Grubstreet LA lets us know today about Komida‘s “12 Days of Tacos”, a wacky holiday celebration of traditional American holiday food put into tacos. Komida is the taco shop from Yamashiro’s executive chef Brock Kleweno. The list of tacos…

• Roast Turkey with Pinot Noir/five-spice cranberry sauce (12/8)
• Brioche Stuffing with Kleweno Family Farm Sausage (12/9)
• Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole with/ haricot vert, roast garlic bechamel, crispy shallots (12/12)
• Spiced Sweet Potato with brûléed homemade marshmallow (12/13)
• Agave glazed ham with blood orange and pineapple salsa (12/14)
• Caramelized onion Yukon gold smashed potato with mom’s lumpy gravy (12/15)
• Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese with buttered bacon breadcrumbs (12/16)
• Shiitake scalloped potato with Grafton cheddar crisps (12/19)
• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with/ grilled venison loin and ginger cherry salsa (12/20)
• ‘Fruit Cake’ with Figgy Pudding Sauce (12/21)
• Gingerbread cookie with yuzu icing (12/22)
• Pastrami and sauerkraut with Asian 1000 island and rye seed tortillas (12/23)

Read the full story on Grubstreet.

Join our hero, Bandini, as he investigates a taco truck outside his comfort zone…

I parked on the street, walked towards the truck, and got about halfway when I had this creepy feeling of someone watching me. I turned back to my car but didn’t see anyone. I looked all around. Then I saw a dog run by me nervously. It was a pit bull or Staffordshire bull terrier or a Rottweiler or maybe not even a dog at all. Something told me to just go back. The truck was so bright, the street was so dark; the bulbs hanging from the wires along the truck were like lights on a runway guiding me in. I got the feeling I wasn’t ready for this truck. Whatever it was I wasn’t ready for it. I didn’t need it. The people standing near the truck stared over at me. They knew I wasn’t ready for it. I knew I wasn’t ready for it. Everyone knew. The dogs knew. The crickets knew. The night knew.

I was back on Vermont driving north when I saw a truck at the corner of Gage at a car wash. I parked on the lot and walked up to the counter and ordered. I was ready for this truck. The girl inside the truck smiled. The patrons smiled. I ordered my tacos.

Read the full review here.

The second LA Street Food Fest was held on August 16th in Pasadena, and writer, artist, and blogger The Minty was there to document her gustatory adventures. While these are not all of the delicious tacos that were served that day, it’s a nice selection that will make your mouth water. Enjoy!

pork taco from Tacos Cuernavaca

assorted tacos from Manzanilla Restaurante

cochinita pibil from La Flor de Yucatan

beef cheek taco from Casa Plascencia

beef and pork tacos from Jaliscos Mobile Taco Grill

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, my beloved City of Angels, a place that I love exploring, even today. It doesn’t matter that I’m from here, there is always something happening, people to meet, places to see…never a dull moment. At the age of five, I moved to the SCV, but my love for LA has never decreased.

When I was a kid, my uncle introduced me to an OG Taco Truck called “El Paisa” that always parked on the same street in El Sereno. It was near his home and I remember that I loved to visit my uncle because it meant we got to eat from “El Paisa” before heading back to SCV. Everyone knew the guy that owned the truck as “Paisa” and there was also a woman on the truck that made me special mulitas! I wouldn’t even have to order them anymore, she would see me and immediately get to work hand forming my mulita.

El Paisa prepared Tijuana style tacos with the creamy guacamole and used mesquite charcoal which made his tacos different than what I would typically find on street corners. Yet, more than anything, his accent, and his tacos always took me back to Tijuana. It was so familiar, and it was tradition. For years I ate with El Paisa, a big man that saw me grow up, always asked how I was, and just one of those people that you meet and is always so kind. And then, one day, El Paisa fell ill and he wasn’t on the truck anymore…then the truck wasn’t on the usual street anymore…and then years later, we learned that El Paisa had died. This was about seven years ago, but often El Paisa would come up in conversation, and we always remembered him fondly.

Often, if we happened to be in the area, we would “take a cruisin” past the old neighborhood to see if by chance, the truck and his legacy was still around, but no, it seems as if El Paisa was now just a memory. Until early 2009…a blue truck was parked in his old spot one day! We stopped by and despite the fact that I was now in my mid-20s, the lady that would so happily make my mulitas recognized me! That night was not only a night of fond memories, but it was like a part of my childhood came back. We spent hours talking and catching up that night. A relative had taken over and I even Yelped about it. And look! I wasn’t alone! So many others had been looking for the truck! El Paisa touched a lot of lives in El Sereno…and he was missed by many.

As if by fate, or chance, we happened to pass by that night, but the next time we passed by, weeks later? The truck was once again gone! And a week later, again. Gone. It was almost as if I had dreamed that night had happened. That happy reunion. My childhood. The universe was acting up again! Grr!

