A skillet of chilaquiles from El Camino. (Photo courtsey of El Camino)

Dish of the week: Chilaquiles
Where to find it: Mission, Mezcalero, Taco Bamba, El Camino, Agua 301

With Cinco de Mayo coming up on Friday (it’s the 155th anniversary of the celebration), we’ve got Mexican and Mexican-inspired food on the brain this week. D.C. loves a good excuse to party, and it’s a safe bet that heaps of tacos, nachos, and margaritas will be polished off this weekend. A long night (or two) of eating and drinking is best followed by a filling breakfast, and Mexico has that meal down too—and in more ways than breakfast burritos or huevos rancheros. For something different, keep an eye out for chilaquiles, a simple dish that’s been making its way onto more brunch and Mexican menus around the District recently.

Chilaquiles are an unapologetic mess of eggs, cheese, crema, and salsa piled on top of crispy tortilla chips. Meat like chorizo is often added as well. Having that crunch from the tortilla chips is a big texture difference from something like huevos rancheros, where warmed tortillas are bathed in sauce and runny egg yolks.

The idea is to make a tasty morning meal that makes use of leftovers like tortillas, vegetables, salsas, and other ingredients. It’s essentially a Mexican breakfast casserole. Chilaquiles are closely related to migas, both of which inspire plenty of debate among Mexican and Tex-Mex food fans about the differences in ingredients and preparation, though at the base they’re quite similar. That leaves a lot of room for creativity with the exact recipe. Whatever the combination, chilaquiles satisfy a brunch or breakfast cravings for eggs with a spicy, cheesy kick.

Mission restaurant in Dupont Circle (1606 20th St. NW) makes chilaquiles for brunch with smoked gouda, chorizo, roja and verde salsas, crema, cojita cheese, and two fried eggs. If you’re looking for a boozy option, pair them with the $35.99 (plus tax and tip) brunch that includes two hours of bottomless drinks (including margaritas), guacamole, chips, and salsa. El Camino (108 Rhode Island Ave. NW) cooks its version with potatoes, Oaxacan and Chihuahua cheeses, caramelized onions, and fried eggs. And Nationals fans and Navy Yard residents can dig in at Agua 301 brunch (301 Water St. NW), where chilaquiles get scrambled eggs, chorizo, cojita cheese, pico, lime crema, and salsa.

Although chilaquiles are a breakfast favorite, several restaurants around D.C. serve them all day. Mezcalero (3714 14th St. NW) offers weekend brunch, but there’s no time limit on enjoying its chilaquiles, which are a mainstay on the restaurant’s lunch and dinner menus. The dish gets plated up salsa verde, cheese, corn tortillas and eggs, with steak available for an additional $3. And both locations of Taco Bamba (2190 Pimmit Dr., Falls Church and 164 Maple Ave. W, Vienna) sell chilaquiles from 8:30 a.m. to close. The base here comes with crispy tortillas, crema, beans, and avocado. Add on an egg or one of the shop’s taco meats like chorizo or stewed chicken for a few dollars more.

So if this weekend’s Cinco de Mayo festivities spark a craving for a morning after breakfast to match, put down the breakfast tacos and dig into some chilaquiles instead.