It's hard not to notice the neon-green building front on the east side of Deans Bridge Road that is covered with pictures of food and topped with a huge bright pink sign that reads 'RASPATOPIA.'
It might confuse some people as to what it is, but it's actually a sweets shop on one side, and a taco shop on the other side. The sweet shop is RaspaTopia - raspa is sweet in Spanish - and the taco shop is TacoTopia, said Manager Helen Velasco. They are owned by a brother-and-sister team.
For this visit, TacoTopia was the subject, but the sweets sampled were delicious.
TacoTopia is an open-air dining room on a covered deck with several picnic tables. Order from the enclosed counter
area and kitchen at the back of the deck.
TacoTopia is Dillion Knight's favorite place to eat.
Friday was the first time he'd been back in about six months, when he was laid off from his job. He said he had just started a new job, so he and his wife Karen were back.
"Once you start eating it, you get a little addicted," he said while taking a quick break after devouring several birria quesadillas. "It's so good it's like finding a long-lost lover."
The Knights said they've been coming to the restaurant since they discovered it about three years ago.
Birria is shredded meat, marinated in flavorful spices, and slowly braised. The broth leftover from the cooking process is used to dip the quesadilla in as it's eaten.
Manager Helen Velasco said the beef birria is the most popular item on the TacoTopia menu.
She explained the difference between a quesadilla and a taco; both are served at the restaurant, and sometimes the cooking methods are mixed.
Both start with a corn or flour tortilla. For a taco, the shell can be hard or soft, but is not cooked after it's loaded with the fillings. The main ingredients are meat and vegetables, with cheese as an optional topping.
A quesadilla is made with a soft tortilla. Cheese is the main ingredient and can be mixed with meats and vegetables. It is folded over, then fried or grilled to melt the cheese and crisp the outside. Or the tortilla can be loaded flat and topped with another tortilla, then fried or grilled.
TacoTopia is operated by Luis Caseres, and his sister, Vanessa Duarte, operates RaspaTopia, Velasco said.
The beef birria sampled during this visit was delicious. It came with the broth dip that took the flavor over the top.
The Tacos de Camaron, or shrimp tacos, were also ordered. The crispy corn tortillas were served with shredded cabbage and a creamy cilantro sauce with lime slices on the side.
The meal wouldn't have been complete without a treat from RaspaTopia, specifically the Dubai Chocolate Strawberries, which appeared to be one of the star desserts. The cup was filled with fresh, plump strawberries, a sweet, creamy sauce, pistachios, and chocolate. It was sweet, but not too sweet, savory, smooth, and delicious.
The restaurants are located at 3344 Deans Bridge Road in Augusta. They are open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Jennifer Miller covers food and business for The Augusta Chronicle. She can be reached at jmiller@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: TacoTopia's beef birria keeps Augusta diners coming back | Exclusive
