(ROBERT BRIGGS, file photo)
Mexican birria tacos have been gaining popularity on the street food scene in the States for a few years. But now it seems the birria renaissance has finally reached Japan with Mexican restaurants adding these trendy tacos to their repertoire.
(File photo)
Birria is a western Mexican dish that involves slow-cooked tender beef (sometimes lamb or goat depending on the region or meat available) that is marinated with a mix of vinegar, chiles, herbs and spices. Once the meat is prepared, the meat juices are used to cook a corn tortilla before it is filled with meat, cheese, chopped onion and cilantro. When the tacos are served, a cup of the consommé meat stock with extra chopped onion and cilantro comes on the side, so you can dip your taco and get a mouthful of the delicious and greasy flavors.
To eat birria is a heavenly act of all good things Mexican food has to offer. There’s spice, texture and an explosion of flavor that harmonizes and truly showcases why birria has been having its gastronomical moment.
If you’re a birria expert, like me, or a novice, here are four great spots in the Kanto Plain to grab a little piece of heaven for yourself. And, if you have other birria recommendations in the area, my inbox is always open!
- El’s Fussa (near Yokota Air Base)
(El’s Fussa Facebook)
(Photo by Chrissy Yates)
This might not be a conventional option, as it is a bar on the infamous “Bar Row,” a questionable dive bar-area about a 5-minute walk from Yokota. However, El’s has been serving birria tacos for Taco Tuesday since sometime in 2019 based off a recipe the owner got from a former. The tacos are now available for dine-in and take-out multiple times a week, and they are worth the walk down Bar Row for a quick lunch or dinner before the rowdy young’uns arrive to party.
An order of birria is 1,600 yen for three large tacos with chips and salsa or queso on the side. Pro tip: Get your tacos to go and toast them in the air fryer for a few minutes. Then, add your favorite salsa and guacamole because the tacos do not come with dipping birria consommé on the side.
Address: 875-19 Fussa, Tokyo 197-0011 *Check their Facebook page for birria taco sale days.
- Cielo’s Mexican (Kita City)
(Photo by Denisse Rauda)
If you’re looking for something a little more exclusive… or elusive… try catching Cielo’s Mexican, a husband-and-wife operation that only appears a couple of times a week in a share kitchen in northern Tokyo. The tacos are flavorful and come with a side of consommé to dip your tacos in. They even provide gloves, so your hands don’t smell like birria for the rest of the day.
On my last visit, Cielo’s also had lamb al pastor tacos limited to 10 servings. We nabbed the first order and were pleasantly surprised. Al pastor is usually pork meat marinated with vinegar, pineapple, and a ton of spices: annatto, chili powder, cumin, oregano. Cielo’s lamb version was low on the tangy flavor expected of al pastor, but the tenderness and seasonings made for a delicious order of tacos. In addition to tacos, they also have a variety of cocktails and Mexican drinks like horchata (cinnamon rice milk drink) and Jamaica (hibiscus tea drink).
Address: 1 Chome-3-1 Ukima, Kita City, Tokyo 115-0051
*Check their Instagram for open dates.
- Blue Entrance Kitchen (near Yokosuka)
(Photo by Denisse Rauda)
(Photo by Denisse Rauda)
Blue Entrance Kitchen (BEK) hails from Okinawa, has a location on the “blue street” outside of Yokosuka Naval Base and will soon have a new restaurant opening in Tokyo’s Nakameguro district. Their birria is a little on the pricey side (1,780 yen for one taco) but it is made with wagyu after all! It’s served on a corn or flour tortilla (your choice) and is the perfect balance of tender, juicy wagyu and melty cheese. It includes some consommé for dipping on the side.
BEK also sells some other delights from back home like Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and tacos, acai bowls, shakes and cocktails. They also serve other tacos like carne asada and shrimp. The taco sets come with crisp curly fries.
Address: 1 Chome-6-7 Odakicho, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 238-0008 *The Nakameguro location opens Oct. 1
