pork chicharon, pork belly in Spanish.
On the eye these are very like tradition lotus leaf baos. Standing proud and cotton puff like, they’re one of the fluffiest and also thickest buns I have ever tried.
The pillowy clouds are steamed to perfection, with pleasantly bouncy texture they are quite fun to squeeze before taking a bite. With tender sweet pork, pickled red cabbage and popped pork rind topping, after the three dishes it’s a close call.
I would struggle to choose the start of the show but if I’m visiting again taquitos, baos and ceviche would definitely be ordered again.
One can’t visit a Hawaiian restaurant without an ahi poke. Ours comes with tuna and all the usual guests such as avocado, edamame, cucumber, tomatoes, wakame, red onion and pickled ginger centered around jasmine rice.
As far as pokes go it’s good, a fine portion with quality ingredients but comparing to the three dishes above it lacks creativity. As pokes should do really, after all they are a collection of raw ingredients creatively layered in a bowl.
El Ta’koy is also very generous on I want to say Tajin style seasoning or perhaps it’s furikake. Either way it’s fiery and my mouth is not happy, guests with low spice tolerance bear in mind.
El Takoy is a hidden gem, deserving more credit and larger crowds. Don’t let the Latin American names deceive you. Its distinct flavours in the dining scene should be added to the table of any Londoner.
And it couldn’t be a better timing, visit the Market Building to look at the LA artists’ Smiling Clouds installation followed by the cloud like baos at El Ta’koy.
Tacos & Margs every Sun- Thur, 10:00-6:30 for an hour of bottomless margaritas and tacos, £35pp.
Never ending cocktail brunch with XL cocktails, 90 minutes £40pp, Fri-Sat 12:00-6:00.
El Ta’koy, 3 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8LU