This Fortson restaurant serves ‘meat candy’ brisket tacos worth the drive. Here’s what we ate
It was a long drive just to eat lunch, but I knew that the 25-minute car trip from downtown Columbus and up Georgia Highway 219 was more than worth it when I took the first bite of that smoked brisket taco.
A college buddy first told me about Fortson’s 219 Food and Spirits in Harris County just after I moved to the city. He wowed me with stories of the meals and drinks, and I knew at some point I’d have to test his claims.
It took a couple of years, but the day finally came earlier this week. Mike Haskey, the Ledger-Enquirer’s videographer extraordinaire, and I piled into my tiny car for the short trip. And it was quite the feast.
The meal
219’s foray into lunch is more recent, our server told us during our visit. Posts on their social media account first mention the 219 Street Taqueria concept in late January and early February.
The menu revolves around 219’s top-notch meats. The restaurant sits just down the road from its sister business 219 Southern Market, a store and butcher shop.
Diners select a protein from a choice of four: smoked brisket, smoked chicken, braised brisket and pulled pork. The meats are available on tacos, taco salad or in Frito pie. If none of those appeal to you, perhaps chicken wings, chicken tenders or a pulled pork sandwich would do the trick.
I opted for the 219 combo, a taco with my choice of protein served with rice and beans ($8.95). The smoked brisket appealed to me most, but I also ordered an extra smoked chicken taco for $4.50 (I figured one might not be enough food). For both tacos, I went with flour tortillas over corn.
219 offers an extensive list of free toppings, so I loaded both of mine down with pickled red onions, lettuce, pico de gallo, fresh jalapeno and queso fresco cheese. I asked for lime on the side. Haskey opted for the braised brisket torta with an assortment of toppings and a slightly spicy chipotle mayo. We shared an order of chips and salsa.
The meals arrived at the table on silver metal trays, and the portions were sizable. The tacos were piled so high with meat and adornments, I worried if I’d even be able to fold them properly.
The brisket was expertly prepared. It was like meat candy — smoky, juicy and sweetly tender bite-sized cuts. The low and slow-cooked beef that sat at the bottom of the tortilla wasn’t egregiously fatty like other brisket tacos I’ve previously eaten. The fresh jalapeno added a little spice to play off the meat’s sweet and wood notes. The green, crisp lettuce and pickled onions added a little crunch. The spritz of lime at the end is the perfect finishing touch.
I didn’t add any sauce, as strange as it sounds. To be honest, I didn’t feel like it was something I needed. It was not missed.
The chicken was worth writing home about as well. It was finely shredded, and the spicy heat was present in the well seasoned and smoky meat, but it was not overwhelming. While it’s hard to pick a favorite, I’d choose the brisket if forced.
The most pleasant surprises were the sides. Too often, rice and beans are afterthoughts — bland things there only to take up space and fill out a plate. Well, not here.
The rice was light and fluffy. It carried a bit of heat to the back of your throat at the end of a bite. The beans were not cold dollops of paste. 219’s housemade charro beans were submerged in a spicy broth that opened my sinuses and delighted my taste buds.
There’s a reason the combo only comes with one taco — it’s a lot of food. So, I ended up taking some of my treats home to enjoy as a late-night snack.
Haskey and I got in the car for the peaceful drive to Columbus, knowing I’d be coming back at some point. Perhaps my next trip will be for a future Steak, Bake and Brew on Wednesday night, or maybe I’ll head to their other restaurant just down the road, 219 on the Lake.
If you haven’t been to 219 while in Fortson, you are truly missing out. Columbus folks, it is certainly worth the drive.
If you go
219 Food and Spirits
Address: 5167 Ga Highway 219, Fortson, Georgia
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-11 p.m., Friday; 5-11 p.m. Saturday.
This story was originally published July 30, 2021 at 10:00 AM.