Sarah Stierch
Google
Yesterday's trip to Napa to get my car was 100% worth it to go to Taco Addiction.
I first had Taco Addiction when it was parked outside of a tasting room about two years ago. The TA team was making fresh tortillas and I knew it was going to be good.
I had never had a handmade, fresh tortilla until then.
I have never been a fan of street tacos, as I am not a big onion and cilantro fan, but, these tacos were exceptions. They were savory, they were the perfect merger of texture, salt, acidity and protein. It was a pleasure to eat these tortillas, and it forever shaped my appreciation for the taco, which for much of my life as regulated to Chi-chi's and Taco Bell growing up in the Midwest.
While Taco Addiction offers the traditional "street" tacos - and those are delicious - it's the birria and puffy tacos that were on the agenda yesterday.
Puffy taco = chalupa. I had the carnitas. It's topped with an excessive amount of cabbage and shredded cheese. I hate cabbage, but it's thinly shredded and basically merges with the cheese and I can't even tell the difference between the two. The taco, made from TA's handmade tortillas, is fried. It's buttery and delicious. The diced steak is savory. So good. I topped it with a mix of red and green salsa. Heavenly.
Birria - A beloved special occasion goat stew from Jalisco has become cultish in Southern California, where taco trucks and cafes have replaced the goat (due to it being harder to find) with beef and pushed it beyond stew. TA sells it as stew and with a ramen noodle option (pictured). We also had three birria tacos - folded handmade tacos with cheese baked in, topped with shredded beef, and consommé on the side for dipping.
The food we enjoyed is made for hangovers - it is buttery and dare I say greasy. It's made for fans of junk food, it's made for people who want savory pleasures that make you moan and groan so loudly the other patrons look at you and say "I'll have what she's having."
If you're looking for healthy options - they have vegetarian and vegan food, and lighter street tacos. Lauren got a vegan burrito to go and he said it was exceptional.
Our taco were pure pleasure. Even more so during a time when we're limited on being out and about. I have been struggling with my lack of in-person socializing with comrades in food and standing at the back of the bed of Lauren's car eating these delicious foods crafted with love, in the sunshine, just reminded me of the value and pleasure I get out of the efforts of chefs and cooks and the happiness I gain out of sharing it with friends and family.
Visit Taco Addiction's Facebook page for their weekly calendar. If you're in a rush, call ahead to place your order. We had a 20 minute wait for our food.