A few months ago, my uncle fell ill (he’s better now), and as a bunch of us were gathered in his hospital room, one of my cousins came in and said “I found El Paisa’s brother!” and instantly we all talked fondly of El Paisa and wanted to know details. My cousin said he was at a friend’s birthday party and thought the guy slanging tacos looked familiar. Furthermore, he said the tacos tasted familiar. Immediately we wanted details, but he didn’t have much, just that El Paisa’s brother was slanging somewhere in El Sereno and that it tasted just like the OG El Paisa. Grr! Didn’t he know how many people were slanging tacos on just about every street corner in El Sereno? #$%?#@#$#

What followed was months of trial and error. If we happened to be nearby, we would go up and down El Sereno looking for someone that resembled El Paisa’s tacos and nothing ever came close. We didn’t know if we were looking for a truck or a stand, or someone’s backyard. All we had was this false hope that maybe, just maybe, we would find his brother. We even asked people if they remembered “El Paisa” and got nothing. We had pretty much given up on this quest.

And then, like three weeks ago, we were coming from SGV and cut through El Sereno to DTLA when we saw a stand we hadn’t hit up yet. The guy was cooking with mesquite and we were a bit hungry anyway. Yet, there was something familiar about the asada…and then…when we asked if the knew “El Paisa” the guy replied, yeah he was my brother, but he died about seven years ago…woah…

We had found El Paisa’s brother, who apparently had opened a small restaurant in the years prior, but he had to close, so he went back to slanging on the streets, seven days a week. Just him and his wife, and sometimes his young son. His stand is simple, not a truck, and he only has asada. His tacos are only a dollar, and they take me back to my childhood. These are Tijuana style tacos, even in the way they are wrapped. My primos at Mexicali Taco & Co slang Mexicali Style, my Tio Ricky slangs Ensenada Style, and this guy slangs TJ Style. A trifecta of my Baja roots, right here in my beloved City of Angels.

I had been weary to share this because it is so personal to me, and so much a part of my childhood…eventually I’ll post his address…but I want to take a few friends there first. It is nothing fancy, and like I said all he sells are asada tacos (he can make it a tostada) and hey, maybe its not the best ever…but to me these are also about context and memory and are so deeply tied to my childhood. I don’t want anyone ruining this for me or hating on them. I hadn’t even taken photos or talked about them much, but today there was nice light out and I felt inspired to take a few pictures. It seems to be a hit with the locals, and its their secret place too. Luckily there is a place to buy something to drink nearby (he doesn’t even sell drinks), and there are only like two chairs. And that’s fine.

All I know is that these flavors are what I had been missing for years…and it was a quest to find them again…but I’m happy…I Love LA. XoXo.

With all of the Jaliscans, Capitalanos, and Michoacanans here in Los Angeles you’d think we’d have some better carnitas. Carnitas are various pork parts fried in pork lard; while it’s done all over Mexico, the predominant styles are from Michoacan, Jalisco, Mexico City, San Francisco de los Romo in Aguascalientes, and in the Bajio (eastern half of Michoacan, and all of Queretaro and Guanajuato) region of Mexico. Outside of these regions, carnitas are usually prepared by artisans from Mexico City, Michoacan, and Jalisco.

A carnitas Taco Task Force run was looking hopeless last year; there just weren’t enough solid locations to even make the minimum 5 stops, and nothing outstanding besides Metro Balderas. We all love carnitas, and you can usually do pretty good even with the carnitas found around LA using the cheater method– boiling the pork in water and frying them up before serving. This cooking style is like the kind you get at Olvera St. or just about any Mexican-American restaurant around town. The texture is stringy, but the flavor can be passable, often times more attractive than having dry carne asada.

Taco Task Force Mission: We are here to rate tacos without prejudice, and give this culinary treasure its proper due. We are the antidote to amateurish taco blogs, we are a tacoligarchy.

For this mission we expanded the Taco Task Force from the original cast: Josh “el guapo” Lurie,Matt “el chico paletero”Kang, Cathy “la risa” Danh, Javier “el flaco” Cabral, and I “el jefe”, to include new TTF draftees:Eddie Lin, Zach Brooks, Valentina Silva, Jo Stougaard, and David Lieberman.

On January 22,2011, the TTF members reporting for duty were Josh Lurie (JL), Matt Kang (MK), Zach Brooks (ZB), Valentina Silva (VS), Dave Lieberman (DL) and his wife Linnea (LL), and I (BE). Our control of the day was the taco surtido, a mixed carnitas taco consisting of either all the available parts of that taquero or the taquero’s personal preference. This typically includes muscle tissue like shoulder or rib, combined with skin, and various offal.

We scored each taco on a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being the highest score in the categories of Grade of Key Ingredient, Condiment/Tortilla, Overall Flavor, and Cooking.All scores were averaged to reach the Overall Score. We made 5 stops that day representing the popular, established, and new restaurants/stands/trucks that have a specialty in carnitas.Who has the best carnitas in Los Angeles?

Coming in at #5 on our list is Carnitas Michoacan #3

Carnitas Michoacan is a well-known chain with over 30 years experience here in Los Angeles; famous throughout the talk forums for their Michoacan-style carnitas.

