Tacos in LA are hot and I’m happy with the variety of tacos that are available. Not long ago, I went on a food tour in Tijuana and discovered Tijuana’s taco scene. The tortillas are usually pressed and made to order and the meat is nicely seasoned, is tender and moist inside.
One Tijuana-style taco restaurant currently trending is Teddy’s Red Tacos. Owner Teddy Vasquez began the journey as an Uber driver packed with fragrant birria in his trunk and sold this delicious meat from the trunk of his car. Because his concept took off, he quickly moved to a food truck. Today, he has two brick and mortar restaurants.
I recently visited their location on Windward Ave in Venice. It is steps away from the colorful Venice Beach boardwalk. Walking down Windward Ave, you can’t miss the large black branded sign: The Original Teddy’s Red Tacos, Tijuana style beef birria.
Entering the restaurant diners are offered a choice of eating inside or entering their “Secret Patio”. The patio is an outdoor sheltered haven in the back of the restaurant. It is shaded with plants and is a pleasant place to dine. They also rent out the space for catered events.
Everything is soaked in their consommé. This is a slow-cooked combination of tomatoes, roasted chilies, dried herbs and chuck steak. It turns everything it touches a bright red. I was surprised to see that even the chips were bright red. Instagrammers immediately identify them by their signature red color.
In Mexico, birria is predominantly made using goat. Teddy’s Red Tacos uses marinated chunks of slow cooked beef and provides the birria in the form of tacos, quesadillas, vampiros, and mulitas.
If you’ve never had a vampiro before, it consists of two tortillas that are griddled until they are curved in shape (hence the bat name). It is topped with melted cheese, birria, fresh cilantro, and purple onions. Biting into a vampiro yields a nice crunch like a tostada, but makes it different is the melted cheese sensation.
The tacos are bright red because they are dipped in their signature sauce. I like the juicy nature of the meat, and the flavor of the consommé soaked tortilla with the toppings is quite addictive in nature. It is definitely a departure from a standard carne asada taco.
Their tortillas are from La Jolla Tortilleria in Vernon and they happen to be 100% non-GMO. Partnering with them made sense because La Jolla Tortilleria is only a couple of miles from Teddy’s Red Tacos’ original location on Slauson in South Park.
Be sure to take pictures to share with your friends.
Teddy’s Red Tacos, 46 Windward Ave, Venice Ca 90291