[dropcap size=big]Y[/dropcap]asmany and Jaime Mendoza spent years working in other people's taco trucks. "We learned everything we could about this business," Jaime told L.A. Taco. Two years ago, they opened Tacos y Birria La Unica in Boyle Heights, and quickly rose to become one of the hottest taco trucks in Los Angeles. Now the brothers who specialize in Michoacan-style birria are expanding to a second taco truck.
"It's being built right now and should be out within a month or two," Jaime said. "We are still considering our options, but it's either going to be up in the Valley, or over in Whittier."
The news comes on the heels of an incredibly successful 12-month run by La Unica that started with a nod from an international celebrity and put them on track to an appearance in the prestigious Taco Madness Final Four. The live Taco Madness event is May 4 at La Plaza.
Last spring, their Instagram game caught the attention of famed celebrity cookbook author Chrissy Teigen and her husband, singer John Legend. La Unica's goat birria quesataco became her favorite taco, a fondness that she shared with her 23 million Instagram and 11 million Twitter followers.
"We've catered for Chrissy and John several times now," Yasmany said. "She really likes the birria de chivo, and they are just so nice every time we go."
The birria comes from an old family recipe. In fact, Yasmani's and Jaime's mom is the head chef at La Unica. Their father also helps out with truck maintenance. La Unica also makes a good beef birria, but the goat birria is really the star. It's thin and fall-off-the-bone tender, served on handmade tortillas using masa from La Jolla. And mama Mendoza has perfected a technique to essentially flash fry the tortilla on the griddle so that it's crunchy on the outside but soft and almost flaky in the middle.
Throw in a splash of consome and some melted cheese, and you have Chrissy Teigen's favorite taco.
La Unica had already developed a solid following and reputation on the streets, but Chrissy made them a national brand. "People come from all over the country now to try our tacos," Yasmany explained. "And the lines on the weekends are crazy."
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La Unica currently has 124 thousand followers on Instagram. It was featured on the Taco Trek, a joint project from L.A. Taco and the L.A. Tourism Board of the most essential tacos in the city. And most recently, La Unica made its first ever appearance in the 10th annual Taco Madness where it decisively beat former champions Guisados and Mariscos Jalisco on the way to the semifinals.
"It's been incredible," Yasmany said. "We just kind of started this whole thing two years ago and you never how things are going to go, but we are so honored and humbled by it all."
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