Birria Taco Showdown Part 2: Into the Birria-Verse

Welcome to the NEPA Birria Taco Showdownnnnnnn! Let’s head into the NEPA Birria-Verse.

Can you believe there are so many businesses serving up this dish locally? The birria taco has become super popular, but what exactly is it? Birria is a Mexican dish - a rubbed meat stew traditionally roasted or slowly stewed with chilies and spices. As we will see, all Birrias are not created equal, but only because of their defining regional features. While I don’t believe these features make one better than the next, they certainly make each one unique. Some Birrias will feature the beef-based style that has become the most popular and crowd pleasing option amongst Americans. Other Birrias will feature traditional goat, which has become a favorite of mine. No matter what style you decide on, you can expect a full flavor dish. The meat will most likely be served in a tortilla with onions, cilantro, lime, a side of consume.

So how did I score our local businesses? Beyond the flavor, I was looking for a colorful plate and a consume that had a good fat to broth ratio. I was looking for handmade tortillas that were crispy even after being dipped and then loaded with deliciously juicy meat. I am always wanting fresh ingredients, and ingredients that reflect the region. I was also looking at the type of meat, tenderness, and flavor that went beyond the consume. I was blown away by the businesses I went to over the past two weeks. Not only were the Birrias exactly what I was hoping for, but they were each unique. The chefs and owners, who did not know I was coming (or probably who I am under the mask), were so kind and welcoming which reminds me again why I love NEPA. There’s still a few businesses out there I wasn’t able to get to, so I hope this list helps.

Don’t forget to check out the videos posted to YouTube. You can also throw up a like and subscribe, which would be amazing for my channel, and self-esteem. It would also let me know you are interested in what the businesses in NEPA are bringing to the taco table. There’s also some great discussions happening over on the Facebook group, so make sure to follow and invite your fellow tacoheads.

This Weeks Contenders

I followed J. Zapata all the way to Bigfoot country and it was so worth it. This Birria may be the best yet. Made with his special blend of beef, hand made shells, and held together with cheese this thing was the crunchiest I’ve had while still being deliciously tender inside. You are talking flavor over heat with this one yet I still felt a little tingle on my lips after. The stew was perfect broth to fat and had a beautiful color. 5 in this showdown 🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊.

 Del Tacos in Stroudsburg has been a hard one because of their popularity and Cinco de Mayo sell out. If you don’t call for these Birrias when they open, you’ll likely miss your chance for the day. These Birrias reminded me a lot of Burrito Loco in the last video! They were tasty and the broth was a little on the fatty side. If you get them they aren’t going to disappoint! 4 in this showdown 🥊🥊🥊🥊.

Last Weeks Contenders

2wayz one passion is a food truck whose home base is Scranton. They serve the birria as a special and if this doesn’t become a permanent menu item I would be surprised. While the color was lighter on the shell than I expected it was not an indication of lack of flavor! The stew is made with Beef oxtail, bone in, then it’s shredded and braised. No gristle on the meat just tender and juicy . Shell was a crispy corn tortilla. No cheese, but trust me you don’t miss it here. It has just enough spice that it didn’t hit you until after and sat perfectly on my tongue! The stew was a perfect ratio with not a lot of fat sitting at the top. 5 in this showdown 🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊.

 Burrito Loco. There’s a few burrito Locos, last year I had the birria at the Wilkes pizza and grill, but today I am reviewing Dickson city cantina and grill. The birrira is a permanent menu item here and is made with beef. What made this birria stand out were the extras. The veggies, radish and cucumber were a welcomed surprise. Great flavor, not a lot of spice, so if you don’t want the heat this is the birria for you! Beautiful crunch on the outside and a flavorful inside. They use a delicious mozzarella cheese to bind this together and the consume was perfect! 4 in this showdown 🥊🥊🥊🥊.

 Hacienda Volcan. Goat and lamb meat made up this delicious red sauce stew. And I found your spice! My only minimal complaint here was the broth was a little fatty. Can we talk about the cheese on this thing, you could literally see the fresh chunks of Mexican cheese binding it together. Home made corn tortillas... the crunch, the flavor, it was amazing. 5 in this showdown 🥊🥊🥊🥊🥊.