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.
Last time we visited, we tried two very different tacos. The first was the Potato Taco, which contains potatoes (obviously), cheddar, sour cream, guacamole, cabbage slaw, pico de gallo, and pickled jalapeños. The second was the Ft. Wort – spicy achiote chicken, crispy bacon, lettuce, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, and tomatillo ranch. Both were excellent.
This time, we sampled two equally different and no less tasty tacos. The first was the Tijuana Panther: brisket, queso, potatoes, pico de gallo. It’s the brisket, unsurprisingly, that takes this taco over the top. Tender and juicy, the meat is full of flavor all by itself, before we get into the queso, pico and potatoes. It really is like a full meal on a tortilla.
We also had the Chicano Batman: soyrizo, potatoes, guacamole, salsa verde. The combination of spicy soyrizo and seasoned potatoes works beautifully, while the guacamole and salsa verde brings it all to life.
They really can do no wrong.
HomeState is located at 10000 Washington Blvd., Unit 104, Culver City 90232. Contact 310-953-4486 and visit myhomestate.com.