Orange, California Restaurant Reviews

Taco Mesa – Orange

Continuing my feature of Mexican Restaurants in Orange that serve breakfast I went to one of my favorites, Taco Mesa.  I’ve been going to Taco Mesa for years, and have everything from breakfast to dinner.  There are four locations, and the same owners are behind the upscale Taco Rosa located in Tustin and Newport Beach.  For dinner I normally get the blacken chicken tacos or burrito, one of my favorite items from any restaurant in Orange County.  In the past for breakfast I normally stick to one of the various breakfast burritos.  But today I had something different!

Taco Mesa - Chilaquileas con Huevos with Beans and Rice
Taco Mesa - Chilaquileas con Huevos with Beans and Rice

Actually it wasn’t really anything different from what I have got at a number of other Mexican Restaurants for breakfast lately, I had Chilaquiles con Huevos ($5.99).

Taco Mesa - Chilaquileas con Huevos
Taco Mesa - Chilaquileas con Huevos

The chilaquiles are served scrambled eggs mixed in and topped with salty cotija cheese, some type of thin sour cream, onions, and cilantro.  My first bite into the meal hit me with the salty goodness of the cotija cheese, something you don’t get from the traditional cheeses used in most American cooking.  They use some type of tomatillo based sauce for the chilaquiles from what I was able to see, so the taste is different from that of the chilaquiles I have had at other restaurants.

Taco Mesa - Pinto Beans and Mexican Rice
Taco Mesa - Pinto Beans and Mexican Rice
Taco Mesa - Salsa
Taco Mesa - Salsa

Because I forgot to ask for the vegetarian rice and black beans, the plate came with their pinto beans and Mexican rice, which I’m not a big fan of, but I covered them with their hot red salsa and enjoyed them that way.

Service was good, as usual the counter staff is always nice and friendly.  Because I had got there so early they hadn’t opened the register yet, so they just took my order and I paid after I finished my meal.  While I was leaving I recognized one of the owners and he introduced himself to me.  Overall it was a good average Mexican breakfast, but I have to admit I prefer the chilaquiles at Cabo Loco Grill to the Taco Mesa version.

Visit for breakfast on 11/21/2009 @8:00 AM

[xrr rating=3/5]

Taco Mesa
3533 E. Chapman Ave.
Orange, CA 92869
714-633-3922

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