Rating: ★★★★☆
Address: G/F, 20A D’Aguilar Street, Central  中環德己笠街20A號地下
Telephone: not available

I have already mentioned in my previous review of Brickhouse (see here) how much I love this place – it is a hip, relaxing space where you are guaranteed a great time with your friends over some alcohol and Mexican food. I went to Brickhouse many times for drinks and snacks over the past few months, but it has been a while since I had a proper dinner there, and recently I went there to try out their new, healthier items on the menu, such as their vegetarian dishes, gluten free options, and dishes using goat meat (which, I was told, had 50% less fat than beef!).

(1) I love the organic stone ground chips at Brickhouse, which are perfect to nibble on while you drink. Now, besides the traditional guacamole, you can also try the new Trio of Guacamole ($75), featuring three types of guacamole mixed with different fruits everyday, to go with your chips. On the day I went, the fruits in the guacamole were green apple, mango and pineapple, which all tasted good in their own ways. The green apple guacamole had a nice crunch, the mango added an attractive sweetness, and the pineapple gave the guacamole a tropical touch.

(2) Another new item on the menu is the Casa Salad ($95), made with epazote braised carrot, mozzarella, roasted beet, crispy garlic and mixed greens, and dressed in beet vinaigrette and habanero-carrot purée. I found the sight of a medium-sized carrot and roasted beet slightly intimidating at first, but when eaten with mozzarella, they didn’t taste veggie or grassy at all, and the salad was a delicious way to introduce some greens into your tacos feast.

(3) We had to get our hands dirty when the “DIY Bone Marrow” Tacos ($135) arrived, but it was worth the effort as this was one fiery and tasty dish! The umami-rich bone marrow was beautifully crunchy on the outside, while gorgeously runny and flavourful on the inside. It was served with oxtail salsa, chimichurri, epazote roasted tomatoes and a pungent herb salad on the side.

(4) The Agua Chili Ceviches ($120) was one of my favourite new dishes. The bouncy and translucent shrimps were mixed with pickled red onion and cilantro and dressed in cucumber water and chili oil. This dish was spicy and full of flavours but the fresh taste of shrimps was still detectable, which was commendable.

(5) The Rojas Con Crema ($65), made with manchego cheese, fire poblanos and Spanish onion, was rich and satisfying. However, it was a bit too creamy for me and I normally preferred savoury foods with a tad more crunch or bite.

(6) The Grilled Chayote ($45), just like the Rojas Con Crema above, was a vegetarian dish. The fried squash was crispy on the surface, but still soft and mushy in the middle. It was served with some avocado puree, which I thought was guacamole at first, so I liberally dipped the squash in it and found it wincingly salty! Please note, this green paste is not guacamole and don’t put too much of it on the squash!

(7) Even though goat meat is widely consumed around the world, it is not too commonly served at restaurants in Hong Kong at the moment, and Brickhouse is the first restaurant in Hong Kong to introduce a goat meat taco. This Barbacoa Tacos ($285) came with a slow-braised leg of goat, quesco fresco, radish & avocado salsa, Serrano pickled shallots, Spanish onion, cilantro, lime and corn tortillas. The braised goat leg was sweet and alluring, and even though it was very lean (it was similar in texture as chicken breast, in a way), it wasn’t dry or chewy at all.

(8) Brickhouse has amazing desserts, and this new dessert, Coconut Rice Tamale ($85), is unmissable. It was a coconut rice pudding served with goats milk caramel and mezcal ice cream. The coconut milk pudding was creamy, soft and nicely glutinous, and some corn added a bit of crunch to it. Its flavours were accentuated by the sweetness of the caramel and the ice cream, and it tasted fabulous!

(9) I ordered a glass of Brickhouse Margarita ($105), which was made with blanco, damiana, pineapple juice, agave nectar and lime. The lime and pineapple juice added citrus and fruity notes to the drink, which made it very refreshing.

Conclusion: The new dishes on Brickhouse’s menu tasted awesome, and can surely offer more variety to the restaurant’s diners. Having said that, the Tacos Platter ($240) at Brickhouse still has a special place in my heart, so even if there are now more options, I won’t stop ordering it any time soon!