When I was able to visit Latin America and have nearly stayed in Brazil for nearly 6 months I enjoyed the week end street activities in the Paulista Avenue of Sao’ Paulo, Brazil – The richest business district of the country with diversity in every corner.
Sundays at Paulista Avenue are sacred. That is to say, the avenue is closed for cars. So families, friends, and partners come there to ride a bike, skateboard, to sell stuffs, to join zumba, to exercise, to explore food, do almost anything or enjoy time wandering through the area.
This is when I came across with a small food stall in the street selling Birria.
Birria is a flavorful traditional Mexican dish, originally made with goat meat. It can be served as a stew or a taco filling.
The smell and the look of the dish itself is interesting and gastronomic already
As history has it, in 1519, Conquistadors first landed in Mexico, bringing various old-world domestic animals, including goats. This goat meat was looked down upon by the Conquistadors, as it was tough, had a strong smell, and was hard to digest that they have given all the goats to the natives of Mexico because they detest it.
The natives accepted the animals, marinating the meat in indigenous styles and cooking it underground, making the meat palatable and appetizing.
When the Spanish conquistadors found out the transformation of the goat meat dishes from awful to lavish they called it “birria”, a derogatory term meaning “worthless” in reference to their having given the natives meat with apparently noxious characteristics.
Since then various Restaurants or street carts being serviced by the “birrierias” sprouted throughout Mexico, especially in Jalisco and its capital, Guadalajara.
But in 1950 the prices of the goats were quite expensive and the taste has become dry because it is less fatty thus, the meat was substituted by beef, lamb, pork and veal.
To make the dish more flavorful as the years progressed they decided to add liquid to it. This new development became popular on social media and by 2018 birria and birria tacos submerged in consommé were a national trend.
In cooking, a consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavored stock, or broth that has been clarified, a process that uses egg whites to remove fat and sediment.
Today Birria Taco is available in the Philippines in a very reasonable price of P315.00 in all branches of Army Navy Food Store.
ArmyNavy Burger + Burrito is a fast casual restaurant chain serving fresh-made American-Mexican cuisine, with a special focus on premium quality burgers and burritos. Now they actually listed 3 Birria viands to their menu.
No need to travel to Mexico to experience the taste and the history behind this flavorful Birria Taco dish.
Army Navy Eastwood Branch in Quezon City Philippines has quite set a standard when it comes to service. I was greeted by very polite staff and crew, was taken my order in less than no time.
The kitchen is clean and organized.
The preparation of the beef birria filling + the soft taco, takes 3 minutes. Plus 3 minutes for the consomme’ making the order waiting time almost 6 minutes all in all.
1. 30 seconds sauteing the readily prepared beef in their home made atsuete oil, add chicken powder, cummin and taco powder.
2. Filling the on hand soft taco with the beef birria, orange cheddar cheese, mozerella cheese, silantro, onion.
3. Rolling the filled soft taco in half and heating it back to the griller, 1 minute one side and another 1.5 minutes on another while brushing with atsuete oil each side.
4. Preparing the consomme’ to complete the dish is another 3 minute waiting time. Heating the readily available beef stock, adding silantro and white onion to it.
The taste?
Forget about “Birria meaning of worthlessness”
In gastronomic terms, the word birria could now mean: “Exquisite savory dish, full of culture and tradition, flavourful, sumptuous and delicate.
Of course, not as authentically prepared compared to the one in LATAM – having all the ingredients, spices and the soft taco prepared from raw Ingredients right before my eyes but the taste of the beef, the soft taco and the consomme’ is closer and at par.
Worth the Price?
Thumbs up as your P315.00 comes with a charge on the experience as well.
Will I order again?
Surely I will. As this Birria Taco do not just travel me back in time to my authentic LATAM experience but also reminds me
How amazing food can speak of culture, history and tradition.
Thumbs up. Army Navy Birria Taco 👍🌮
Welcome to the Philippines 🇵🇭
To learn about Army Navy PH’s full product offerings or for online orders visit their website: https://armynavy.com.ph
Or call them at 8-333-3131 for delivery today.
