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.

Dr. Jeffrey Pilcher, proud practitioner of the taco lifestyle, and one of the nation’s top taco experts has spent a lifetime researching and sampling Mexican and other Latin American cuisines. All the while, he’s been documenting taco innovations and compiling them in a forthcoming book that is sure to be a big hit in the taco community. Currently a professor at the University of Minnesota, Pilcher graciously agreed to an interview with TACO.

TACO: What are the earliest known origins of the taco?

Dr. Jeffrey Pilcher: Well, if you consider the taco as just a corn tortilla with something in it, then the origins surely go back fifteen hundred years, to the pyramids of Teotihuacan, where construction workers munched tortillas and beans. But if you’re asking, what have people actually called tacos, the story becomes more interesting. Basically, there are various theories on the origins of the word taco. Some people think it comes from indigenous words, but if you want actually documentary evidence, the term dates back no further than 1891. That’s right, 1891. Manuel Payno’s novel, Bandidos de Rio Frio, is the first definitive use of the word taco. And an interesting use it is, if you want to check it out. Of course, he didn’t invent the term. He just picked it up from street slang. So where did the term really come from? My research indicates that it was first used by miners in Real del Monte, a silver mine northeast of Mexico City, in the late 18th century. And what was this first taco? Appropriately, a stick of dynamite!

TACO: Have there been distinct phases in the development of the taco?

JP: Absolutely, after the tacos de minero of the miners, there were Mexico City tacos, mostly barbacoa, in the late nineteenth century. By this time there were also tacos dorados. These two versions of soft and hard tacos spread out all over the Mexican republic, adapting to fit the various regional cuisines of Mexico. But the real innovation came with the invention of the Mexican American taco. Glen Bell claims to have invented the taco shell in the early 1950s. Wrong! If you look in the records of the patent office, you will see that the first patent for taco shells was assigned to a man named Juvencio Maldonado. That’s why I insist on calling the taco shell the Mexican American taco, not the fast food taco. The only thing Bell invented was the corporate commissary.

TACO: We know that there are many influences on the original Mexican taco including European, Middle Eastern, and local flavors. What do you think are the “building blocks” or most essential elements of today’s popular tacos?

JP: Well, start with the indigenous tortilla. And salsa. Then add the Spanish pig. Next, the Lebanese tacos al pastor. Finally, the Mexican American taco shell. All are contributions, if they’re made fresh with sazon.
(Continued)

4658 Melrose Ave @ Gabah

The first thing I noticed was the size of the tacos. Then the julienned onions and carrots, then the slice of cucumber laid across the shell. They were so pretty I almost didn’t want to eat them. But back to the size. These are not huge tacos but by gourmet taco truck standards they are massive and by massive I mean a regular size taco. Don’t get me wrong I am a fan of the whole nouveau truck scene as much as the next guy, especially if that next guy is Aziz Ansari (he’s hilarious). But if I have one complaint with them it is sometimes the portions are small. And by sometimes I mean most of the time. So when I got my food from Nom Nom and found these two hefty bad boys on my lap I was so excited I almost emptied a whole bottle of sriracha on them.

Did the excitement come to a crashing end once your humble taco correspondent bit into the massive tacos on my lap? And by massive I mean regular sized! No! I only became more excited! KEEP READING…

Professor Jeffrey Pilcher is one of the world’s authorities on Latin American foods, food migration, and general foodstuffs and he has come to a shocking conclusion: Tacos are the single most important food known to man. That may be overstating his case somewhat, but as the primary website trumpeting the global taco lifestyle, we feel entitled to crow a bit when academic research finally catches up to what we’ve known for years- tacos are the future of the universe. An excerpt from an article on Prof Pilcher:

You can find tacos in outer Mongolia, Amsterdam, Addis Ababa and Australia — even in outer space (the latter thanks to NASA). They have, in fact, become as ever present as the hamburger.

And that’s the rub. They no longer seem Mexican, but American, says Jeffrey Pilcher, a University of Minnesota history professor who will give a talk about “Planet Taco” on Tuesday.

Indeed, the taco revolution spread globally — and extraterrestrially — via entrepreneurial Americans and U.S. companies, not Mexicans. That might explain why, in part, the rest of the world looks at that overstuffed hard-shell taco spilling over with lettuce, tomato and Cheddar cheese and thinks “American.”

(Not so incidentally, Mexicans migrate almost entirely to the United States, Pilcher noted. If Americans hadn’t traveled with their tacos, he says he would be offering a very different history lesson.)

Fifty years ago, Mexican food could be found only in Mexico, California or the Southwest, including small roadside stands where tacos were sold. Los Angeles phone books from 1950 reflect the abundance of these taco spots. These were the very early days of food franchises. (Ray Kroc started the McDonald’s chain in 1954.) Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell and a fellow Californian, had an idea. Today we think of tacos as the lowest common denominator of Mexican food — well, maybe that would, or should, be nachos — but he was cutting-edge at a time when the rest of America was dining on tuna casserole, mac-and-cheese and cream of tomato soup.

Last Tuesday night on Eagle Rock Blvd it was Kogi and Leo’s taco truck pulling in the crowds. Kogi the phenom and Leo the old dog, the favorite taco truck of Oxy students who simply refer to it as “taco truck”. And south of these wagons parked a lonely taco truck with not even a soul in sight, Tacos El Sabrosito. This was my truck. This is where I was going to eat. On this night I was more curious than I was hungry.

