Two Hippies Beach House Outrageous Tacos and Burritos

Are hippies coming back into fashion? With the country having spent most of the decade involved in a foreign war and the country at an economic crossroads, there are some similarities between the late '00s and the late '60s. In December 2008, Arizona Theater Company joined the trend by staging a blockbuster production of the 1967 musical "Hair," and it was one the most popular shows at the Herberger Theater in recent memory. Tattoos and piercings still seem a more popular statement than long hair and tie-dye, but there's definitely some nostalgia for hippie values and aesthetics. When it come to local restaurants, the term "hippie" has been revitalized by the burgeoning Two Hippies group of restaurants in Central Phoenix. The Two Hippies concept debuted with Two Hippies Magic Mushroom Burgers on Indian School Road. More recently, the Two Hippies brand has been extended to Two Hippies Beach House Outrageous Tacos and Burritos on Camelback Road, a little under half a mile east of the Central / Camelback station.

The layout of this little restaurant is like a shack on the beach, only with an asphalt parking lot replacing the sand and the six-lane roar of Camelback Road substituting for waves crashing along the shore. The best seats are at the picnic tables behind the restaurant, but there are also stools, a good choice for solo diners, alongside the building. There are even three stools inside the restaurant, but the tiny interior space, normally used only customers placing their orders, is too small to make sitting inside appealing except maybe in extreme weather. In fact, the restaurant is so tiny that it's not uncommon to see a line of people waiting outside to place their orders during peak hours. After placing those orders, customers wait for their names to be called and then pick up their orders at a rear window. The window is normally covered by a sort of tie-dye curtain which opens only for dispensation of orders. For the most part, the system works, but it can be awkward to have to bang on the window or go up front and get back in line just to obtain an extra fork or a drink refill.

The food at Two Hippies is sometimes described as "gringo," and some elements of that description apply. The most obvious example is the use, in some cases overuse, of a blend of shredded yellow and white cheeses on almost everything. As a garnish on tacos (right photo below), it works well enough, but in a burrito, there's sometimes so much cheese that it overwhelms the other ingredients. That's a shame because for the most part those ingredients are good. Meats include beef, chicken, pork, and white fish (species not specified). Red and green chile often put in appearances as daily specials, but that's as adventurous as the meats get at Two Hippies. Anyone looking for a lengua (tongue) torta might be happier a few miles away at a place like El Napolito. Speaking of napolito, Two Hippies often features cactus as a daily special. Since nopales are not found at Taco Bell, maybe it's not fair to characterize Two Hippies as entirely gringo. It has elements of north-of-the-border Mexican cooking, but it also has a sense of adventure and a kitschy feel all its own.

The tacos at Two Hippies are small in both size and price, but the restaurant wisely offers a three-taco basket as a menu standard. The tacos can be mixed and matched in any combination of fillings, and both soft corn and flour tortillas are available. Among the sides at Two Hippies, the rice is good -- fluffy and not oversalted. The beans, however, are even better. Two Hippies does not offer refried beans. Instead, the choices are whole pinto beans or whole black beans. Both are simply prepared without a lot of flavorings or garnishes, but their texture is near perfect. The guacamole at Two Hippies is smooth, although not enough to suggest it has been diluted with sour cream. The salsas -- both a green and red -- are good but not especially noteworthy. Neither packs a lot of heat, but bottles of Sriracha, the hot sauce found in just about every Vietnamese restaurant around town, provide an interesting cross-cultural way to add some fire.

The best way to extinguish that fire is with one of the restaurant's fruit-flavored slushy lemonades (center photo below). These come in nearly a dozen types that are available every day, but always check for the specials. Sour apple lemonade was one recent beverage choice. Think of it as two parts tart and one part sweet with a crisp apple finish. One missing element is beer, for there is no liquor license at Two Hippies. For dessert, anyone who still has room might indulge in a brownie, the quintessential hippie treat. The restaurant often has a trivia question every 30 minutes. Know the right answer and a free brownie is yours for the taking. Two Hippies doesn't have high chairs per se, but the picnic benches work just fine for little kids. Just imagine the fun of trying to explain hippies to dining companions born long after the Age of Aquarius.

501 E Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85012 | Map
(602) 277-0399