1202 E. 1st Street ~ Los Angeles

Like the sun, La Estrella’s chrome body armor glimmers with the blinding light of a hundred tiny stars. We stop for tacos while navigating the serpentine length of Figueroa from Pasadena back to downtown LA. The big blue taco truck looks at home here- pedestrian friendly and casual, busy enough but not too busy. No one is in a hurry, and the winter sun makes me warm and loose like a snake on a hot rock.

Who is this taco man! If my eyes don’t deceive me, he was painted by Raul Balthazar. I am hungry, and taco man looks to me like an edible chocolate statue. Maybe that’s why he is getting ready to peg me with a hot taco. Is he carrying sticks, bones, or taquitos? He says, “What kind of taco would you like to taste today?” We ask for pastor, carnitas and cabeza.

La Estrella cooked up some generously apportioned and healthy tasting tacos that satisfied our afternoon taco pangs; and, the price is right. Speaking of price, we asked the taco chef about this message written on the adjacent telephone unit.

Sorry, folks, but carne asada tacos are not free from La Estrella every Sunday. How I wish upon a star. I imagine the local buddies chilling out curb side would be happy for free tacos as well. They asked if we would take this picture of them posing for Taco. Salud, “… since all strangers and wanderers are sacred in the sight of Zeus,…” (Homer).

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(1 tacos)