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It was about 11:30 a.m. on a Sunday when a longtime friend of mine interrupted my midmorning nap with a brunch invite. It was a warm, sunny day, far too warm for late February and far too sunny to stay inside, so we decided to hit up the porch at our favorite brunch spot.
It’s one of the most popular brunch places in town with great food and reasonably priced bottomless mimosas, so it wasn’t much of a surprise when we arrived and the entire place was booked for at least an hour. If you don’t make a reservation there, walk-ins at this place are a nightmare. So, rather than wait out the storm or eat inside, we hit up the porch at a local taco joint and, instead of going for bottomless mimosas, we pounded fresh margaritas. That’s where I came up with this life-changing realization: The taco brunch needs to be embraced by all.
I don’t know what it is about those tacos and ~fresh~ margaritas that made them so good for brunch, but somehow it happened and it hit the spot about as well as my favorite cheese grits and fried chicken, if not better. The best taco brunch places have the menu variety where you can have many types of comfort food in taco form and still soak up the alcohol. I’m talking about pulled pork barbecue tacos, fried chicken tacos, braised beef tacos, fried green tomato tacos, buffalo chicken tacos, and more.
The carbs, protein, and grease from the taco form a protective layer in your stomach to soak up the booze from the night before as you chase it with the hair of the dog that bit you with a margarita made from fresh lime juice, tequila, Cointreau, ice, and salt. I actually prefer the margarita to the mimosa because, for whatever reason, it’s less likely to give me a post-post-brunch nap hangover, although that could just be personal preference.
The margarita is truly a solid replacement for the mimosa in a brunch setting, unless your stomach has already been soured from the night before. Although in that case, you probably wouldn’t want to be drinking mimosas, either. But I digress. You’re still getting your vitamin C, alcohol, and sugar. What more could your body possibly want? Besides, well, the grease, carbs, and protein, of course. But honestly, with the sunshine, margs, fresh salsa, guac, and a varietal platter of tacos in front of me, I found peace in what’s become a chaotic world. I became one with the taco.
It was magnificent. And after brunch when I headed home, I didn’t feel hungover at all and went about my day. I mean, an hour nap and a load of laundry. But still, it was an incredibly acceptable brunch replacement.
So, that said, maybe it’s not a bad idea to mix things up sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I love my eggs Benedict, cheese grits, fried chicken breakfast sandwich, and, of course, mimosas. But I was surprised at how well tacos and margs replaced them in a pinch. I think it’s time to consider making the taco brunch a real thing. We need to legitimize it. At the end of the day, you’re just soaking up some alcohol to replace it with more alcohol, and who doesn’t like tacos and margaritas?.
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@5OClockShadow_
I like this take. I like it a lot.
This is called an early lunch in Texas…
Shouts to Tacos A Go Go for serving their full taco menu starting at 8 am.
Hands down, best take on this web site
Tacos for brunch are a regular thing in San Francisco. Get some with chorizo, hash browns, guac, salsa and a dash of crema, and your Sunday can only get worse from there.
I’m in on the morning marg. Catch a better buzz with less heartburn
Margs and Mules are the brunch darkhorses
TNT (tacos and tequila) in Austin, San Antonio, or Dallas has a fantastic taco brunch and avion on tap
Love breakfast tacos. I’m heading to Chicago soon and my friend suggested a restaurant that does Mexican brunch/bottomless mimosas. I will gain five pounds in a single sitting and I cannot wait.
My friend own Tacos-in-bag. Lincoln Park 2am food, should try it.
Sounds like a regular Saturday or Sunday in San Antonio
As long as there’s barbacoa and Big Red though
Intern knows what’s up.
Have you ever tried vodka cereal for brunch?
Didn’t even need to read the article after the title to know that I was all in on this idea.