They claim to have over 5 zillion sold, for this accomplishment, they should be charged with senseless mass porkicide. These are hardly Michoacan-style; more Elks Lodge banquet hall style, employing the cheater method of boiling then frying prior to serving. They only have shoulder, no other parts available. The texture is bad enough, but combined with a strange-tasting, dry pork, my interest died after the first bite. It wasn’t a surprise that these were so bad, but its popularity made Carnitas Michoacan a necessary stop, one of the many hazards of TTF duty. This is a “don’t go” place.

Carnitas Michoacan #3
741 S Soto St
Los Angeles, CA 90023
(323) 266-7188

OVERALL SCORE 1.768/5

At #4, Carnitas El Tio, a new discovery for the TTF

Carnitas El Tio looked promising with its lil’ piggy logo and cool a-frame building down in Compton, but it proved to be just ok. Despite the fact that they’ve been around since ’94, they’ve curiously remained more of a local joint. The boil then fry method is again employed here to mediocre ends. The flavor was good at first, then just vanished, and there was some dryness in this taco.There was also a funny aftertaste that I couldn’t quite place…these carnitas are just OK, but I don’t see coming back here again, local it shall remain.

Carnitas El Tio
1903 N. Long Beach Blvd.
Compton, CA 90221
(310)4938126

OVERALL SCORE 2.89275/5

Coming in at #3, Los Cinco Puntos still kicks it Old School

Los Cinco Puntos in Boyle Heights is an institution where carnitas are cooked in traditional cazos(large metal pots), and are fried in lard. There’s always a line here for their East LA style thick-corn tortillas, tamales, roasted lamb heads, and carnitas. They’ve even got a damn good moronga, blood sausage. The taco surtido contained ribs, and hog’s maw, a good combination that was more dominated by the hog’s maw, not a bad idea since the rib was a little chewy. Los Cinco Puntos also has tripe, tongue, shout, and skin available for carnitas. Here I would stick with the offal and skin tacos. They have a great jalapeno salsa,too, and drop nopales come standard on your taco. After all these years, Los Cinco Puntos still delivers.This is a solid carnitas taco

Los Cinco Puntos
3300 E Cesar E Chavez Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 261-4084

OVERALL SCORE 3.48175/5

Our carnitas runner-up, at #2, Metro Balderas

Metro Balderas has 10 years in the carnitas game; their original branch still stands in Northridge. We stopped at their better known Highland Park location to sample their Mexico City style carnitas. Mexico City is all about the offal, here you can even get a pig uterus taco. The surtida had uterus, hog’s maw, snout, rib, shoulder, and ear.These tacos are strong in their saltiness and pork flavors, and they have a pleasing texture from traditional cooking in a cazo. It doesn’t hurt that they have amazing salsa, the best of the day for the TTF.

Metro Balderas is a sure bet if you’re in the mood for top-notch carnitas in LA.

Metro Balderas
5305 N Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 478-8383

OVERALL SCORE 3.6785/5

And, introducing the #1 carnitas in Los Angeles, Tacos Los Güichos!

Tacos Los Guicho’s weekend carnitas were a recent discovery of mine. Here the truth in cooking is revealed to all, slow cooked pork in a bubbling bath tub of lard. The surtida had ears, lips, hog’s maw, shoulder, and rib. The cooking here is careful, and this is the only place that excels in all parts, from offal to muscle tissue. Los Güichos is another Mexico City-style carnitas location, superior in a balanced pork taste, and with great condiments to finish your tacoing in style.

Tacos Los Güichos
carnitas on the weekends only from 8am ’til they run out
regular menu 7 days a week
southwest corner of Slauson and Avalon
Los Angeles, CA

OVERALL SCORE 4.036/5

Stay tuned for more Taco Task Force missions, to bring you the best in tacos here in LA and beyond.

This article was reprinted with permission from StreetGourmetLA, which has additional images, expanded ratings, and more!

JOSExy and Tacos go together like fine womens and fine wines.

As a public service to the taco lifestyle, we have asked famed street gourmet Bill Esparza to drop some taco knowledge in this ground-breaking series we call TACOS 101. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

The Crowd

The universally accepted rule of stands and trucks is that where there’s a crowd, you shall find good tacos. This is more applicable in Mexico where there are full on taco wars, a gaggle of stands all serving carne asada for example. Customers will have established the supremacy of a stand over time. It’s always true that a crowd keeps the tacos fresh, with a higher turnover than a slow stand.

In Los Angeles, a place can sometimes be popular for various reasons, look for the crowd, but look for other indicators of excellence too.

There are a large group of Mexicans standing in line so it must be good? Well, many of the Mexicans standing around were born in the United States, and are Mexican-Americans. Many Mexican-Americans don’t have experience with great tacos, and aren’t aware of Mexican cuisine outside a cursory knowledge. Mexican-Americans are Americans, they love hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza, and Harry Potter, just as much as a non-Latino. There are pockets of Los Angeles that have more recent arrivals from Mexico that carry a little more taco experience. But, never assume someone is a foodie or an expert just because of their heritage.