But the locals are set in their ways. If they want the more classic LA tacos of meat, chile salsa, onions and cilantro they will go to Rambo’s. If it’s the more savory, sloppy, guacamole on your fingers taco then it’s Leo’s or Sonia’s.

My truck is shiny and clean with no artwork just a small sign “Tacos El Sabrosito” Two squirt bottles of salsa sit next to the ordering window, a small color tv blares a Mexican gameshow, an eager taquero takes my order. I order Al pastor, asada, and lengua . The taquero repeats the order to the older hombre on the grill who looks me over. Yeah I’m a taco reporter from the Westside.

The asada is a classic LA taco- finely cut beef thats greasy and flavorful topped with onions, cilantro and the excellent salsa roja.

Read the rest on DailyTaco.org

Tony Stamolis is reading our mind. The photographer from Fresno who currently lives in New York is about to release his second book, T&T&A (available at http://sumpbooks.com). It features gorgeous shots of beautiful naked women and beautiful mexican food. What’s the connection? If you have to ask… the taco lifestyle may not be for you. We caught up with Tony late last week to ask him about tacos and more…

TACO: You’re from Fresno, where else have you lived? What do you like most/least about each place?

Tony: Phoenix and Miami briefly, but NYC for the last 19 years. Fresno…I like EVERYTHING about Fresno!
NYC… most: the energy. Least: the ever growing Douche bag factor. The mall-world I ran from years ago, followed me here.

TACO: Where is your favorite taco?

Tony: The Carnitas at Don Pepe’s in Fresno. It’s in an old KFC building, across from the old Fresno Ag hardware location. Simple pleasures!

(Continued)

This important video brought to you by the Society for a Better Taco Future, exploding yesterdays tacos so that new, more authentic tacos can one day be exploded in slow motion.

After a mysterious two year absence, the taco hunter known as Bandini is back with a brand new taco and street food website called Daily Taco. If you love the taco lifestyle, you’ll love Daily Taco and will make it a daily stop on the taco information superhighway. We sat down with the man himself to discuss life, tacos, kogi, and what’s on the horizon…

TACO: So good to see you back– first question, where have you been?

BANDINI: I lost my taco mojo. There were other more personal reasons why I’ve
been out of taco criticism for a couple years but I could have been
back sooner.

TACO: What is the plan with DailyTaco.org? It looks like anyone can sign
up and post articles?

BANDINI: Dailytaco.org is open to anyone to contribute whether it is reviews,
articles or commentary. The format is similar to some of the political
blogs that use the diary system. Back when I was doing the great taco
hunt I would get people asking to guest blog so when I started the new
blog I wanted to open it up to anyone.

TACO: What do you think of the phenomenon of mobile food that aren’t
traditional loncheros? Call it the Kogi Phenomenon.

BANDINI: It’s a good thing. It brings more attention to street food and I think
they are helping to remove some of the unfair stereotypes often
associated with taco trucks (terms like roach coaches etc). I guess
it remains to be seen if this phenomenon will have staying power or if
it’s just a trend. Kogi would not have been as successful if they
started as a brick and mortar. People would not wait in line for hours
. But they’ll wait in line for over an hour at the Kogi trucks because
it’s a scene. I tried kogi and I really enjoyed it but no taco is
worth waiting in line for over an hour. The whole idea of waiting in
line for hours for a taco actually goes against , to borrow your term,
the taco lifestyle. I think the taco lifestyle is about getting that
plate of tacos quick and cheap, eating them on the side of the road
and then if the tacos meet your taste buds approval going back for
more.

TACO: What’s your method for scoping out new taco spots?

BANDINI: Well in the beginning I just drove around LA. People recommended their
favorite spots. I had taqueros emailing me to come try their tacos. In
the beginning it was easy to get friends to go along with me but after
awhile it became the equivalent of “hey come see my band play” . Noone
wanted to go. People love their local taco truck but the idea of
driving 40 minutes in traffic to try another cities taco truck just
seems mad. So the vast majority of my taco adventures were a lonely
quest into the unknown, a voyage to parts of the city I had never been
to or knew anything about. In the end I preferred it that way anyway.

TACO: Worst taco ever?

The worst taco ever is hands down the carnitas taco I got from tacos
Kimberly . It was just a blob of pork fat that looked like half eaten
chicken leg. It was the worst taco in the world. [Ed: See picture below]

TACO: How do we know you won’t just disappear on us again, leaving us sad
and bewildered? Fool me once… shame on me. Fool me twice… I won’t
get fooled again!
(Continued)

Tacos Arizas is a favorite among Echo Park residents and visitors attending shows at The Echo, which is located around the corner from Arizas’ Logan St. spot. The Eastsider LA reports that:

Negotiations were set up involving Council District 13, LAPD, the truck owners and the Asociacion de Loncheros, a catering truck business group. The council office wanted the truck to move to a location away from apartments and homes. The truck owners, of course, wanted a spot nearby so they wouldn’t lose their existing customers. “As long as people know where they are, it will be okay,” said Alfredo Magallanes, an advisor to the catering truck association.

After the discussions, the owners of Arizas agreed to move the truck about a block north to the other side of Sunset Boulevard next to the Sav-A-Lot market and away from apartments and homes. “This was the first time we worked with a taco truck to have them voluntarily move to a location to address concerns of local residents,” said Garcetti’s spokeswoman, Julie Wong.

Not quite as convenient for concert-goers, but even more visible for the general public and a lot less loud for neighbors on relatively quiet Logan Street. It seems that the Lonchero association is using its newfound heft and popularity to help mobile Taqueros negotiate the sometimes hazardous road weaving through neighbors, businesses, and the City.