La Central Birrieria & Menuderia

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — The undisputed king of birria goodness in San Diego has long been Ed Fernandez, a place I have visited many times for their life-changing meaty consomé and for my personal favorite, their quesataco, which for me amounts to a magical pot of gold at the end of the birria rainbow. 

The new player in town is La Central, recently opened by Miguel Fernandez of Fernandez fame just around the corner from the mothership, who decided to break away from the family eatery a few years ago and start his own thing. The result is a small sit-down place with a streamlined menu that aims to do just a few things and do them well. 

For those living under a rock, birria is the it-thing these days, and the Fernandez family is the gold standard, earning them lines that span two hours on certain mornings of the week. The crush of diners from the recent No 1 ranking on Yelp’s 2022 list of the 100 best taco shops in America has led them, at times, to run out of food. The birria at either place is spicy, meaty, rich, and homey, and they use beef only (you can get goat birria at the also-excellent Don Rafa in Chula Vista) following the same recipe. If there is a difference between the two, I haven’t noticed it. 

If it’s salvation you’re after, there are a few ways to find it here. The birria taco is the classic pick, a corn tortilla with a plump filling of tender meat that’s slow-stewed and topped with cilantro and chopped onion for crunch. The tatemada taco is also pretty great, an option that means the braised, shredded beef is seared to a crackly finish sort of like the soft and crisp texture you’d get with carnitas. This gives off a smokey taste that amps things up even a few more notches.

The quesataco is indeed in the building as a secret menu item, a bundle of birria magic swaddled in a blanket of melted grilled cheese before the corn tortilla gets added to complete the trifecta. The tortillas are thick and hand-made and manage to stay in one piece while you work your way through the taco.

The consomé here is a spiritual experience in a cup, served piping hot, richly earthy, and without any of that greasy mouthfeel that tends to plague lesser versions that permeate the city. If you’re not a goat birria fan, this has a deeper flavor and lacks that exotic funk that’s typical with the other version. The move is to dip your tacos into the broth before each bite and then finish every last drop like a soup.

Garnishes of cilantro, radishes, onions, and lime are provided along with salsa squeeze bottles which, for me, don’t add much since the meat is the overwhelming flavor bomb. If they are supposed to be spicy, I couldn’t tell, but your mileage may vary.

And another plus — as much as I love the original Fernandez, I don’t love that they never re-opened their sit-down area after the initial phases of the pandemic. Dripping consomé down the back of my car isn’t really my thing, and this isn’t the sort of food that travels well. It’s better devoured on-site in La Central’s new dining room.

Service at La Central is a hallmark thanks to Miguel and his amazing crew who go out of their way to be welcoming seven days a week (Fernandez is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). Miguel himself can be spotted in the kitchen or chatting with customers, many of whom are devoted fans of the original restaurant. Plans to expand further are in the works, including more brick-and-mortar locations that serve Mexican specialties beyond birria.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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