Birria has a story worth knowing. Born in Jalisco, Mexico in the 16th century from necessity — when Spanish conquistadors introduced goats that overran crops, the native people marinated the tough, gamey meat in dried chiles, herbs, spices and vinegar before slow cooking it underground until it became something extraordinary. Centuries of evolution brought it to Tijuana, where Don Guadalupe Zárate famously swapped goat for beef, added a slow-cooked broth and accidentally created the consomé that defines the dish today. Birria tacos took off from there, spreading across North America via Instagram food culture in the late 2010s and landing on menus around the world as one of the most craveable, deeply flavoured and visually dramatic tacos in existence.
Pablo’s Tex Mex Birria Cantina in Caloundra has made this dish their own, and it’s the reason they’ve built the following they have. The signature queso birria taquitos are the centrepiece: corn tortillas dipped in the rich, spiced consomé fat before being griddled until crisp, packed with slow-cooked shredded beef and melted cheese, then folded and served alongside a cup of that dark, complex consomé broth for dipping. Each bite pulls the taco through the broth and the layering of flavour is exactly what the fuss is about. It is messy, intensely satisfying and genuinely hard to eat without immediately planning the next visit.
The broader Tex Mex menu covers the full range alongside the birria, from burritos and nachos through to enchiladas, quesadillas and a selection of plant-based and gluten-free options. Spice levels run from mild all the way up to 6x HOT for those who want to test themselves, and the cinnamon sugar donut sticks with Nutella are the right way to close out any order.
Pablo’s now operates from their takeaway shop at Shop 9, 65 Pierce Avenue in Caloundra, alongside a mobile food van that travels across Sunshine Coast events throughout the year.