Austin B.
Yelp
tl;dr the rich birria de res is the cornerstone of a delicious taco lineup, and the pleasant ambiance is well worth the slight premium in price
Quesabirria is all the rage in Southern California, and one of the biggest players in the game is Teddy's Red Tacos. Teddy Vasquez learned the ropes of birria is de res in Tijuana, and he expanded from a taco hustle operating out of his trunk to a dozen taco trucks and brick-and-mortar locations. The menu is, unsurprisingly, focused upon all things birria and birria-adjacent. While each item appears simple, the preparation is thoughtfully time-consuming. Teddy's birria is stewed in a specially spiced broth for hours, and the tortillas are dipped in the pot before being grilled (giving them their characteristic rusted-red hue). I've followed Teddy's on social media for some time, so I was eager to see if the food lived up to the hype.
The comfortably modern East LA location stands out against an otherwise industrial neighborhood. Indoors, warmly lit filament bulbs cast a warm glow onto the scarlet walls and the burnt-orange ceramic tiled floors. The decoration is minimal besides a few flat screens and the jumbo-sized posterboard menus. While there exist a handful of indoor tables, this location's main draw is the large, luxurious patio. Enter through a garage-style sliding door into an outdoor space surrounded by in-ground palms and twinkle lights. Countless chic plastic chairs are pushed up against metal-lined wooden tables, and blazing space heaters keep the patio useable even on chilly evenings. Low-volume Spanish language instrumental music provides ambiance.
My partner and I arrived for weeknight dinner, and we were one of only a few patrons. We opted for a Deluxe Platter each and an horchata to share. About 10 minutes later, our made-to-order meal arrived, precariously perched on a bright red cafeteria tray. The juicy birria was packed with flavor. The rich saltiness was amped up by the spicy consome and nicely cut by fresh-squeezed lime. We enjoyed each rendition, but our clear favorite was the crispy, closed-faced Mulita. In particular, the melty cheese added a rich, chewy complement that doubled in holding together the otherwise messy ingredients. Meanwhile, the Birria Ramen paired the excellent consome with plentiful slices of birria and springy ramen noodles; however, it felt somewhat superfluous beside the combo platter. Lastly, the agua fresca comes in a single size: enormous. Expect the horchata to be the standard combination of sweet and cinnamony with free refills.
Service was friendly and efficient, and our bill worked out to a touch over $40. Across the meal, the only items I could have done without were the not-quite-crispy tostada chips and the aforementioned ramen; otherwise, each item was even better than the last. I appreciated how comfortable and approachable this location of Teddy's is; I count myself lucky that this is also one of the closest outposts to me. And, next time, I plan to focus my attention on the mulitas.