LA Taco Scene

Los Angeles is flush with taco trucks manned by unskilled taqueros cooking meats on a flat iron, which should be fried, roasted, or steamed. Hog’s maw, chicken, steak, brains, al pastor, tripe, tongue, all from a single taquero cooking  on a flat iron? These aren’t the best practices, and this style of taco doesn’t exist in Mexico. This is a style that has developed in the local Mexican-American community.  No separate money handlers? This is essential for hygiene, and part of a taquero apprentice program where young aspiring taqueros clean, handle money, and prep before learning the finer skills of tacoing. Being a taquero isn’t a job, it’s an occupation requiring training, just like being a chef. Taqueros are specialists. An al pastor man is an al pastor man for life, moving from stand to stand, and taqueria to taqueria.

Salsas at our trucks tend to be bland and often are the same styles everyone else has. Condiments are an afterthought, and the pride and commitment to maintaining a fresh and clean condiment station seems unimportant to many.

Meats are bought for the sole purpose of keeping the cost of the taco at a buck. This means poor quality meats and ingredients. A great taco for most types of tacos in LA isn’t possible at the dollar price point. Our economy is different. In Mexico, even some of these tacos are more than a dollar, but they remain around a dollar due to lower food, employee, and operation costs. Carne asada has to be above two dollars in order to deliver a quality bite here in the United States.

That being said, there are good versions of the Los Angeles style of taco truck here in LA, and they garner a loyal following.

Taco Hunting

For those seeking the best tacos in Los Angeles, the rewards will outweigh the inconveniences. Sure, it’s great to grab a late night taco at a random truck. But, it has been my experience that when presented with the genuine article, most people have a hard time going back. So, let us dive in!

Start with regionalism. There is a certain pride that comes with representing a particular region of Mexico that marks the best stands, trucks, and taquerias. When your taco shop calls out their state or hometown, it’s likely they are making their regional style of tacos. Think small Mexico vs. big Mexico. Tacos Mexico is a sloppy, and bland taqueria chain. There isn’t a taco to represent the entirety of Mexico, like their name, their tacos are generic.  A truck or stand called Tacos Nayarit is better as it refers to a state, but even more specific would be a stand or taqueria named Tacos Acaponeta, named after a city in Nayarit. Mariscos Jalisco, estilo San Juan de Los Lagos, from the highlands of the state of Jalisco, is one of our best tacos in Los Angeles. The reference to their hometown is what brought my attention to this truck. They have a shrimp taco made from a secret recipe brought back from their town. It’s these little things that matter.

Look for specialists, and skilled taqueros. Look for places that observe traditional serving times, like places that do carnitas, or birria in the mornings, or on the weekends only. Any eateries observing Mexico’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner practices are worth a stop. Carnitas at night that are boiled, then fried in the truck are going to be salty, have a stringy texture, and lack in pork flavor.

Some Traditional Tacos in LA

Al Pastor/Adobada-adoboed pork roasted on a vertical spit.

Service-after 6PM until 2AM, or 4AM on weekends.

Region-Best from Mexico City, Puebla, Guanajuato, Yucatan, Baja California, but is done in all states.

Tacos Leo, Mid-City

http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2010/09/tacos-leola-brea-and-venice-tacos-al.html

Barbacoa-Pit roasted lamb and pancita(offal stuffed lamb stomach) served with lamb consommé with chick peas.

Service-Weekend mornings to early afternoon

Region-Best from Hidalgo, Guerrero, Puebla, and the State of Mexico.

Borrego de Oro, but better at underground locations.

http://www.borregodeoro.com/

Birria- Oven roasted or stewed goat, beef, lamb, or other proteins (even seafood), in a sauce of cumin and red chilis.

Service-mornings to early afternoon

Region-Best from Jalisco, Zacatecas, and Michoacan, but prepared in all states.

Flor del Rio, Boyle Heights

http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2010/02/taco-task-forcethe-best-birria-de-chivo.html

Carne Asada-charcoal or mesquite roasted beef.

Service-after 6PM is when the carne asada stands get going,’ til around 2AM, and 4AM on the weekends.

Region-Best from Sonora, Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, generally dominating the northern states.

Mexicali Taco Co., Downtown LA

http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2010/09/for-unlawful-carne-asada-knowledge.html

Carnitas-pork fried in lard, traditionally in a cazo(large copper pot)with various parts.

Service-Mornings to early afternoon, especially on weekends.

Region-Best in Michoacan, Jalisco, Mexico City, Aguascalientes

Tacos Los Guichos, Vernon/Main

http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2011/01/tacos-los-guichoslos-angelesca-mexico.html

Tacos de Guisado-stews and braised meats, seafood,poultry,vegetables,etc.

Service-Mornings to early afternoons during the week.

Region-All over Mexico, but the greatest tradition is in Mexico City.

