As a stoner in my early twenties, I used tacos as currency. In my wild-child years I bought many things using nothing but tacos and charm–some of those things are unmentionable in polite company–but I can share with you that two soft shell tacos once purchased me a beat-up, oversized, striped sweater. (I was going for a sort of Kurt Cobain look and that sweater really cinched it for me: thanks tacos.) While not traditionally used as currency, tacos are really just as much a staple in our lives as the dollar bill. I don’t know when the taco was first invented, but I know that it made its way to the United States sometime in the very early 1900s. The dollar bill as we know it didn’t show up until sometime in the 1860s. In the grand scheme of things, forty years difference is a little blip that comes out in the wash–which means that I can assert that tacos are just as important as our system of legal tender and you can’t tell me I’m wrong because I not only did the research; I did the indisputable math.
So here’s another fun taco fact for you: Bravas teamed up with Rune for a Tacos with Friends night and I got to attend. There were four kinds of tacos on offer with each taco rocking in at $5, which I think we can all agree is more than fair. There were also some not-taco options: including some chorizo rubbed spare ribs, a roasted carrot tostada, and mini chimichangas. As delicious as those not-taco things sounded, I was really personally focused primarily on tacos this evening. The only not-taco thing that I planned to try was one of two shareable options: patotchos. For the uninitiated, these are basically patatas treated as nachos. The fierce little thrice fried potatoes were topped with queso sauce, taco beef, avocado crema, and pickled chiles. Basically, they’re like patatas that got dressed up for a big night out and couldn’t help but serve looks and flavor. As gorgeous as they were delicious, if this menu item ever pops up somewhere again, I urge you to treat yourself.
After a glass of Bravas’s house red wine (Ah-So–so good) and a glass of the evening’s sangria: an intoxicating rosé cocktail served with a slice of orange, some raspberries, and strawberries, I found that I was no longer hungry–but I could still eat. I opted for the chips and guac as a finisher and holy guacamole, am I ever glad that I did! These were house fried chips with legendary guac–simple, pure, flavorful–and a bit of what I think was pickled red onion and melon. My dining companion and I honestly couldn’t decide if it was melon or not. We tossed around some possibilities: apple, radish, who-knows-what. We settled on melon. Maybe we were wrong. Who cares? It was delicious. (Chef Sean of Rune was awesome enough to reach out and let me know that they were radish and celery root pickles. My mind is blown.)
Back to those tacos I’d eaten, because I’m sure you’re all dying to know, there were four killer options: pork belly, “Doner” kebab, beef, and a sort of Indian-fusion vegan option. The vegan taco was filled with vegetable pakora (translation for the uninitiated: battered and fried veggies), a green chutney, and an onion and cucumber curtido. If the word ‘curtido’ is throwing you off: don’t let it. It’s just a refreshing, often fermenty slaw of sorts–in this case, it was pretty big, but thin, slices of pickley onion and cucumber–refreshing AF on what was otherwise a spicy little taco. If I’m being honest, I’m mostly a carnivore type girl who also understands the importance of eating her veggies and occasionally catches feelings for something green. But let me tell you, this vegan taco was stellar. I used to eat Indian at least once a week before moving to Fort Wayne. I haven’t found an Indian restaurant in Indiana that really scratches the itch for me–yet. This taco brought the fusion fire and I’m so glad I didn’t skip it simply because it didn’t offer an animal-protein. Seriously–damn divine.
The “Doner” kebab was a personal favorite of mine; though I’d be hard pressed to choose just one taco to rule them all, they were all so scrummy. Topped with yogurt sauce, iceberg, red onion, cilantro, and schraf chile sauce, this taco was just slightly reminiscent of a tapas item on Bravas’s new menu. It’s one of my favorite items on the new menu, so no surprise that I was kind of obsessed with this taco. But was it spicy? Yeah, for a little baby mouth, this thing was a kick to the teeth. My dining companion asked if I was okay–but I was more than fucking okay. I was riding that semi-spiced high of deliciousness. I was as great as this taco was.
The beef taco was perhaps the most ‘traditional’ of the tacos: but traditional can still be delicious. Comprised of Wood Farms chuck braised in a three chile sauce and then topped with cotija cheese and pickled red onions, this would be the taco to share with your friend who was maybe a little iffy on whether or not they liked tacos. (What kind of weirdo doesn’t like tacos? Like, I try not to judge but, come on…they’re tacos…everyone likes tacos.) This taco was a prime example of a few simple ingredients coming together to make something larger than the sum of its parts. Decidedly the most ‘normie’ of the bunch, but still delivering on deliciousness. Bravas/Rune seriously slay with their taco game. Don’t ever sleep on their buddy pop-ups.
I can’t play favorites, because they were all great, but maybe I kinda sorta had a thing for the pork belly taco. I was sharing my food with a friend (I mean, the pop-up was called Tacos with Friends, after all. Sharing is caring, peeps) and I think the pork belly taco is the one that I hogged the most of–no pun intended, except now that I see what I did there, I take it back and intend the pun. Unctuous pork belly with oyster sauce, a fine root vegetable slaw, gochujang, and chili crisp–this taco brought heat without fire, flavor without compromise, and honestly I’m really kind of obsessed with it. 10/10 would eat all of them again, but especially this one.
As for the “and friends” part of the evening, my dining companion had three different beers and loved them all. Sun King Wee Mac, Heileman’s Old Style Lager (which is a PBR sibling), and Tecate. Of all three, Tecate paired best with the food, but all the beers were basically rad in their own ways. In other friend news, I ran into at least one unexpected person who I totally adore and admire. I got a high five which, other than the delicious food and drinks, was probably the highlight of my freaking night. Tacos have a way of bringing people together like that. Civilizations may crumble, but tacos and friendship will always remain. So, let’s find comfort in the constant that is tacos and friendship–both supremely delicious and in abundance at tonight’s pop-up. Well fucking done all! I can’t wait for the next Tacos with Friends adventure!
Plonk & Pleasure 
Leave a comment