San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
El Garage taco hype? Believe it
At new brickandmortar in Richmond, quesabirria is as juicy and cheesy as ever
For the kind of food lover who mines social media in search of culinary diamonds, El Garage’s early days making birria tacos out of a literal garage was the emblem of the perfect find: exceptional cooking in an outoftheordinary spot. On its Instagram, hypnotic video loops of cheese and consomé sizzling on a flattop grill showcase a nighpornographic attention to detail and stimulate the appetite. The visual of piquant meat juices mingling with luxuriously gooey cheese hits with the charisma of redhot lava pouring into a churning ocean. That’s what initially grabbed my attention. ( Hey, I’m human, too!)
These tacos are the brainchild of sisters Viviana and Evelyn Montano, whose popup showed up in the Bay Area’s food scene with the impact of Beyoncé at the Super Bowl, heralded by shockingly orange tortillas and spectacular fried cheese frico. It went from an unlicensed operation to a restaurant in just a year and a half, garnering a massive loyal following along the way. The Montanos’ new restaurant in Richmond’s city center opened in August, retaining all the qualities that brought crowds of fans — the perky salsas and habanero pickles, the tender chilespiced stewed beef and the explosive skirt of cheese.
In the early days of the business, it was just the Montano sisters, along with one of their boyfriends, who operated the popup out of their home. Inspired by Los Angeles’ quesabirria boom ( see: Teddy’s Red Tacos), the Montanos hoped to bring some of that magic to the Bay Area while also generating money to help their parents pay for their new house.
Over time, their limitedrun popups became more regular, bringing customers from all over the Bay Area to the family’s driveway. The sisters’ command over the Instagram algorithm also did much of the initial work. By the time I was able to try the tacos at a popup at Temescal Brewing in Oakland last fall, the field already seemed crowded with spectacular but similar quesabirria spots like Tacos El Patron, taco truck La Santa Torta and La Grana Fish. Even so, an impressive crowd gathered for the event, waiting in good humor while listening to the Selena songs blasting from El Garage’s tent.
Anyone looking at the prospect of waiting in line for Instagramfamous tacos will ask the obvious question: Is it worth the hype? By the power vested in me by the state of California, I say yes. Though the brickandmortar restaurant doesn’t have the old, illicit spark of an underground popup, the tacos are still worth seeking out.
An El Garage taco is a savory blast, with a caramelized halo of excess cheese that accentuates the beefiness of the filling. Peeling the crisp tortillas apart to add garnishes is a delicate operation, but it’s worth it. Habanero pickles, fresh lime juice and raw onion supply enough acid so that you don’t feel awash in a sea of richness. Dip the tacos in a side of drinkable beefy consomé to fill your mouth with peppery broth and alternate bites with raw radish and cucumber to cool the palate.
The slowcooked birria de res, based on the Montano sisters’ mother’s recipe, tastes of dried chile peppers and aromatics and carries
a whiff of oregano. Amidst the other contenders for Bay Area birria royalty, El Garage’s version has a noticeably strong flavor that doesn’t tend to get overwhelmed by the cheese. Its consomé, which one can order with extra meat mixed in, is excellent enough to be eaten as a meal without the sensational packaging.
At El Garage’s popups, the tacos were available with as much variation as a Philly cheesesteak stand: with or without cheese, with or without consomé. Even now, with the support of a fullservice kitchen, the Montanos have kept to that model, although Viviana has hinted that more Mexican street food dishes, inspired by her mother’s cooking, will be available in the future.
That will probably be a good thing for the restaurant’s longevity; a person can only eat so much quesabirria before the lifestyle begins to take a toll on the arteries. But for the trend as a whole, it seems like one with staying power. Quesabirria tacos hit all of the textural aspects of comfort food: They’re gooey, rich, colorful and crunchy, an attractive chimera of the French dip, Texasstyle loaded nachos and brisket with a side of macaroni and cheese.
El Garage has a walkup ordering system, and the spacious restaurant’s dining room remains closed and understandably unfinished; even the door still has the pizzashape handle left over from the previous tenant. The hardest part about going right now is the lack of anywhere to eat the piping hot tacos. Like french fries, the tacos’ value rapidly depreciates the longer they sit in a box, steaming themselves into soggy shadows of what they were. It’s not the worst problem if you already live in the neighborhood, but if you’ve traveled for these tacos, you can either crack the containers open and cross your fingers as you scoot on home or improvise. I treat the restaurant like any other taco truck and eat on the hood of a car.
As I left the taqueria and wended my way through the residential streets of Richmond, I actually noticed several houses where people had set up grills and counters on their driveways, with neon poster paper advertising carne asada, chicharronstuffed gorditas and other street food delights. Odds are, El Garage is not the exception when it comes to excellent home cooking in Richmond; it’s exciting to think of what other culinary marvels are in the works there.
Lunch and dinner Friday- Sunday. Pre- orders and walk- up orders available. Credit cards accepted. 1428 Macdonald Ave., Richmond. www. elgarage. online
Soleil Ho is The San Francisco Chronicle’s restaurant critic. Email: soleil@ sfchronicle. com