Model Bites: HomeState

I wish I were in Austin right now for South by Southwest, but I'm not. Last year when I was there I overindulged in brisket, beer, and even more brisket. How could I not? It all looked so good. I probably came back from the great state of Texas 10 pounds heavier... pleasantly plump from the barbecue and tacos. Since I'm thousands of miles away, I'll just have to settle for the next best thing. It's a little spot called HomeState, and boy it sure is tasty. Breakfast tacos, Migas, and Frito Pie... oh my lawd have mercy!


HomeState is a cute breakfast and lunch place on the border of Los Feliz and Silverlake, and it's really popular. If you attempt to go on a weekend, be prepared for a line out the door. Don't worry though, it moves fast. If you're not a regular 9 to fiver, I suggest swinging by during the week. Dining solo? Grab a seat at the counter and make friends with strangers and the awesome staff. They'll give you a heads up on what you should be ordering. There's lots of yummy TexMex things on the menu, but do yourself a favor and start with chips and queso or chips and salsa for obvious reasons. Why stop there? Order the loaded queso and chips with chili con carne, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. Perfect for sharing or shoving all in your own mouth.


All the food sounded so good on the menu that I was having a tough time making a decision. I wanted one of everything. I finally decided to order one breakfast taco and one regular brisket taco. I really wanted migas which are crunchy corn strips scrambled with eggs add cheddar, onions and whatever else you can think of, but I'll save that for next time. No shortage of drinks on the menu, except libations. No one needs to start drinking so early in the day anyway, unless you're in Texas at SXSW. You can get Austin's Finest Cuvee Coffee and seasonal aqua fresca. There's also a selection of Mexican sodas to gulp down while you're stuffing your face.


I was super hungry, so I scarfed down the breakfast taco before I could snap suitable pictures. I got the Trinity - eggs, bacon, and potatoes with cheddar. And let me tell you, that brisket taco was the bees knees. It tasted like your cousin Billy Joe had spent hours in the smokehouse cooking it just right and he teleported it straight to your plate from Austin. Yeah, it was that good. The guy sitting next to me order the Frito Pie and it looked a little too messy for me to eat. He said it was really delicious though. I didn't save room for dessert, but you can order 'Bunuelos in a Bag' to take home for later.

So if you're nowhere near Texas and you're roaming around LA looking for good eats, stop on by HomeState. It really hits the spot.

xoxo