A Taco to Start Your Day

Whirlybird is located in a hub of South Williamsburg that has some of the most talked-about gentrified fast-foods: Lake Trout’s version of the Filet-O-Fish, Blue Collar’s In-N-Out-style burger and Nhà Tôi’s phở.

On my way to check out Nà Tôi’s home-style Vietnamese food, I walked right by Whirlybird and almost couldn’t believe what I happened upon: only breakfast tacos and coffee. Really? It was almost too good to be true. I went back the next day to try out the tacos. There are only two on the blackboard menu, and when the chef is in the mood, there will be an additional special taco (on the day I visited, it happened to be duck confit, but, regretfully, I didn’t have time to wait for it to be ready). I just got the basic No. 1 taco ($3.50): scrambled eggs, Oaxaca cheese and homemade salsa on a corn tortilla topped with a sprinkling of jalapeño potato chips. For a dollar more, you can add chorizo.

It’s smoky at first bite, then the spice hits you and lingers. The salsa is intense with red peppers and smoked paprika. The crunch of the potato chips adds texture and more heat to the already spicy dish. The added bonus is the quality coffee selection. Right now, I’m enjoying the cold brew iced coffee (12 oz for $3) as accompaniment to my flavor-bursting taco. Whirlybird is open till 4 p.m. (5 p.m. on weekends) so it’s an ideal stop for an afternoon pick-me-up.