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Tanner's Prime Burgers takes smash burgers to the next level in South Oceanside. Courtesy photo/Tanner's
Tanner's Prime Burgers takes smash burgers to the next level in South Oceanside. Courtesy photo/Tanner's
ColumnsFood & WineLick the Plate

HomeState, Tanner’s bring bold concepts, flavors to South O

In my ongoing series highlighting some of the excellent dining options in South Oceanside, this week, I’m featuring two of the neighborhood’s newest additions, HomeState and Tanner’s Prime Burgers.

When I first heard the phrase “Texas-inspired soul food” describing HomeState, my interest was piqued. It’s not often you see those words paired together. HomeState opened in early 2023 in the Freeman Collective on West Vista Way in South Oceanside. With several popular locations in Los Angeles, it specializes in Texas cuisine, offering some of the best breakfast tacos, queso, and other soulful delights in Oceanside.

Briana Valdez, who grew up in various Texas cities before settling in Austin to study business at St. Edward’s University, is the owner of HomeState. After graduation, Valdez moved to Los Angeles, where she worked at Chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon.

In 2013, Valdez founded HomeState to share her passion for Texas breakfast tacos, queso, house-made flour tortillas and other dishes inspired by her grandmother and reflective of her “home state.”

The restaurant offers a variety of menu items, including tacos named after rivers in Texas, all made with the Valdez family’s award-winning flour tortilla recipe, pasture-raised eggs, Rosie’s organic chicken, and other top-notch ingredients.

I sampled “Don’t Mess with Texas” from the “Breakfast Taco” section, which included refried charro beans, bacon, potatoes, and cheddar cheese. It was, without a doubt, the best breakfast taco I’ve ever had. The combination of ingredients, especially the refried charro beans, was exceptional. They offer both flour and corn tortillas; I opted for the flour, and it was fabulous.

From the “Anytime Tacos” section, I tried the organic chicken tacos with spicy achiote marinade, guacamole, and cabbage slaw on a corn tortilla. It was another standout dish, with a unique mix of ingredients that set it apart from a standard chicken taco.

HomeState offers some of the breakfast tacos, queso and other homemade delights in South Oceanside. Courtesy photo/HomeState
HomeState offers some of the best homemade tacos and queso in South Oceanside. Courtesy photo/HomeState

The “Band Tacos” section offers even more adventurous options with creative names like Chicano Batman, Tijuana Panther, Emo’s, and Ft. Worth. The combination of ingredients was entirely new to me but very appealing, showcasing the Texas influence.

In the “Eats” portion of the menu, they serve Frito Pie in a Bag, Cowboy Cup, and Ranch Salad, all of which will warrant several repeat visits. Eggs, or “migas,” are scrambled and offered three ways: with crispy corn strips, onion, and cheese.

Beverages include coffee made with a HomeState blend roasted in Los Angeles, margaritas, palomas, and Shiner Beer from Texas.

HomeState puts a unique spin on many of our favorites, making it a welcome addition to my regular restaurant rotation.

Visit myhomestate.com and follow @homestate on Instagram.

Next door to HomeState is another worthy addition to the local dining scene: Tanner’s Prime Burgers. It’s a collaboration between renowned chef Brandon Rodgers and Eric Brandt from the Brandt Beef family, taking smash burgers to another level.

Rodgers, formerly the chef de cuisine at Benu, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco, also worked at The French Laundry and In Situ at SFMOMA. He met Brandt in 2007 during the Bocuse d’Or, which led to this beautiful burger collaboration.

Their 2,000-square-foot space is a co-star of the experience, with clean lines, indoor-outdoor seating, and a distinct aesthetic. Everything on the menu is made with Brandt Beef, but the burgers shine, offered as a single or double patty.

The New School cheese company made an aged cheddar cheese specifically for Tanner’s, Artifex Brewing brewed Tanner’s Lager and IPA, and Avery Girl Honey near the Brandt ranch provided the honey for their sweet tea, among other distinctive features.

Tanner’s in-house hot sauce is made with fermented chile mash blended with vinegar.

Their hotdog is equally impressive and topped with Cowboy Beef Bacon, caramelized onions, and New School American Cheese in a brioche bun with Tanners Sauce, diced onions, juicy tomato, and chopped chiles.

Fries come plain, cheesy, or “dirty” with beef tallow, providing a rich beef flavor.

Save room for their Fatty Patty, which features a scoop of beef tallow ice cream sandwiched between two homemade chocolate chip cookies.

While smash burgers are common in the area, Tanner’s elevates them to a high-end, chef-driven level worth experiencing.

Tanner’s Prime Burgers is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Learn more at www.tannersprimeburgers.com.

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