Asada
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You can’t go wrong with carne asada tacos, but if you want to try some exceptional grilled meat folded into a warm corn tortilla, head over to Leo’s truck! This is inexpensive fast food at its best and worth a late-night drive. And don’t be shy, try the guacamole salsa, ‘cause the tasty green condiment is phenomenal. People come from all over for their tacos Al Pastor — pork meat sliced right off the spit and topped off with a sliver of grilled pineapple, but in my unpopular opinion, the asada consistently wins hands down. For a fun sit-down experience, and maybe a delicious melon margarita, venture out to Don Cuco’s in Toluca Lake. The hearty carne asada dinner includes choice select New York Steak ($25.95), served with your choice of a cheese enchilada or chile relleno, and includes rice and beans.
Mole
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You say you’ve got a hankering for a traditional yummy chicken mole, but you’re on the West Side? Then look no further than Frida’s, the one at the trendy Brentwood Country Mart food court on 26th Street in Brentwood/Santa Monica. A pollo con mole taco plate ($9.95) comes with two soft tacos overflowing with a generous heap of shredded chicken, slathered in delicious mole sauce, alongside a side of Mexican rice and refried beans. In the Valley, it’s Casa Vega serving up one of their “Especiales de la casa,” a generous $27 Pollo en Mole dinner, served with Spanish Rice and Refried Beans. For $7 bucks more, add Soup, Salad, or Tostada Chiquita! The albondiga soup is the best in town, and the Tostada Chiquita is a meal in itself.
Carnitas
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The most authentic, finger-licking carnitas you can find are in the heart of historic Olivera Street’s famous La Luz Del Dia (the light of the day) restaurant. The cafeteria-style place’s handmade, fresh corn tortillas are the best, and the lean, perfectly roasted pork meat melts in your mouth. A two-taco plate costs around $12 and includes rice and beans. You can also order them a la carte. Don’t forget to try their homemade salsa! It’s amazing and brings out the flavor of the meat. While parking can get tricky downtown, there’s a convenient pay lot across the street at Union Station. And if you like champurado (a hearty, thick hot chocolate beverage made with masa harina) this is the place!
Taquitos
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Also tucked away on historic Olvera Street since 1934 is the world-famous Cielito Lindo food stand, renowned for its classic beef taquitos (stuffed, rolled, and fried corn tortillas) and avocado salsa. Nothing posh or pretentious about this place, which has stuck to its original menu for nearly a century. The thing to order is taquitos, (2 for $12.50) though there are also burritos and chile relleno, which come smothered in avocado sauce and optional beans and cheese. The place “began as not much more than a few wooden tables and benches, a charcoal burning bracero, and a wooden shack to store a few supplies,” adds the establishment’s site. “Running water was not available so the water was drawn from the gas station directly behind the stand. The food was cooked at home and bundled in cloth ‘manteles’ to be carried to Olvera Street daily by trolley.” Today, Cielito Lindo not only has running water, but it also has lines of hungry regulars and tourists forming down the block!
Tamales
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Okay, it’s a schlep, but so worth it! Me Gusta Gourmet Tamales in Pacoima. Why? In a nutshell, or rather a corn husk, these award-winning tamales are made fresh every day. They aren’t dry like most, and you can buy them steamed hot or frozen, and mix and match a variety of yummy flavors, such as sweet corn, beef, chicken, pork, strawberry, pineapple, or vegetarian for under $4 bucks. This stand is the real deal, with people lining up around the block for Christmas and New Year’s. For those who frequent neighborhood farmer’s markets conveniently located throughout the southland, they have booths most weekends in hotspots like West Hollywood, Brentwood, Encino, etc., where you can have a nibble onsite or stock up on your favorites. They’re cheaper by the dozen!
Fajitas
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The best of the best for the money has got to go to Salsa and Beer. My fave is the combo fajita platter ($24.95), a perfectly seasoned sizzling delight that includes a generous amount of grilled steak, chicken, and shrimp, all cooked with veggies, onions, zucchini, and bell peppers and served with rice, beans, pico de gallo, guacamole and tortillas. The meal is sharable, and you can add a soup or salad for $3.95. Be prepared for a long wait, ‘cause it gets really busy… or call ahead and take it to go. With four locations, pick one and GO!
Burrito
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If you haven’t tried a burrito at Sol y Luna in Tarzana, you haven’t lived a full life! Warning: this ain’t the Taco Bell kind you can pick up with your hands. It’s fork and knife time for this massive dish, which comes in a dozen varieties, including carne asada (grilled steak), carnitas (roasted pork), camaron (grilled shrimp), machaca (shredded beef), pollo (chicken) in several variations, bean and cheese, chile relleno, chile Colorado or Verde, and veggie. Prices vary according to filling and will run around $10-$16. For $4 bucks more, you can add beans and rice to the plate. Try the fabulous guacamole, prepared fresh at tableside too, though it’ll add another $15 to the tab. And be prepared to wait forever, especially on warmer nights and weekends. The bar is always hopping, and there’s outdoor patio seating as well.
Tostada Salad
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Ask native Angelinos and they’ll tell you where to go for the must-have tostada salad — the legendary El Coyote restaurant on Beverly Drive. Open since 1931, this spot is so authentically Old Hollywood that director Quentin Tarantino featured it in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood! (It’s the spot where pregnant actress Sharon Tate ate her last meal in 1969.) Anywho, enough of the sad stuff. Try this famous tostada, a mouth-watering medley of lettuce, green beans, peas, beets, carrots, tomatoes, and avocado, atop a fried flour tortilla lightly smeared with refried beans, and topped off with French dressing. You simply cannot get this salad anywhere else! Most locals order it with a mix of shredded dark and white meat chicken. This particular tostada (under $20) is off the menu, so if you know, you know to ask for it!
Vegan Bowls and Vegetarian Quesadillas
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Mixto in Silverlake! This trendy fast-food place on Hyperion is awesome. The menu includes grass-fed carne asada, free-range chicken, premium pork, and locally sourced vegan and vegetarian items, so there’s something for everybody. Their mouthwatering specialties include a Mixed Vegetable Bowl made with rice, black beans, eggs, pasilla chile, caramelized onion, corn, mushroom, avocado, crema roja, cotija cheese and cilantro ($11.50). And where else can you find their special Mixrizo vegetarian quesadilla ($9), a tasty vegan chorizo made with mushrooms, potatoes, spices, cilantro, and crema? Or the Sweet Corn Quesadilla ($9), made with corn, cotija cheese, smoky red salsa, and cilantro, and served on a tortilla with guacamole and sour cream?
Shredded Beef Tacos
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Last, but not least, is the traditional, no-nonsense beef taco with sliced iceberg lettuce. And that’s Tito’s Tacos in Culver City. Simple, fried tacos done the old-fashioned way. Want cheese? For a pittance (about $1.30) they’ll top it off with a mound of shredded cheddar. Want salsa? Sure. Want their famous guacamole? That’ll cost you — but it’s worth every penny! It’s more like a smooth guacamole sauce, of sorts, made with mashed-up avocados, seasoned herbs, and spices. A 4-ounce serving will run about $4. Sure, you can get burritos there too. But the tacos are the main attraction, and it’s well deserved. Around since 1959, they know what they’re doing and stick with what works best!
