Whether piled into tacos or quesadillas, birria has surged in popularity. Originating from Jalisco, Mexico, birria has gained a following for its meat slow-cooked in chiles and warming spices, rendering fall-apart tender, juicy and rich results.
Now that birria is here to stay, restaurateurs and chefs are flexing their creative muscles to come up with even more delicious and inventive ways to enjoy its bold flavors. Start your birria adventure at these three restaurants.
Birria ramen at El Sazon Cocina & Tragos
Birria and ramen lovers alike won’t want to miss El Sazon’s best-in-class version of this fusion dish. It’s clear the Minneapolis restaurant takes pride in a deeply layered birria broth slow-cooked for a good amount of time (the proof is in the collagen), building and maximizing the flavors. The noodle soup dish comes with a generous helping of shredded beef birria, creamy avocado, crunchy radishes, fresh herbs and kicky jalapeño. If that didn’t already hit it out of the park, the two fried birria-cheese taquitos with housemade tortillas served on the side bring it home.
$18, 5309 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., elsazonmn.com
Chilaquiles-birria bowl from El Burrito Mercado
The egg dish with tortillas simmered in salsa and served with shredded meats or chorizo sausage is a beloved tradition. So swapping such proteins with birria seems like a natural fit. And this institution on St. Paul’s West Side, always staying relevant, does just that.
The dish starts with a bed of housemade chips, a deep brown red salsa guajillo, refried beans and beef birria as a base. Then it all gets tempered with crema, queso fresca and fresh cilantro, while eggs cooked your way officially make it a breakfast dish. But at El Burrito, it’s available all day on the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
$19, 175 Cesar Chavez St., St. Paul, elburritomercado.com
Birria egg rolls at La Bodega Taco Bar
At its St. Louis Park location, with just a few countertop seats and a bustling takeout operation, there’s a birria egg roll special that stuffs shredded beef birria and gooey cheese into a thick egg roll wrapper. A beef consommé dipping sauce on the side is the perfect accompaniment to this savory, creamy and crispy bite. While listed as an appetizer, the egg rolls are substantial and could stand in as a meal or, at the very least, a very hearty snack.