Tacos Carmelita, MacArthur Park

http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2010/12/tacos-carmelita-mexico-city-risingtacos.html

Tacos de Pescado-tempura battered fried fish

Service-mornings to early afternoon

Region-Baja California, especially Ensenada

Ricky’s Fish Tacos, Silver Lake

http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2009/12/las-best-baja-fish-taco.html

Tacos Dorados de Camaron-deep fried shrimp and vegetable tacos

Service-mornings to early afternoon

Region-Highlands of Jalisco

Mariscos Jalisco, Boyle Heights

http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2008/10/mariscos-jalisconot-just-another.html

Previously: Part 1 / Part 2

The first time I ever heard about Cacao Mexicatessen was from reading an article somewhere about their duck carnitas tacos. Those tacos sounded so delicious that I filed the name of the restaurant in the back of my mind as a place to hit up when I got a chance.  A year later, I finally got a taste of those Duck Carnitas Tacos (duck confit, avocado, vinegar, onion, radishes and chile oil) at the 2010 East LA Meets Napa Event and in the process also sampled their Wild Boar Chorizo Verde Taco (ground boar, Mexican spices, avocado and pico de gallo) as well. Wow! They were absolutely delicious and I loved the thickness of the handmade tortillas. I can’t believe I waited a year to try their food.

A month later, I finally made a trip Cacao Mexicatessen’s actual restaurant in Eagle Rock and in fact, I went there 3 times within a month and a half.  That’s pretty unusual for me because generally, it’ll take me months before I re-visit a restaurant, let alone weeks.  Walking into Cacao, I could see it really was also a working deli.  Available for purchase were prepared foods, cheeses, tortillas and various other Mexican foods.

Ordering at Cacao means perusing a menu near the counter before placing your order.  Since I already tried the duck carnitas and wild boar tacos, I opted to order 3 other tacos from their menu along with a couple of other items.  One of those items was a Cucumber Agua Fresca.  It was just a tad sweet, but still very refreshing and I loved the added touch of the fresh cucumber slices added to the drink.

The other item was their Mexican Corn on the Cob (grilled white corn, queso cotija, lime aioli and powdered chili).  The sweetness of the corn and the tart, spicy, salty flavors of the condiments really made this corn sing on my palate.  If you’re planning on eating the whole corn, I’d limit myself to just one or two tacos because it’s quite filling.

Now let’s talk tacos.  The three I ordered all came on one plate. I took a bite out of the Tocino  en Chocolatado Taco first.  Made with house cured bacon, salsa de cacao, creme, bean puree and Serrano chilies, I thought these ingredients made this a more unique taco.  The salsa de cacao had a slight bitter and sweet taste to it which went well with a little bit of heat from the Serrano chilies, but then the creme did a good job of softening all the flavors together.

Second to receive my undivided attention was the Chicarron de Pato (fried duck skin, cabbage, radish, onion, cilantro and salsa verde).  The funny thing about this taco is that if I hadn’t known ahead of time, I may not necessarily have identified the skin as fried duck skin.  The skin didn’t taste “ducky” per se, but regardless, crunchy skin, crunchy cabbage, radish and everything else made for a delicious taco.

Third but not least was the Venison a la Yucateca (shredded venison, achiote, habanero, red onion and cilantro)  The ingredients were quite complimentary to the venison with the achiote providing a hint of earthiness, the habanero with a bit of heat, the cilantro adding some pepperiness and finally, the red onion with just a hint of sweetness.

For my second visit to Cacao, my drink of choice was the Strawberry Agua Fresca. and  fresh strawberry slices topped the drink.

Again, I tried 3 different tacos, but for this meal, we also shared some sides.  One was the Mole Fries. I wish the fries themselves were a little thinner and a little crispier, but the tasty mole sauce still kept me coming back for more.

One of the board specials that night was the shoestring onions with red mole sauce and chopped green onions. I liked the dish overall, but found it to be a bit greasy and that definitely took away some of the enjoyment from eating it.

The first taco that I tried after both sides was the Cochinita Pibil Taco (smoked pork in achiote, citrus and yucatan spices topped with pickled red onions and cilantro).  I was just a tad disappointed in this taco primarily because of the pork which was a little chewier than I would have liked plus it tasted just a little bland.  It needed more of the citrus for added flavor. The pickled red onions though were a great touch.

Of the six vegetarian tacos on the menu, I tried the Flor de Jamaica Taco (hibiscus flower with melted cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo).  I would have never thought of hibiscus flower as a taco ingredient, but it definitely worked for me. The fact that they used milder-flavored ingredients to frame the strong tartness of the hibiscus was well thought out.  Other ingredients may have ended up being too competitive which would have contributed to jumbled flavors.

The last taco of the evening was also a board special and it was the Taco de Vampiro de Chicarron de Pato which was basically a layered taco.  The bottom layer had  Mexican cheese and cebollitas and the top layer had fried duck skin, guacamole, radish, pico de gallo, cotija cheese and salsa.  I couldn’t get into this particular taco.  There just seemed to be an overkill of ingredients and everything just seemed a bit messy.

For my third visit, I went with their Horchata, which didn’t do much for me at all.  It had a grainy texture that was unappealing plus it was a bit watered down. It’s not a drink I’d order again.

Other than sharing Chips and Salsa, the food focus for this meal was definitely just on the tacos and again, I ordered 3 different ones.

First up was the Filet Mignon Taco (tender diced filet mignon topped with caramelized onions, cilantro, Serrano peppers and chili oil).  This was simply a good tasting taco. Nothing special, but I ate it up.  My one complaint was that there was just too many onions.

