LaClair: Barbacoa paradise finally found right here at Seis Express

Six years ago, I watched an episode of "Chef’s Table" on Netflix that had me a little obsessed. It was about Cristina Martinez, and she made barbacoa tacos. A traditional Mexican dish, barbacoa is made with lamb or beef and spiced with citrus. The preparation of barbacoa is lengthy and not easy. I have been trying to find some since.

When we went to the Grand Canyon and dipped down into central Arizona, I searched for it and failed. When we took a cruise to the Yucatan peninsula and stopped in Mexico, I searched for it and failed. Barbacoa is a central Mexican speciality, and I was just in the wrong part of the country. I never thought to look for it in St. Louis, because I usually want a gyro or Japanese food when I head that way. But now a new restaurant opened in Cape Girardeau recently, a little place, designed primarily for carry-out, called Seis Express, and I got goosebumps when I saw that they had barbacoa on the menu. I’d finally found it, or maybe you can say it had found me.

Seis Express has a few tables and a pretty large menu. I took my time and read the whole thing up on the wall, then ordered. It was a lot of food, but I wanted to try everything, although I once again failed. But, I thought, if they did barbacoa, what else did they have, and how did it taste, and how much could I afford, and how long did I want to eat leftovers? I ended up ordering two street tacos with barbacoa, the birria taco plate, and I wanted to try the Burrito Al Pastor with pork and pineapple, but they were out, so I changed it to a Burrito Mario.

The barbacoa was beef instead of lamb, I believe, but it was amazing. Tender, flavorful, the texture of a really slow stewed pot roast, just fall–apart wonderful. The meat was presented in a street taco format, so in two small corn tortillas with raw white onions (which is the only time I don’t mind them) and cilantro. The salsa served on the side was spicy but not mind-blowing, so I was sparing but still enjoyed it. I was and am very thankful that this is an option close to me now.

Then the Birria Tacos came in after that and blew my mind. I wasn’t even expecting this one to be as good as it was. I had just ordered it because it was something that I didn’t see on other Mexican food menus. Wow! Also tucked into two corn tortillas, these tacos had been pan-fried so that the outer tortilla was crisp and crunchy. The birria itself was also fall-apart tender beef, but the seasoning was different than barbacoa, a little sweeter, almost. After a little research, I realized that I was probably tasting the subtlest hint of cinnamon. The tacos were served with a little cup of rice and another of consomé, which is the broth the meat is cooked in. I had to ask the server, but she told me that the consomé was used for dipping the taco in, so much like a French Dip sandwich, I gave it a try. That was an absolute game changer. Rich, meaty broth soaked into every bite, magnifying and exemplifying the flavor and spices in the taco.

And the fun still wasn’t over, because then the Burrito Mario came out, and it was a hefty burrito. Beautifully sealed and toasted shut, I cut it in half to share. Full of pork carnitas, rice, black beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, lettuce and red tomatillo sauce, each bite was a tasty combination. Now, after the complex flavor punch of the barbacoa and birria tacos, the burrito couldn’t quite stand up to the sheer rich meatiness of the previous two dishes for me, but it was a different kind of meal. Refreshing, filling, and much less messy, it would be a solid choice for convenience’s sake.

Seis Express is located at 440 S. Mount Auburn Road, in Suite 101. You can eat in the store (there were about four tables), order online at seisexpress.com, or call them at (573) 803-1444. This place should have been packed with people demanding the quality food that I got to taste, and I will be doing my part and visiting often.

Rebecca LaClair travels to a new place every week to try food from a trendy restaurant or one she hasn’t been to yet.