The debut of Smith & Kings’ Taco Tuesday menu is kind of a big deal. For starters, the Chinatown gastropub is usually closed on Tuesdays, so the start of this menu means the biz is open seven days a week.
Also, the business doesn’t usually have tacos on its regular brunch and dinner menus — so Tuesdays are the only times you can get them.
No Taco Tuesday is complete without snackable sides — and you won’t want to miss these. The crispy chips are housemade and come with salsa ($8), but we recommend ordering guacamole ($4) as well. It’s creamy and tastes purely of avocado and lime.
If you only choose one side dish, order the elote ($12). This popular Mexican street food usually features grilled corn on the cob that’s seasoned with chili powder and topped with lime juice, cotija cheese (a crumbly, white, Mexican cheese) and cilantro. This dish features a combo of mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder and parmesan. It’s creamy but light on the mayo, with a strong cheesy flavor, thanks to the slightly tangy Cotija and nutty Parmesan.
Tacos come in orders of three ($15), five ($23) or 10 ($40). They feature 4-inch corn tortillas with cabbage, Ranchero and your choice of protein. Options include deep-fried fish or grilled fish — Swai was featured during our visit — along with carnitas and carne asada. Enhance the flavor with velvety avocado crema (additional $1), which we couldn’t get enough of.
While all the tacos were flavorful, the deep-fried fish ones were my favorite. The fish were fried to a perfect golden brown, but still boasted a flaky, moist interior.
If you feel like getting into the Taco Tuesday spirit, beverage-wise, the cocktail selection includes margaritas ($10, mango sunrise ($12), mezcal old fashioned ($14) and paloma ($12). Various tequilas are also available.
CONTACT
Smith & Kings
69 N. King St., Honolulu
808-744-5772
thesmithandkings.com
Instagram: @smithandkings
Taco Tuesday from 5-10 p.m. every Tuesday
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
