UPDATE: Yeah Baby Tacos is closed.
Those of you who follow the blog regularly know that The Best Breakfast & Sandwiches in Westerville is one of my regular hang-outs. I got to know Tom and Jan years ago when we had a fun visit to the strip mall diner on our way to cut down our Christmas tree. Since then it’s been my mission to tell people about the place – and other locally-owned, mom-and-pop restaurants like it – to help readers find the unique spots and to support people who are working at their dream. In recent months there’s been an interesting development inside The Best that has added a new level of craving for me and my family. Nothing says American diner like spicy authentic Mexican tacos, right? Enter Yeah Baby Tacos.
I recently got to write about YBT on the Columbus Crave blog; before you continue, I suggest giving it a read here.
YBT is dream project of Brittany Brewer, one of the servers at The Best. You can read more of her story in the Crave post above. I just wanted to add some more pictures and really try to convince you, dear readers, to go out and give her tacos a try. We’ve been back for a few visits and have been impressed every time.
What distinguishes Brittany’s work from other bland Tex-Mex places is that the fact that she’s making everything on her own, to order, and that it’s all very well seasoned. Expect a little bit of heat and a whole lot of flavor. For instance, the chips and guacamole. She fries up tortillas to order, covers them in queso fresco and chili powder, and makes the guacamole fresh. Her guac is big and chunky, with lots of tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.
We usually find ourselves ordering a basket or two of the chips and guac.
One of her best sides is the elote, a popular Mexican street food that’s simply corn on the cob covered in queso fresco and chili powder. These are delicious. I’ll never look at corn on the cob the same way again.
We’ve ordered probably every combination of tacos, and we haven’t been disappointed with a single one. The basic ordering system goes like this:
1. Pick corn or flour tortillas
2. Pick your meat
3. Pick your toppings (Brittany has a mix that have included things like queso fresco, pickled vegetables, fresh tomatoes, and creamy sauces)
4. Pick your sides (elote, beans, etc.)
Overall, ordering is simple because she structures it as an $8 combo with two tacos, a side, and drink.
The meats have ranged from a zesty shredded chicken to barbacoa to a form of al pastor pork. All very good.
The best thing about these is that there’s no shortage of spices. Brittany makes a variety of sauces and salsas. We love her standard red salsa, which has a nice bite and is a little smoky. It reminds us of a salsa we use to have at a former small chain of Mexican restaurants called Rio Bravo.
Other salsas have included hot peppers like the ghost pepper and habanero. Everything combined results in some super tasty tacos, nothing that’s overloaded with bland rice and beans or overdone with cheese. We have begun craving these on a regular basis.
I suggest a visit to support Brittany and her endeavor. She’s getting the press she deserves: YBT was also recently featured in the Columbus Dispatch along with other pop-up restaurants around town.
When you want to visit (not if):
Yeah Baby Tacos
inside The Best Breakfast & Sandwiches
5916 Westerville Rd. (map it!)
Westerville, OH 43081
(614) 776-5788
Open Tues & Wed, Fri & Sat, 5-10p
Like their page on Facebook or follow YeahBabyTacos on Twitter.
