Lok Ku Road is exactly the kind of Sheung Wan cul-de-sac where you would expect hipster eateries to pop up and, over the past couple of years, they have. But Americanos is the new kid on the block, serving USA-style Mexican food – where ingredients like kimchi are also fair game. The decor is inevitably industrial-chic and the staff are as friendly as the Sunday afternoon sun when we breeze in.
One huevos Americanos ($85) and breakfast burrito ($75) later, though, and we have mixed feelings. The perfectly fried huevos are a success over an artisanal-style wrap. Served with black beans and bacon, the eggs are topped with cheddar, pickled onion and coriander for seasoning. The result satiates our cravings straight away. The breakfast burrito, on the other hand, is uninspired and feels amateurish, with a generic wrap and no flavours beyond the predictable. However, we decide to order the regular menu burritos as well to give them a second chance and thank goodness we do. Both our beef Barrio ($75) and pork K-Town ($75) burritos fare much better than their breakfast counterpart, with the K-Town reigning supreme. Aromatic and spiced up with homemade kimchi, salsa, pickled shiitake and cucumber, it’s a rice and bean-filled pleaser.
There are no crazy queues (for now), so if a quick burrito bite is what you’re looking for, Americanos won’t disappoint. Unless you mistakenly order the breakfast variety, that is. Li Meng de Bakker
Americanos 2 Lok Ku Rd, Sheung Wan, 5976 4730; americanos.hk. Dinner for two: $200.