Next was the Camarones Enchipotlados Taco (tiger shrimp in chipotle citrus garlic-sauce topped with cilantro-lime cremolato).  Of everything on this taco, I fell in love with the cilantro-lime cremolato.  The tart-peppery notes made my taste buds happy and I could see myself putting that cremolato as a condiment on other dishes as well, maybe, even on bread.

The last taco of this post is the Guajolote Taco (turkey, green pipian sauce, pumpkin seeds, cotija cheese, onion and cilantro). I have to say that I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much I did.  The turkey meat was tender and moist and the pumpkin seeds and green pipian sauce added a nutty sweetness to the taco that was on the mark.

Overall, I really have to give high marks to Cacao Mexicatassen.  The fact that they have so many tacos to choose from with unique ingredients really speaks well of their creativity and considering that most of the ones I tried were absolutely delicious speaks to their cooking skills.  I think there’s still about 11 more on the menu that I still need to check out and that doesn’t count their weekly taco special which is only available for one week before it’s gone.  Cacao is a place I’d be more than happy to recommend to others and one of the few places that I’d consider visiting several times a year.

Cacao Mexicatassen
1576 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041-1441
(323) 478-2791

If you’d like to read more about my tasty travels around town, click here or if you’d like to join my dining group, Pleasure Palate, click here!

As a public service to the taco lifestyle, we have asked famed street gourmet Bill Esparza to drop some taco knowledge in this ground-breaking series we call TACOS 101. Read Part 1 here.

Condiments

This is an essential skill of the taquero. The best stands actually pair salsas with their menu items. The red salsa is for the buche (hog’s maw), but try the green salsa on the suadero (brisket). It’s okay to have only one or two salsas if you are specializing in a single item, or just a few items. More isn’t better if the salsas aren’t good.

Nina’s salsa bar in East Los Angeles

The salsas should be colorful, fresh, and stylized. The station should be maintained, and the vegetables should be vibrant and fragrant. The area should be clean. A poorly maintained condiment area, especially when things are slow, is a sign that you’re dealing with a hack, or a careless taquero. You’ll know when you come across a top tier stand by the condiments.

Where’s the Beef?

In Mexico, taqueros are specialists. Carne asada should be flame roasted with charcoal or mesquite. Anyone working carne asada shouldn’t be cooking any other meats. If it is cooked on a flat iron, it isn’t asada, it’s called bistec (steak). The verb asar means to roast, and you can’t roast on a flat iron. Al pastor (spit roasted pork in adobo) or adobada (adoboed,a regional name for al pastor) is performed by a lone specialist. If you have asada and al pastor, there has to be a minimum of two taqueros. Brisket, buche, tripe, chorizo, longaniza, eyes, brains, cheeks, tongue, sweetbreads, and head can be done by a pair of taqueros, or a single taquero. These are called tacos de fritanga in Mexico City. A stainless steel comal with a convex grilling area is the beacon for this style of cooking. Chorizos, briskets, and offal are mingled and fried in the well of the comal, while the brains, head, and other delicacies are steamed. The selection is usually around six different meats, but there are places that have all the aforementioned cuts.

Lengua (tongue) Tacos

Fish tacos are performed by a specialist, with the only other menu item being shrimp tacos. This is done in a stainless steel comal with a concave well for frying. Some fondas serve great home-style fish tacos along with a larger menu like Mariscos Becerra in Playas de Tijuana, or McLulu’s in Loreto. These are sometimes cooked in a cast iron pan, just like families do in their home kitchens.

The quality of the meat and selected cut should be of the upmost importance. Seasoned taqueros select the proper meats, fish, poultry, and vegetables for their tacos, and have professional knife skills. Poor knife skills are a dead giveaway that you’re dealing with a weekend warrior.

Tortillas

Handmade or recently made? Flour or corn? Crispy or soft? Store bought? Made from scratch or from corn flour?

The tortilla is important. Hecho a mano means handmade on the premises. Recien hecha means they were purchased from a tortilleria. The northern states of Mexico, especially in Sonora where they do the best carne asada, flour tortillas are common. These range from small taco sized flour tortillas made from scratch or from a tortilleria, or the sobaqueras, thin flour tortillas the size of a pillow case. In the south and central regions of Mexico, corn is king. Corn tortillas are used in every state in Mexico, always depending on the cuisine, and some states use both equally.

Cheap store bought tortillas are a no no, but there are some quality brands out that the taquero might choose because of the neutrality of the tortilla or for deep frying, but in most cases, there’s no excuse for this. Homemade tortillas please!

The use of store bought tortillas is too common in Los Angeles. Let your taqueros know that you’d rather pay a few cents more for the real deal.

Lastly, the range of tortillas whether they’re made from corn or flour is vast in Mexico. Different textures, consistencies, and flavors are available. This is another area lacking in Los Angeles. A corn tortilla from one truck to the next is that same soft, bland, wrinkly wrapper. Look out for the stand with a signature tortilla.

