I have never met a breakfast I didn’t like. Never. I am actually of the thinking that those responsible for brainstorming breakfast foods must know everything.
Growing up on the west coast, I have a long-running history with breakfast burritos. Eggs, some cheese, some sausage, and whatever else we had in the fridge all wrapped up in a hot tortilla always seemed like the perfect way to start the day back home. The breakfast burritos my dad made for me before I trudged off to high school will always have a special place in my heart.
However when I moved to Austin last year, I fell in love with the breakfast taco. It’s true the two may not be that different and both uphold eggs in a gloriously Hispanic way, but I prefer holding a taco and how breakfast tacos more readily take tasty salsas. Also, I adore the way that Austinites esteem breakfast taco – as some kind of miracle food that goes perfect with the active Austin lifestyle and should be found at every coffee shop. I do have some qualms over the fact that coffee, my other great love, tastes terribly alongside breakfast tacos, but no one can have it all, I guess.
I have been hearing for months that the breakfast tacos of Juan in a Million in East Austin are legendary. I finally made it there last week. All I can say is whoa. Whoa.
Don’t mistake me, my tacos were delicious and I think Juan in a Million is totally worthy of buzz. I can’t pronounce it, but I love a good machado and all the ingredients in my other taco – tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and cheese – were all delicious and did wonders alongside the eggs and tortillas. The salsas that came free with the chips were also surprisingly (in a good way) spicy.
But I was a wimp – I didn’t order the “legendary” dish – the Don Juan. My friend did however. It was a monster. I can’t even guess how many eggs were plopped on top of that pile of tortillas. It was insane. I learned later it was actually a meal worthy of the Man vs. Eats, the Travel Channel show where Adam Richman eats ridiculously portioned meals.
To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel. Sure it’s a lot of food for $5, but the beauty and simplicity of the breakfast taco seemed to be lost in the Don Juan. The dish was more about the heap of ingredients and not the marrying of eggs with careful ingredients. Plus, I like sampling different, reasonably sized tacos. And the way that an eater had to approach the Don Juan and coordinate tortillas with the waitress was crazy.
I’ll probably be back at Juan in a Million, but I don’t know if I’ll be ordering the Don Juan.
