DISH OF THE WEEK: Birria Taco with Consomme at CASA BIRRIA

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

To me, Thanksgiving is not just about turkey, family, and parades. The most mesmerizing part of the holiday are the rich warming cooking aromas that seep into every part of the house. And while I am probably not making birria for my family Thanksgiving anytime soon, those smells would be right at home.

Birria, for the uninitiated, is a rich red adobo-laced meat stew from Jalisco, Mexico. It’s richly flavored with beef or goat, onions, chiles, and spices. And it has become quite popular in NYC since it first appeared here a few years ago.

I’ve tried the famous Birria-Landia truck at the Vendy Awards a few years ago, but have not had the chance to seek out other versions until I spotted Casa Birria on the Upper East Side. And now I’m kicking myself that I waited this long to have seconds.

The truck offers tacos, tostada, and mulitas all for $4 and all stuffed with the namesake birria. Most importantly, they also feature the consomme (the soup that the meat was stewed in) for just another $4. All you bone broth fanatics, you have no idea!!

My taco was already dripping with the vibrant red juices. The tortilla itself had all the possible flavor you could imagine and the meat was succulent and bursting with flavor. The salsa roja put it all over the edge.

But then came the consomeé, which was the pièce de résistance. Bits of raw onion and cilantro bobbed in the deep red elixir. I wasn’t quite sure if I should dip the taco or drink the soup. Turns out both are correct.

I was on foot so dipping the taco proved difficult. I’m glad I was given a spoon because I soon scooped up morsels of meat. I slurped it down too easily.

The aromatic, rustic flavors and the warming sensations transported me to someone’s grandmother’s house in Mexico. Now only if I could find her and invite her over for Thanksgiving this year, I might be able to convince everyone to finally put down the turkey. Price: $4/$4