Pinché Good Tacos: Fusion Food Has Never Tasted Better
Check out Brea’s Tempo Urban Kitchen when you’re effing hungry
By: Korryn Sanchez
If Southern California can be characterized as one thing it’s diverse. Nowadays your nose will be greeted by an aroma of exotic scents as you stroll one of our city plazas. As our culture diversifies, so does the California food scene.
Tempo Urban Kitchen is a fusion food restaurant in Brea that specializes in Mexican, American and Asian fusion cuisine. This unique fusion guarantees that any person with a dietary restriction gets a delicious option.
The Food
Restaurants are supposed to be known for their food and complemented by their aesthetic. This is true for Tempo Urban Kitchen. The menu offers an assortment of dishes from vegetarian options to bone marrow plates allowing people with all sorts of dietary restrictions to enjoy the experience.
The Pinché Tacos are the tacos for you and me. Vegetarian, pescatarian or a straight up carnivore, these tacos are freakin good, just like their name.
The vegetarian option consists of a plate with three tacos filled with God’s gift to vegetarians: Soyrizo. Biting into one of these bad boys is definitely a divine experience that will leave you thanking the vegan gods.
They also serve vegetarian tacos with an avocado base and a sweet potato tortilla for those who are unimpressed by mock sausage.
“The pork belly is the best. It’s honestly like a big cube of bacon and they serve it with a side of some sauce that is like sweet and sour. It’s great. It’s crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside,” said Brandon Killman, a communications major at Cal State Fullerton
All the tacos have an option of being mild, medium or spicy flavoring and the cooks will cater their level of spice to your preference.
Pescatarians can enjoy fish tacos, shrimp tacos or octopus tacos, filled with guacamole, and like all of the other Pinché Tacos, they can be enjoyed with a side of rice and beans or chips and salsa.
As your eyes scroll down the menu, things like taquitos, nachos and fried rice stand out to the average foodie but those with a more advanced palate will go for more daring choices.
“The pork belly is the best. It’s honestly like a big cube of bacon and they serve it with a side of some sauce that is like sweet and sour. It’s great. It’s crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside,” said Brandon Killman, a communications major at Cal State Fullerton and Tempo Urban Kitchen regular. “My friend got a plate and it was literally a whole fried fish and some chips. It was crazy.”
The Atmosphere
The unique cuisine draws in a trendy crowd but the atmosphere and the mood are what really keep people coming back.
The urban aesthetic has the feel of a New York City loft blended with Mexico City’s cool factor.
“Honestly, this place is really cute. I love the modern but urban vibe. The food is good but the drinks and the vibe are why I would come back,” said Alysa Torres, a first timer at the restaurant.
Tempo Urban Kitchen also offers brunch on the weekends between 10am and 3pm serving dishes like Tres Leches Brioche French Toast and Pork Belly Benedict with the choice of bottomless champagne for $10 or mimosas for $12.
The Drinks
There is no better combination than tacos and cervezas, except of course good tacos and cheap beer. The happy hour menu offers a variety of $4 bottled beers, $7 wines and well drinks. If bottled isn’t your style happy hour still has you covered with a dollar off draft beers.
Happy Hour is all day Monday but varies from day to day the rest of the week.
Forget the food, if you and your amigos are looking to get sloppy and slouched you can get a bucket of beer for $19 during happy hour. The bucket comes with 6 brews for you and your squadron.
For those of us who see the world through beer goggles and wine glasses, this is definitely the place for you.
Tempo Urban Kitchen
1060 E Imperial Hwy, Brea, CA 92821