Vecino: When Korea meets Mexico it means one thing... an explosion of flavour and texture that will send your taste buds into a gastronomic frenzy!
This appetite of experimentation of mouth-watering fusion was created by a young talented chef with a Korean background who worked at a Mexican restaurant.
One day he experimented with flavours from his heritage uniting them with Mexican flavours and this genius and culinary art creation lead to the birth of Vecino.
The tantalizing menu is filled with fusion creations...
Located in the vicinity of Canterbury station, near an undistinguished windswept canon of new housing blocks and opposite the Woolworths block, Vecino has created a wonderland for foodie chasers and people alike and without a doubt has also built up an appetite of unique blends of fusion cultural cooking sending ambrosial aromas flowing across this residential vicinity.
The quirky & cozy decor fits in well with the fusion menu...
It is hard to believe Vecino is newly opened (8 months), as this top-notch and popular establishment impressed us the minute we spotted it out. We were greeted with warmth, friendliness and professionalism, making it a wonderful start to what was yet to come.
Its story time...just kidding- these children's book feature the breakfast & dessert menu. How zany!
Upon entering, you cannot help but notice the quirkiness and rustic atmosphere, from the interesting pedal-bike bar stools to the metal piping and taps at the end of each dining table to the rustic brick walling and hanging ceiling pot plants. Everything fitted in so well together, creating an idiosyncratic and cosy vibe.
Not sure if I want workout whilst devouring a fusion feast...
Jenny our waitress was friendly, professional and attentive. She had great knowledge of the food as she ran us through the menu, even pointing out her favourites.
The menu comprises of Signature Premium Chicken for two people to share with flavours including Vecino Gourmet Fried Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, Rosemary Honey Garlic Chicken and many more delectable flavours. Urban Tacos include unique flavours such as Chickpea and Cauliflower, Bulgogi, and Honey Cream Prawns... just to name a few. Burritos served as a wrap or bowl, assorted chicken, big dinner for three-four people, Korean liquors, speciality cocktails, Vecino ritas, and desserts all make up this succulent menu.
Breakfast is also available and meals include pancakes, bacon and egg roll, breakfast burrito and more.
Our mouth-watering fusion Koran & Mexican feast...
With help from Jenny, we started our culinary journey with Kimchi Bulgogi Fries ($14.90) followed with Signature Premium Chicken two flavours- Rosemary Honey Garlic Chicken and Sweet Spicy Chicken ($34) and the Signature Kimchi Burrito ($16).
We completed our gluttonous fusion affair with Hotteok Quesadilla ($14.90) and Bingsoo Boat ($16.50).
The Kimchi Bulgogi Fries- contained seasoned fries loaded with bulgogi, sautéed kimchi, coriander, mixed cheese, picco de gallo, sour cream and Vecino hot sauce.
Kimchi Bulgogi Fries...
Wow...what a dish! These fully loaded fries were jam-packed with flavours that awakened all the senses. The generous serve of the bulgogi beef strips, oozy cheeses, spice from the hot sauce followed with the gentle creaminess from the sour cream created the ultimate explosion of piquancy. It was a masterpiece showing exactly what a fusion mix should be like.
This scrumptious dish was like a taco mixed with Korean flavours all united by the humble root vegetable: potatoes. The fries were loaded with so many textures, flavours and aromas... it was a dish that could not be faulted.
After awakening the senses with the very appealing start of loaded fries we were waiting for our following dishes, as our taste buds teased us, begging for more Korean Mexican fusion creations.
We didn't have to wait too long as the Signature Premium Chicken dish- Rosemary Honey Garlic and Sweet Spicy Chicken arrived and we were greeted with a hit of tantalising aromas!
The Signature Primium Chicken- half / half flavours: Sweet Spicy Chicken & Rosemary Honey Garlic Chicken...
The Sweet Spicy Chicken- crackly skinned fried chicken with sweet and spicy sauce, served with chips, cabbage salad and pickled daikon, was to-date the best sweet spicy fried chicken I have tasted! The stickiness, crispy skin texture to the juicy flesh of the chicken followed with the bursting gooey goodness of sweet and spicy saucy tang formed a heavenly dance on our palate.
The Rosemary Honey Garlic Chicken- Fried chicken sautéed in garlic and rosemary sauce served with chips, cabbage salad and pickled daikon was a dish not to mess with- when it comes to garlic and rosemary infused chicken.
It reminded me of the humble Sunday roast chicken dinner with rosemary and garlic but taken to a whole new level. Making this dish a positive far cry from the humble Sunday night roast. It erupted with delectable taste, teasing my taste buds with dulcet taste mixed with the well-balanced, delicate and nutty flavour from the garlic.
Both chicken flavours were the perfect marriage of textures, aromas, flavours and cooked to perfection. It made me question why have I not indulged in this before?
Our final savoury dish was the Signature Kimchi Burrito- Kimchi rice with bacon, smoked flavoured spicy pork, black beans, mixed cheese, guacamole, mixed cabbage, sour cream and Vecino hot sauce.
The Signature Kimchi Burrito...
Burrito certainly has never tasted like this before! It had the ultimate combination of traditional Mexican burrito fillings with the addition of the sour, spicy and umami taste from kimchi as well as other Korean flavours that took the popular and much-loved burrito to a foodie haven.
The soft tortilla wrap, united with the packed fillings, created a scrumptious delight with each bite. It was a melt-in-your-mouth dish and was not your standard burrito.
After enticing in the flavoursome savoury culinary delights, dessert was served.
The Bingaloo Boat (Korean-style shaved milk ice)-which contains Korean ice sorbet and snow cones with toppings. We choose mango topping.
The Hotteok Quesadilla & Bingsoo Boat...
This generous dessert dish was quite a unique shaved ice dish. I had many shaved ice dishes before, but nothing tasted like this! It was so refreshing, packed with the mango flavour and the shaved ice melted in your mouth...it was heavenly, delicate and absolutely divine.
The chunks of mango pieces combined with the soft melt-in-your-mouth ice and the creamy vanilla ice-cream created such a pleasant unison of exquisite and delicate taste and texture.
Our final dish was the Hotteok Quesadilla- Variety of filled Korean pancakes, caramelised biscuit in brown sugar, pepitas, candied walnuts, Nutella sauce drizzled with fresh strawberry.
This popular Korean dessert was such a genius fusion creation from the tortilla crust to the sweet and textured fillings- it was absolutely a treat to indulge in. The pepita seeds, candied walnuts added such a wonderful textural delight and the caramelised biscuit had the right amount of sweetness, not making it overly sickly sweet.
Vecino certainly hits the nail on its head when it comes to fusion, as no dish can be faulted. They were all executed with perfection, passion and plentiful flavours.
Vecino mastered the art of foodie creations and a great balance between two cultural delights. Vecino gives off a vibe that this fusion establishment will be the next big thing in the foodie world of Sydney.
It is without a doubt that this flawless establishment will be seeing more of us, as we will be returning back to sink our teeth into more of their finger-licking fusion creations.
There is street parking and underground parking in the Woolworths block.
