We’ve been on the lookout for some good Birria Tacos lately, so I’m compiling the ones we’ve had for January 2024. Here are some quick reviews for Aja Birria, Onlypans Poblacion, and Señorito PH.
AJA Birria Poblacion
We discovered this place on the way to Onlypans. They offer inexpensive Mexican-inspired food and we couldn’t resist trying out their Birria tacos.
Aside from the tacos, they also have some sizzling meals, pasta, and chicken wings. We wanted to taste these, too, but we had to save room in our stomach for the rest of the night.
Once the Birria arrived, they smelled really good and were oily af. The tacos themselves were also quite big compared to past Birrias I’ve had (Onlypans Elyu and Army Navy).
After a sip of the consommé, I already had an idea of the quality of the meal. It was a decent flavor, but it lacked the punch that other consommés have.
The taco itself was large and fried to a perfect crisp. This wins the “taco” category for this post.
Taking a look at the Birria itself, its meat was minced. There were also some tough and hard bits in it. The cheese was plentiful, but those of the regular kind from the grocery.
Thankfully, the taste was good. This is definitely the most budget Birria I’ve had so far. The meat was seasoned well and flavorful. There was more cheese than I expected and the aftertaste wasn’t too oily.
This Birria tastes like how a friend finds a recipe online and decides to try making it. The ingredients aren’t premium but they still come together to make something decent and enjoyable.
If I wasn’t planning to eat more that night, I could probably finish another serving and it still won’t be as expensive as the other places in this post.
Slanted curbside seating aside, Aja Birria is a good place to start your Poblacion bar crawl with a full stomach. It would barely make a dent on your budget and you’d have a solid meal already.
AJA Birria Poblacion
[ facebook ]
9:00AM to 2:00AM
Open Everyday
P. Burgos, cor. P. Guanzon,
Brgy. Poblacion,
Makati City
Onlypans Taqueria
Our main target that night was Onlypans Poblacion. We’ve already raved about their La Union branch, so it’s time to taste the OG.
We wanted to know if the taste was just as good, so we braved the packed venue and waited for our order. Fortunately, we found seats right in front of the kitchen. We entertained ourselves by watching the chefs cook the orders. Seeing the meat sizzle and the cheese melt made my mouth water even more.
Finally, the Birria arrived and aesthetically, it looked just like the one from Elyu.
But after taking a bite, we concluded that there was a big difference in flavor. The ingredients were the same so it must have been the seasoning and marinade.
It was missing the burst of savoriness and relied more on the spice as the main flavor. We also felt that the meat was not as plentiful compared to the one in Elyu. However, the cheese was more present here. As an avid cheese enjoyer, it saved this dish.
The consomme was also different. We missed the taste of cilantro and felt that it was too spicy as well. I still drank it all up, but it’s not what we were expecting.
It’s hard not to compare when it’s the same brand and, at this price point, we can afford to be nitpicky. Different branches can’t avoid having slight variations on their dishes, but we feel that Onlypans Elyu is a lot of steps ahead of the Poblacion one.
Onlypans Taqueria
[ facebook | instagram ]
5563 Don Pedro Street,
Brgy. Poblacion,
Makati City
Señorito PH
Senyorito PH is a serendipitous find because there’s no way we would willingly go to White Plains just for a taco. Thankfully, we were around the area and saw this food truck parked at a quiet parking lot.
We ordered their Beef Birria tacos set of 2 (P250) with extra cheese (P70). We waited for a bit despite being the only customers there. Thankfully it was still early in the day and the weather was cool.
The Birrias arrived and they looked good. The pita was not a crispy shell, but I wouldn’t call it soft either. It was a bit thick and had a good bite. The bright yellow color made me think it was made from corn flour.
I liked the meat and how there were huge chunks of it inside the taco. It was savory and tender, too. The entire thing wasn’t as oily as the other Birrias, but the flavor was definitely there.
I was disappointed with the cheese because despite the extra add-on, it just wasn’t present enough for my taste.
The consommé was light and had the cilantro tang we wanted. Of course, I finished most of it immediately. It’s definitely the best consommé in this post.
While this is not the best Birria we’ve had, it’s still a worthwhile experience, especially if you’re in the area.
Señorito PH
[ facebook | instagram ]
11:00AM to 8:00PM
Tuesdays to Sundays
42C Katipunan Ave.,
Brgy. White Plains,
Quezon City
And that’s it for the Birria adventures last month. Onlypans Elyu still reigns supreme as the best experience we’ve had and that was so last year.
We’ve already researched additional places to visit, so maybe a sequel post will come. We’re hoping to find a top contender for 2024.
As usual, if you have recommendations, let me know!
Thank you to Shane for the pictures and additional comments. 🫰
-jgzn