Previously: Part 1. Next: Part 3

As a public service to the taco lifestyle, we have asked famed street gourmet Bill Esparza to drop some taco knowledge in this ground-breaking series we call TACOS 101.

Maize, corn, was first domesticated in Mesoamerica around 7000 years ago, some archaeologists date this as far back as 12,000 years. Around 1200-1500 B.C., nixtamalization was developed, the process of soaking and cooking the grain in lime water, and hulling it to prepare corn tortillas.

Tacos are a pre-hispanic food consisting of a tortilla, corn or flour*, folded in half, but sometimes rolled, filled with vegetables, meats, fish and seafood, insects, even just plain salt. The fillings are cooked using a variety of methods. While tacos were observed by Hernan Cortes and his men when they entered what is now Mexico City in 1519, and the current forms of taco production were established throughout the 20^th century, certainly, there has never been a better time to enjoy tacos than the present.

In Spanish, a taco means tack, to plug a hole. No doubt, a taco fills that hole in your belly when you’re on the go, whether off to work, grabbing a quick lunch, shopping with the family, or just a little recharge after leaving the club.

The taco genre is ever expanding in its vocabulary, it seems as though a new style is unveiled each day. In general, the north is dominated by grilled meats, the south by stews of vegetables and meats, and in the coastal regions, tacos are filled with seafood. But, Mexico has 32 distinct regional styles of cooking, thirty-one states plus the capitol, Mexico City, and the taco varieties reflect this hyper-regionalism in a striking manner.

In Los Angeles, tacos are everywhere, and the City of Angels even has its own style of Mexican-American tacos, and burritos, which are a part of the taco family. In recent years, the Kogi Korean-Mexican fusion truck launched a taco frenzy of non-latino loncheros trying to cash in on this wave.

The big difference between tacos in Los Angeles and those in Mexico are in economics, traditions, culture, equipment, specialization, and formatting. The majority of the tacos in Los Angeles served from stands, taquerias, loncheros, and restaurants are poor to mediocre. The great ones are few, but some of those are as good as you’ll find from a competent location in Mexico.

Etiquette

In order to enjoy tacos, it would be valuable to understand taco etiquette. Ordering street food from a traditional taquero means calling out your order, this is a direct and masculine cultural practice. You may be waiting a long time if you’re standing there waiting to get called on or to make eye contact, unless there is a formal line. Your order should be a demand, not a question. Do say, “Me da dos tacos!”(Give me 2 tacos) Or, “tres de asada.” (Three asada tacos) There is no “may I….? Or, “I would like….please.” That’s how we order in American culture, not in Mexican street food. Let them know if you want it crispy, or any other special instructions beforehand. If the taco is made contrary to your liking, it’s your fault, not the taquero’s. The responsibility lies on you to get your al pastor griddled, for crispiness, or smooth, sliced directly from the spit into the tortilla.

Traditional taqueros have you pay at the end and go on the honor system. You let the money handler know how many tacos, other items, and drinks you had at the end of your meal, and he will add up your bill. Many here in LA now charge up front adapting to the American style of service.

Tacos are served in Mexico from stands, carts, stalls, fondas, and taquerias, here in Los Angeles, we also have the loncheros, or food trucks. Tacos should come from an eatery that can deliver tacos instantly. Avoid ordering tacos at a place where they will be sitting out on a counter waiting for a waiter, as tacos peak rather quickly. Tacos to go just aren’t the same experience as being handed a warm tortilla filled with sizzling meat.

Read Part II: Condiments, Meats and Tortillas

One thing I love about the Assistant Organizers of my dining group, Pleasure Palate, is that they are truly passionate about exploring LA’s culinary landscape. This past Saturday, 7 of us went with one of my AOs, Cecilia, on her East LA Foodie C’Rave. C’Rave by the way is short for Culinary Rave and I can only rave about the fun we had, as we hit 7 foodie destinations in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights. Our first stop was at Cemitas Poblanas Elvirita.

While waiting for the rest of the group, a few of us early birds shared a Taco Abaje with pork and chipotle. It seemed more like a thinly rolled burrito than a taco. I liked the kick of the chipotle sauce and a squeeze of lime added a tart freshness to the pork.

Once everyone arrived, we ended up sharing 3 different Cemitas. Since we weren’t sure of everyone’s heat tolerance, we ordered the chipotle on the side, which I thought was a good idea, because it gave me a chance to taste the meat by itself before adding the spice to my sandwich. My favorite was the Milanesa. I really enjoyed the beef’s crispy battered coating. I liked the Barbacoa second, although I found the lamb to be a bit dry on its own. The addition of the chipotle sauce fixed that right away. Unfortunately, I thought the Carnitas Cemitas was a little too salty for my taste. For all three, I really enjoyed the bread, which was crusty and not overly thick.

After finishing off our Cemitas, we headed to Birreria Chalio. Walking in, I was quite surprised to see all the deer heads on the wall, especially since I don’t recall seeing venison on the menu.

Our stop here was all about the goat tacos, which this restaurant is known for. Even before our goat fixin’s arrived, I have to admit to being enthralled with their corn tortillas, which were the biggest I’ve ever seen. They were big and fluffy and I could have easily just eaten that spread with butter and dipped into salsa.

