Taco truck violence is nothing new, we’ve reported on dozens of violent episodes in or around taco trucks through the years. However the nature of the most recent taco truck attack is especially disconcerting. According to LA NOW,

The gunman got out of a white sedan about 10:40 p.m. Wednesday in the 10800 block of Inglewood Avenue and began shooting at people, according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. The victims were reportedly eating at a taco truck.

The sad truth is that violence can shatter the communal feeling of relaxation around a taco truck at any moment. Taco trucks may be culinary sanctuaries, but sadly they are just as exposed to the violence in this city as any other location.

In this case, 1 person died and 5 others, including some children, were injured. More information as it becomes available.

Los Angeles ~ CA

With ROT & ACME

Ever since I experienced the Korean tacos of Kogi BBQ, I’ve been a fan, but the time and locations of where their trucks are parked aren’t always convenient for me, so I hadn’t been able to have much of their food, except for one time that I happened to be visiting a friend in Eagle Rock and they had a truck parked down the street from where she was. I dragged her along and like me, she was blown away. Periodically, I’d hear about these specials that Chef Roy had been cooking up and they sounded so tasty, I definitely wanted to try them for myself. Finally, I set up a special tasting menu with Kogi BBQ for my dining group down the street from the Taco Truck Depot. How often can you say that you’ve had a 9 course tasting menu from a taco truck on a random street in LA?

The first 3 courses were all in one tray, which included a Short Rib Taco, a Spicy Pork Taco and an Oxtail and Kimchi taco. I’ve had the first two tacos in the past and they were just as good as before, but the Oxtail and Kimchi Taco was something new and wow, was it tasty. The meat was marinated well and had a slight chew to it that I liked and I really enjoyed the slight crunch of the kimchi. The only thing I would have changed is to have a spicier kimchi. It needed more heat, but other than that, the Oxtail and Kimchi Taco was a hit with the entire crowd. I think it should actually be added to their regular menu.

Fourth on the rotation was their Korean Hot Dog with a Kimchi Slaw. I wanted to like this more, but I think it needs some adjustments. First, the hot dog itself was just okay. It could be a preference thing, but I would have liked it to have more of a snap when I bit it into it, plus it could have been a bit juicier. Also, while I liked the bun’s softness, it needed to be firmer. When I got my hot dog, it had already fallen through the bun and while trying to eat it, the hot dog was slipping and sliding everywhere. I did like the kimchi slaw and how it hadn’t been marinated for too long, so it retained an almost green freshness about it.
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Rapper “Rick Ross” of Miami has a new album out, but this isn’t about William Leonard Roberts II. This is about “Freeway” Ricky Ross, one of LA’s original cocaine dealers who is now incarcerated but due to be released soon.

The Real Rick Ross, as he’s now known, has a blog he writes from TEXARKANA FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, where he’s serving a sentence stemming from a 1996 conviction of attempting to buy 100 kilos of cocaine from an undercover police officer. But let’s back up a little bit…

According to Street Gangs Magazine, Rick Ross was born in Texas, but raised in South Central Los Angeles. A superb tennis player at Dorsey High in the late 70′s, his reading and writing skills were so poor, he had no chance to get a College scholarship. Fast forward a few years and

Ross’ friend from San Jose State University told him about cocaine, a drug that was becoming more popular with the upscale party crowd but not popular among inner city residents. Through a cocaine-using auto upholstery teacher Ross knew at LATT, he met a Nicaraguan named Henry Corrales, who began selling Ross and his best friend, Ollie ”Big Loc” Newell, small amounts of this new drug. Because Ross and Newell where plugged into the LA gang scene they were able to quickly distribute the product in South Los Angeles. Eventually Corrales introduced Ross to Danilo Blandon a major supplier from Nicaragua. From that relationship, Ross went from a small time pusher to one of American most profitable street dealers in American history.

Blandon eventually would provide Ross with hundreds of kilos of cocaine on consignment and during his height, it was not uncommon to move $2 million or $3 million worth of crack in one day. Ross undercut other dealers and built a flourishing drug empire that spread all over the western part of the United States across to the Midwest.

But Blandon was not just one of the largest cocaine distributors in North America, he was also, according to an explosive, prize-winning series of article by journalist Gary Webb, working for the CIA to assist the Contra rebel group in his native Nicaragua. Danilo Blandon, current whereabouts unknown, served less than 6 years in prison and was given a green card and a job with the DEA when he was released.

But back to Ricky Ross. Stories of the insane amounts of cash, girls, and rock cocaine that were flowing through his empire in the early 80′s in Los Angeles are the stuff of legend. Ricky pretty much invented the high flying gangsta lifestyle, all while he was managing thousands of employees and dealing up $2m of cocaine in a single day. Freeway Ricky Ross, perhaps in part due to the CIA allegations coming out, had his 1996 life sentence reduced to 20 years and again reduced for good behavior. Ricky says he is a changed person and wants to do good for the world and make a positive impact. He is supposed to be released on May 4th of this year, and is doing a reality show showcasing his readjustment to society, the trailer of which is below:

The next chapter in the life of the real Rick Ross is unwritten, but it’s bound to be fascinating. Has he truly left the street life behind? Can he translate his street skills into those of the legitimate business man? The world will find out soon…

Do you know what’s one of the best things about having foodie friends? Simply, as one person there’s no way you could possibly know about all the great eats in the city, but if you have many friends who share your culinary passions, you’re always bound to hear about some new dining experience that’s just too fantastic to pass up. Well, my friend Robert, heard about and eventually checked out a street cart where a woman makes Oaxacan quesadillas using blue corn tortillas and usually towards the later afternoon, a churro truck will also park within a hop away from this cart. Oaxacan quesadillas and churros? How can one pass that up? I certainly didn’t and Robert led the way.

So last Sunday, off we went. When we arrived, our group of 5 crowded around the cart and after talking to the lady, we found out that we had an option of 6 different fillings: chicarrones, squash blossoms, chicken, frijoles, chorizo and potato and huitlacoche. We decided to order one of each, except for the frijoles and just share them. She was even nice enough to cut the quesadillas in 4 to 5 sections for easier eating.

The whole process was simple. First, she would get a ball of blue corn masa that was in a plastic bag next to her.

Then she’d pat it between her hands and than start patting it flat on the stove’s surface. I can’t even imagine how hot that surface was, but it didn’t seem to phase her.

Afterwards, she’d add a handful of mozarella cheese and the filling of your choice and let it lay flat for a while before folding it in half. Sometimes it was ready to go and other times, she’d let it still cook for a little while before putting on a paper plate and handing it to you.

Once you got your quesadilla, she had some additional ingredients that you could either top your quesadilla with or put inside of it. There was a mixture of nopales, red onions and cilantro in one container. You could also add a sprinkle of cotija cheese or a spoonful of a really hot salsa or a milder green salsa.

As mentioned, our group sampled 5 of the various fillings. First, we had the chicken quesadilla, but before I talk about that, I do have to say that I really liked the blue corn tortillas. It had a nice medium-thick texture and there was a nuttiness to the masa that I also really enjoyed. What was nice about the chicken was that it wasn’t dry and it had a nice flavor to the marinade.

Our second quesadilla had a huitlacoche filling, sometimes referred to as corn smut or Mexican truffles depending on who you talk to, but basically it’s a fungus. Huitlacoche is actually quite delicate, but can add a smoky, earthy and pungency to dishes like tamales, stews and in this case, quesadillas. I actually thought the huitlacoche in this case had a mild smokiness to it and I liked how the corn gave it a hit of sweetness.
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Garfield Ave. ~ Monterey Park

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