We admit to cracking up the very first time someone mentioned the name of a new restaurant in Costa Mesa (Wouldn’t you?). Yet the more we thought about it, the more Taco Brat made sense. Who doesn’t love themselves some tacos in Orange County? And sometimes, you’re probably craving some sausage in a bun instead. Thomas Curran is taking the best of both worlds and proving there’s a demand for both. Yet he doesn’t get all mash-up on customers with crazy tortilla/meat tube combos. That is, unless you order the nachos.
It comes out in a vessel that resembles a pitcher, but when it hovers over a lined tray, the base gives way to a pile of craziness. And it’s not just any cheese and tortilla chips. You’re diving into Negra Modelo queso over crunchy house chips. And your eyes aren’t deceiving you— those are chicharrones ready to be dunked into a generous amount of guac. If you wonder what makes them charro beans tasty, look no further than chorizo. But wait, there’s more! Kartoffelfpuffer are potato bites with bacon because they can, while sausage bites make ’em German-ish. To finish, esquites and a bit of table salsa. Definitely more Mexican than German. But hey, it got us salivating. Okay, and we suppose you have enough to share.
Taco Brat, 2101 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, (657) 346-2005; www.tacobrat.com.
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.