Finally, our goat meat arrived and with it the goat consomme. After tearing off a small piece of the tortilla, I topped it with goat meat, some goat consomme, cilantro, onions and a squeeze of lime, wrapped it up and took a bite. Although there was good flavor to the goat meat, it was a bit dry and while the consomme added moisture, it didn’t add much in the way of flavor. The salsa on the other hand gave it the boost it needed. This is actually my second time having the Birreria Chalio’s goat, with my first experience being at the East LA Meets Napa event last year. In this case, my first taste was a tad better with the goat being the star on its own.

After goat tacos, it was time to head out to the Santa Rita, Jalisco Taco Truck. While this truck sells a variety of Mexican foods, what they’re known for is their Pescuesos de Pollo, better known as Chicken Necks. Let me tell you, those chicken necks are addicting. They’re deep fried to the point that the skin around the neck puffs up to a crispy and crunchy goodness. It’s hard to eat just one and I didn’t even bother with the tortillas. It was all about those chicken necks.

Our small group also ordered a couple of other items that were also appreciated like the tongue taco and the al pastor taco.

By the way, I really wanted to take a picture of the Al Pastor, which was inside the truck and the cooks were kind enough to let me step in, take some photos and then jump back out. How nice is that.

We’ve already done quite a bit of feasting, but that didn’t stop us from going to our next stop, which was Nina’s, who won this year’s 2010 LA Vendy Awards. I’ve actually been eating Nina’s food off and on since my first visit in 2007 and she’s rarely disappointed. One of things I always try to get when stopping by Nina’s is one of her agua frescas, which are never overly sweet. My favorite is the Melon, which is made with cantaloupe.

I also like the variety of salsas that she offers and if you want to try something different, you have to try the salsa de semillas, which is made up of peanuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chile de arbol and peanut oil. You can see a great close up of that salsa on top of the flautas that our group ordered.

Our East LA C’Ravers also shared Nina’s Pambazo (which was her winning entry at the LA Vendy Awards). The pambazo is bread dipped in a red guajillo red chile sauce with a chorizo and potato filling and then grilled. This is definitely a must order, if you hit up Nina’s. You won’t be disappointed. We also shared a wonderfully cheesy squash blossom quesadilla.

Next to Nina’s was Lupe’s Pancakes and her specialty is cream cheesed filled pancakes (or crepes) topped with your choice of fruit topping.

It was fun to watch her at work. With just a ladle, she was able to pour out an almost perfect circle of batter on the griddle and once it was cooked, she flipped it with her fingers. Yikes! I can’t even imagine how hot that would be. Next, she added the cream cheese, let it melt for a bit, rolled it up, placed it on a plate and added the fruit topping.

For my pancake, I asked her to add both the blackberry preserves and fresh blackberries. While the preserves were a tad sweet, it balanced well with the pancake and the cream cheese which weren’t too sweet at all and the fresh blackberries which added that nice hit of tart. Someone else in our group opted for the blueberry topping for her pancake, which included whole blueberries.

By now, you’re probably thinking we were down and out, but nope, we headed to Tacos Baja Ensenada next, where we either ordered our own or shared both fish and shrimp tacos. This was my second visit to Tacos Baja Ensenada and I have to say that I wasn’t that impressed with the fish tacos the first time around. Second time was definitely the charm. This time, I asked for the sour cream and red sauce to be on the side and somehow that made a big difference. Overall, I just liked the quality of the fish and the batter much better without that red sauce and sour cream drenching the entire taco.

Now we definitely were starting to reach our limit so we headed off to our final stop, La Monarca Bakery, so that we could sit awhile and enjoy some coffee and dessert before heading off home.

We shared a variety of sweets from ice cream and pastries to cookies and cake. My favorite dessert at La Monarca was the Tres Leches Cake. It was so moist and delicious that it was hard to share it. I also got a second taste of their Chorizo Empanadas, which I also had for the first time at the East LA Meets Napa Event last year. It was definitely just as good now as it was then.

So ends this 5 hour C’Rave and wow, it was definitely a fun experience. It gave me some new food experiences, but also gave me a chance to re-visit foods I’ve had before as a way to see if a second chance would change my opinion about them and as you read, it was definitely hit and miss. Overall, this was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday and I count myself lucky that I was able to spend it with people who truly appreciate food and its many pleasures.

Cemitas Poblanas Elvirita
3010 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 881-0428

Birrieria Chalio
3580 East 1st Street
Los Angelese, CA 90063
(323) 268-5349

Santa Rita, Jalisco Taco Truck
3900 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90063
(323) 261-2738

Nina’s Food
Breed Street and E. Caesar E Chavez Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90033

Lupe’s Pancakes
Breed Street and E. Caesar E Chavez Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90033

Tacos Baja Ensenada
5385 Whittier Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90022
(323) 887-1980

La Monarca Bakery
5700 E. Whittier Blvd
Commerce, CA 90022
(323) 869-8800

If you’d like to read more about my tasty travels around town, click here or if you’d like to join my dining group, Pleasure Palate, click here!