Searching For The Best Tacos In Town At Miss G’s Tortas Y Tamales

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My former co-worker was from Jalisco Mexico.

He was proud that his birthplace is where REAL tequila is made. It is also the birthplace of Mariachi bands, Jarabe Tapatio (Mexican Hat Dance) and the birthplace of the Birria. Originally the authentic version of Jalisco Birria was made with goat meat and was, for the most part, a stew not a taco.

Eventually street vendors in Tijuana swapped out the goat meat for beef and put it in a folded tortilla, making it easier to grab and go, thus creating the Birria tacos we know today. It became extremely popular on the West Coast and has since become a favorite among taco lovers across the country, including me.

So, Jorge, this Taco Tuesday is dedicated to you.

One of my favorite places to get Birria tacos is at Miss G’s Tortas Y Tamales. Everyone who lives in the Rossville / Eastlake area knows the small diner, which sits along busy Rossville Blvd., a roadway, littered with several taquerias, Guatemalan stores and diners, and Mexican Food restaurants.

But, on Tuesdays, their small parking lot gets its fair share of traffic from people seeking some real deal Birria tacos. As their special of the day, you get three Birria tacos with a traditional side of Consommé for $10. Eat in, take out, or order at the drive-through window, and enjoy.

The consommé is the heart of how a Birria is prepared. They slow roast the beef for several hours with a variety of chiles, herbs, and spices to infuse the meat with intense flavors and create the dipping sauce, or sopa as the cook called it (sopa is Spanish for soup).

The proper way to prepare the tortilla shells is to lightly dip them in the consommé before throwing them in a pan or grill top. Miss G’s takes the time to do it right. The tortilla is then stuffed with slow-cooked, hand shredded beef and topped with onions and cilantro. The shell is cooked until crisp.

Miss G’s Tortas Y Tamales keeps it traditional without any cheese. Some diners do add cheese to their Birria, but these are just as good without it. I dipped my first taco as far into my soup cup as possible and took a big first bite.

The meat was fall apart tender with a deep, rich taste and the soup had just the right amount spice. The contrast of the crispy tortilla and the now soup-soaked drenched beef – AMAZING! You still get the crunch, yet it is soft and flaky.

A word of warning, the soup is piping hot when it’s served, so blow on it or be prepared to burn your mouth. And I mean hot as in temperature not spiciness. And when my tacos were gone, I brought that “soup,” cup up to my lips and slurped that whole thing down until not a drop was left.

Que Rico!

Miss G’s sells “Hispanic,” coke, which is Coca-Cola from Mexico made with real sugar not the artificial stuff sold at the stores. They have a variety of Jarritos beverages, and they also make aqua fresca, light non-alcoholic beverages made from one or more fruits and blended with sugar and water.

Their menu is loaded with typical items you’d find at a Mexican restaurant: burritos, a variety of tacos, empanadas, tortas (Mexican sandwiches), tamales, enchiladas, quesadillas, and items like guacamole, pico de gallo, rice and beans and chips and salsa. They have flan and pastel de leche for dessert.

I’ve had their empanadas, which are delicious and made with your choice of protein. In addition to their Birria tacos, I highly recommend their tamales. They are steamed, soft enough to cut them with your fork and delicious.

The chicken and pork tamales are topped with your choice of red sauce or green sauce. Their queso and jalapeno tamales have a great kick of heat. They offer a veggie option with their zucchini and Mexican cheese tamales, and they have a regular beef tamale too.  

Miss G’s Tortas Y Tamales

What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com