Tacos, Tamales, Tostadas & Tequila ...Inside Trailers At U Street's New El Rey Restaurant

U STREET -- Guess who's back, back again? Eric and Ian Hilton are back, tell a friend.

Most Washingtonians enjoyed the hospitality of at least one of the Hiltons' bar and restaurant properties at some point last year, with the brothers the driving partners behind such popular D.C. hangouts as the Brixton, Marvin, Satellite Room, and The Gibson.

Far from resting on their culinary and cocktail laurels, however, the dynamic duo will quietly continue to expand their tasty empire in 2014 beginning with today's opening of the new U Street taqueria: El Rey.

The 200-seat venue boasts a fairly sizeable menu of traditional Mexican staples, such as tamales, tostadas, churros, queso, and chips and salsa/guacamole/pico de gallo, as perfected by Executive Chef Jorge Pimentel.

Similarly, thirsty foodies will undoubtedly find one or ten options on El Rey's drink list in which to indulge, with everything from margaritas to tequila to mezcal to cerveza on offer.

Still, it's not necessarily the menu options that first draw the attention of curious passers-by. The restaurant's unique exterior and interior design earn that honor thanks to an architectural shell composed mainly from recycled shipping containers.

Once inside, patrons find themselves in a hybrid space of sorts with a fixed-roof bar and dining room greeting them at the door and an expansive enclosed garden area -- boasting a retractable roof (powerful heat lamps ensure a comfortable climate year round) -- located towards the rear.

Talk about a 'fundido' way to spend an evening.