By Ian Cheesman
I’m sure there is a ton to say about the design choices for Puesto Cervecería. After all, more than $8 million went into renovating Mission Valley’s former Gordon Biersch brewpub into its colorful, modern, stylish state. And yet, for all the overhauling, my attention was entirely captured by one thing…the taco shield.
This simple accent on the exterior—an orange-hued taco emblazoned across a black crest—sent my mind reeling. The image would have made just as much sense stamped on a square or circle…so why atop a shield? This was clearly purposeful, a statement even. This design decision sought to elevate the humble taco from commodity foodstuff to a mark of nobility, encapsulating its grandeur in a coat of arms.
That got me thinking even more. Could this be an actual family crest? That may not sound revolutionary in a time when the taco is all but deified by the internet, but consider the medieval outlook for a moment. Half a millennium ago, some visionary would have had to think: “Dragons, castles and swords are cool and all, but what about tacos?” That sort of clarity and hubris is seldom witnessed in history, let alone captured. How could any writer in the thralls of such a realization reasonably be expected to focus on reviewing a new brewery restaurant? This was no time for prose. This was a moment to research the possibility of being retroactively adopted by House Taco.
If it seems like I’m devoting a needlessly large chunk of this column to nine out of the 10,000 square feet in this space, it’s not by accident. Through no fault of the restaurant itself, my first experience of Puesto Cervecería was woefully incomplete. The only thing COVID-19 has less regard for than our health and economy is refreshed interior design. I certainly peeked past the threshold to glimpse at the festive neon accents livening the original industrial-brick interior, but it was not going to be part of my dining experience. That would have to be relegated to the slightly less vibrant blacktop in front of the restaurant.
I am certain that the staff at Puesto, like their other brewery and restaurant peers, have made the most of these difficult circumstances and absolutely deserve our support, however, this was not the state of affairs I wanted to capture in my first write-up for this business. The way I see it, the “new normal” will give way to “normal classic” soon enough and I’ll evaluate the facility as it was intended. In the meantime, these four takeaway growlers of cerveza will have to suffice.
Puesto Clara Lager, 4.7% ABV (alcohol-by-volume): The first taste is surprisingly distinguished for a beer style that, by design, isn’t intended to be highly characterful. The corn malts demand notice up front, lending a distinct impression of sweetness without actually imparting any. They’re met in equal measure by a well-moderated bitterness and a citrus tone that, possibly due to the confirmation bias of a million Pacificos consumed ahead of this local lager, pops like a squeeze of lime.
Clara Lager somehow manages to beat Pacifico at its own game. It’s a crushable beer that greets your palate with a quick crescendo of flavor, but fades quickly and leaves you seeking more. Puesto recommends pairing Clara Lager with its tamarindo shrimp taco, but if I had my druthers, I would enjoy this with a bottomless bag of salty tortilla chips alongside my guacamole fountain. Pro Tip: While you may presume it unwise to skimp on the horsepower for your guacamole pump, definitely moderate it. The guac stains on my vaulted ceilings will testify to the same.
Puesto Pale Ale, 5.3% ABV: Puesto’s pale ale noses with familiar piney and earthy aromas. It has a supportive, but not powerfully distinct malt backbone and a woody, vague citrus rind bitterness that emerges more as it warms. It finishes very dry with low hop resonance on the palate. It doesn’t quite hit the exuberant “West Coast” tier for hop heft, though that probably renders it more pairable with the fruitier and spicier options on the menu.
Puesto Amber Lager, 4.9% ABV: It was somewhere around this beer that I recognized the fatal flaw in my approach to this review. A flaw apart from inexplicably dedicating around 200 words to blathering about taco-based art. These brews seemed purpose-built to be enjoyed with the sprawling taco menu at Puesto Cervecería, an experience I had denied myself. I did briefly consider pulling together the ingredients for their recommended taco pairing (marinated filet mignon, avocado and spicy pistachio-serrano salsa), with a not-to-be-understated emphasis on “briefly.” I needed the next best thing, or the next-to-the-next-to-the-next best thing that the nearest drive-thru could supply. So we’ll call my dish a comparable pairing, inasmuch as FDA guidelines did not forbid it from being designated a taco.
The ruddy amber body of this beer is a nod to the slightly rustic take on this style. It features notable toastiness, light caramel and the slightest Red Delicious apple character pitted against a semi-dry, earthy finish. Those toasty malt flavors compliment the taco-adjacent substance quite nicely, while capably cutting through its fattiness.
Puesto Negra, 5.3% ABV: This copper-tinged dark lager delivers a uniquely clean roasty note. That statement merits further unpacking, but it’s difficult to do. Puestro Negra doesn’t specifically taste or smell of roasted coffee, burnt toast or any of the usual roast-bearing constructs so much as a minimally charred grain husk. It’s just enough to lend it a bit of richness and merest black pepper note that would easily stand up to a quesabirria taco, but I might even favor it with leg of lamb or some gamier meat.
The highest praise I can offer Puesto Negra is how I can imagine reaching for this dark brew even if the sun was blazing overhead. I’m confident it would still soothe and refresh. Or I’m that desperate to drink more. It’s a net positive for the beer either way.
Now, getting back to that taco coat of arms…