"The Old East Dallas strip-mall spot conceals a lively interior marked by a trompo, bright colors, and a queue for dripping, red-stained quesabirria tacos; we fought for a small table and ordered a quesabirria platter. I explained the ritual—sprinkle the onion-and-cilantro mix onto the tacos, then dip them into the fatty broth made with meat drippings—after the first bite he grabbed the cup of consomé to try it. “I love consomme,” he says, adding that it’s the “heart and soul” of his cooking: “When I did tasting menus back in Vegas, and before dessert I served a shot of consomme to the guests, something fresh like lemongrass with lime with chicken. It feels good after a heavy meal and cleans your palate.” He noted the tacos’ traditional approach: “They do traditional tacos and it makes you feel like you’re in Mexico,” and though he was 50/50 on flour vs. corn earlier in the day, after these birria tacos he expressed a newfound appreciation for a crispy, savory corn tortilla and called this quesabirria among the best tacos he’s had in the country." - Courtney E. Smith