The nation has been captivated with the birria de res taco (or “red taco”) trend for the last couple of years, and the craze certainly seems at its peak in Nashville right now.
Originating in the Mexican state of Jalisco and traditionally made as a savory, chile-laden stew using goat meat, birria eventually traveled north to Tijuana becoming a street taco, and then to Los Angeles, where it really took off in America. The Tijuana-style birria de res taco sees goat, lamb, and now beef slow-cooked with chiles until the meat forms a brick-red stew that can be eaten as is or encased within a tortilla which has been dipped into the mixture and griddled. To create a quesabirria taco, the tortilla is dipped in birria broth and griddled, before being topped with meat and cheese and then folded into the now crunchy, red-tinged tortilla. It’s pure comfort that comes with a side of consomme (birria broth) for dipping.
While not as prevalent here as in other cities — say LA and San Francisco — a few local restaurants and pop-ups serve a form (mostly made with beef) on the menu, so Eater Nashville went in search of birria and cheesy quesabirria tacos around the city, with plenty of styrofoam cups of hot consomme for dunking. While on the hunt birria ramen, birria pizza, and mini tortas also showed up in restaurant, taco truck, and pop-up form — each perfect to quench that birria craving on a chilly day.
A number of restaurants on this map have resumed dine-in service. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns: for updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit A Safe Nashville. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.
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