Fighting for Fusional Frenzy
As human culture continues to evolve rapidly, we find new ways to reinvent classic foods and integrate cultures. From the outside looking in, Lucha Tigre presents a very foreign concept that just so happens to be on the uprising when it comes to popular food culture in America. Lucha Tigre puts a modern and unique spin on dining through its fusion of Latin and Asian cuisines. This fusion between Latin and Asian cuisines has been extremely popular in bigger cities, especially ones with food trucks. Often times you would see Asian influenced food being put into tacos, but pairing the two opens the door for countless new flavors and dishes (Sarah).
In many instances, Lucha Tigre offers dishes that perfectly captures what the Latin American, Asian fusion can look like. The Taquiza is also a great way to experience the fusion. The Taquiza is a taco plate has many different options; Beef Bulgogi, Braised Asian Pulled Pork, Chipotle Black Bean, Butternut Squash Red Curry, Guajillo Chicken, Pork Al Pastor, Tempura Fish. The butternut squash is a personal favorite because of its smoky flavor that contrasts with the crème sauce on the top as well as radish slices (Sarah). With these two items, there are plenty of options to choose from that will suit your needs!
Although Lucha Tigre does work with a lot of fusion, there are also other dishes that are represented with a stand-alone cuisine. A popular entree on the menu is the Heat Seeker Shrimp. This dish is a pile of freshly battered and fried shrimp glazed in a sauce that combines salty, spicy, and savory elements. It is garnished with celery, carrots, and peppers. The Asian notes are prominent in this dish, with the sauce having undertones of soy sauce. However, I felt that this dish could have been improved had it been paired with rice or even if the shrimp were in tacos. Although the shrimp were flavorful, there was much creativity to be desired (Anwesha).
Another dish that we would highly recommend comes off the brunch menu, the shrimp and kimchi pancake. Lucha Tigre takes the Korean seafood pancake and keeps it simple. There aren’t any big technical changes, it is simply an egg pancake with kimchi and shrimp in it. This simplicity allows the flavors to stand out. The shrimp taste fresh, the kimchi is pungent, but mild enough where it doesn’t overpower the dish, and the pancake itself isn’t heavy or dense in any way. It is simple, stripped down to the basics, quality food that is worth trying (Justin).
One thing we noticed at Lucha Tigre was that it truly stuck to its word about both Asian and Latin American cuisines. We didn’t see too much influence from a certain region, everything was represented. On the Asian side, there were Korean dishes such as their bulgogi bowl or Chinese dishes like their general tso’s chicken, or even Vietnamese, with their refreshing Vietnamese salads. On the Latin American side, there were empanadas, which can be regional in many different South American countries, or al pastor, a Mexican filling. Lucha Tigre is extremely inclusive with all these different flavors, and I think this allows them to stand out from every other contemporary place.
What makes Lucha Tigre stand out from everyone else is that it is innovative, and it is something different, and that can certainly be appreciated. It is not every day when you will be able to stumble upon such a unique concept. Their flavors are bold, and they will strike at you quickly, certainly like a tiger ready to strike.
Make sure you check out our Instagram pages to see our pictures from our eat-out!
Comments