HomeState is a mini-chain TexMex eatery with eight locations, all in this locale (Hollywood, Highland Park, Playa Vista, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Oceanside, Atwater, and this one in Culver City).
Pulitzer-winning food writer Jonathan Gold once wrote for the LA Times that, “HomeState’s menu could be considered an anthology of Texan folk remedies, from plates of eggy migas, to strong coffee, to Frito pies served steaming in the bag, but on fuzzy mornings, the breakfast tacos may be everything you remember and everything you still crave.”
Gold may have tragically passed away in 2018, but his words will long survive him and he had HomeState nailed. The restaurant says that it aims to be a home away from home, and that comfort-by-design shines through.
“HomeState is a Texas Kitchen in Southern California sharing breakfast tacos, queso, brisket, house-made flour tortillas and genuine hospitality,” they say online. “In 2013, Briana ‘Breezy’ Valdez founded HomeState in Los Angeles with the dream of sharing her Texas identity through food and hospitality.”
Valdez’s dream certainly came true, because the food at HomeState is superb (even if the name makes it sound slightly like an insurance company or something). Importantly, the tacos are incredible, and there are a lot of choices.
This wasn’t our first trip to HomeState, and the last time we were there we ordered from the lunch menu, including the incredible brisket tacos. The pickled cabbage is still haunting our dreams, so delicious was it.
This time, however, we ordered from the breakfast part of the menu despite the fact that we were eating in the late afternoon. That’s the sort of rock ‘n’ roll rebels that we are!
We had two breakfast tacos, starting with the Trinity: “pasture-raised eggs, Pederson’s Farms bacon, potatoes, cheddar.”
Everything about the taco was perfect, including the flour tortilla. The eggs were fluffy and light, yet rich with yolky flavor. The bacon was as meaty and smokey as one might expect from the good people at Pederson’s Farms.
The potatoes are seasoned beautifully and add some starchy bulk, and the cheddar tied it all together.
The second taco we tried was the Guadalupe: “pasture-raised eggs, chorizo, cheddar.” Again, the eggs and cheddar blended magnificently together. The chorizo takes the taco up to another stratosphere entirely. The spicy sausage meat adds so much flavor, you’ll quickly want another.
The tacos came with a couple of choices of salsas, both of which were spicy and yummy, and the chips were great too.
HomeState is located at 10000 Washington Blvd., Unit 104, Culver City 90232. Contact 310-953-4486 and visit myhomestate.com.