Birria has become the latest food phenomenon. The long-simmered chile-infused stew from Mexico is in no way new, but it’s suddenly capturing the attention of taqueria regulars.
Traditionally it’s made with goat meat and strong herbs and spices to mellow the meat. As birria moved northward from Mexico, beef was substituted. Stuffed into tacos with the addition of cheese, the quesabirria was born.
Moving to the next logical level, the consommé and beef of birria met cheap ramen noodles, and some multicultural magic happened.
Though Tacos Los Iniguez (460 Mission Blvd., Santa Rosa) isn’t the first to come up with the idea, theirs is the best I’ve had so far. Chewy noodles hide chunks of beef that melt faster than an ice cube in a hot tub. Dots of spicy oil congregate at the top of the red broth. It’s a perfect winter soup. And it’s also available at Jalapeño Mexican Grill (1630 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa).