Mexicali Taco & Co.

To all those experiencing vampiro withdrawals (myself included), fear not! They shall return in all their garlicky goodness on Wednesday, February 15th when Mexicali Taco & Co. opens its brick-and-mortar restaurant in downtown LA. If you’re a Mexicali newbie, prepare to get grubbing.

Two and a half years ago, best friends Esdras Ochoa and Javier Fregoso found themselves craving a taste of home and took matters (and meats) into their own hands, opening a taco stand– the Mexicali Taco & Co. The duo set up shop in a parking lot on 1st and Beaudry and quickly gained a loyal fan base with their simple, delicious and reasonably priced menu items, including tacos and quesadillas. They were even voted as the best taco in LA. After issues arose with their lease, however, Esdras and Javier decided to upgrade Mexicali’s digs.

Last week, Esdras, Javier and their new business partner Paul Yoo offered a sneak peek of their new restaurant at a friends and family night.

With red picnic tables juxtaposed against the modern woodwork on the walls, Mexicali’s interior is a charming combination of their O.G. roots and a sleek look befitting the downtown space. The casual, communal feeling of the taco stand was so integral to the Mexicali experience that I was happy to see that the place wasn’t overly gussied up.

Central to the Mexicali Taco & Co. experience is the salsa and topping bar stocked with items such as pico de gallo (my personal favorite) and pickled onions and radishes.

One of my friends ordered nachos ($6.00), a new addition to the menu. These nachos had all the comfort of the ballpark variety but with a tastier and heartier kick because of the Mexicali fixings.

A menu staple is the cachetada ($3.00)– a tostada topped with your choice of meat (carne asada, chicken or chorizo) and drizzled with an aioli chipotle sauce. We ordered one of each to maximize our enjoyment of the cachetadas’ unbeatable crunch.

Another new option is to order your dish “ranchero” style with a fried egg ($0.75) because a beautiful, runny yolk makes everything taste better.

For the indecisive who can’t choose just one type of meat, there’s the Zuperman ($4.75), a mix of chicken, chorizo and carne asada sandwiched between two tortillas.

Finally, there is my personal favorite– the vampiro ($3.75), a garlic-infused quesadilla filled with your choice of meat. In my vampiros, I always opt for the carne asada, which, according to Street Gourmet LA, is the most authentic carne asada you’ll find in LA.

For Mexicali’s soft opening, Javier and Esdras recruited their friends from the Churro Borough, purveyors of churro ice cream sandwiches. J and I ordered a Spanish Latte version as well as an Horchata and loved the sugary crunch of the round, seashell-like churros as well as the flavorful ice cream.

Huge congratulations to Esdras and Javier on the restaurant’s opening. As a friend of these two wonderful guys, I’m so happy and so proud to see where they started and what their dream has become. Salud!

Mexicali Taco & Co.
www.mexicalitaco.com
Follow them on Twitter
702 N. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0416

Ricky’s Fish Tacos

Ricky’s Fish Tacos. The name of the popular spot explains why I have declined many an excited text and tweet about a taco meet-up: fish. Because of this terrifying word, I long neglected to look at Ricky’s Fish Tacos’ Twitter feed. If I had, I would have seen that they also serve shrimp–a seafood I love and will eat in any incarnation. Whoops.

Deciding to make up for lost time, I recently visited RFT’s new location in Silverlake.

Whereas RFT’s friendly namesake used to serve his tacos from a cart, he now runs a larger operation with a full-sized deep-fryer as well as tables and chairs–all in the shade of several large tents.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by smiles, the bubbling sounds of frying food and enormous jugs of brilliantly colorful, homemade agua fresca (on this day, the flavors were watermelon and hibiscus). The casual, cheerful atmosphere perfectly suited my lazy Sunday vibe, and we happily ordered two shrimp tacos (for me, $2.50 each) and two fish tacos (for J, also $2.50 each) and took a seat.

As we waited for our lunch, we also watched it being prepared, which I–as a generally nosy person–enjoyed.

*Bubble bubble*

The tacos come topped with fresh, crunchy cabbage and a flavorful pico de gallo. From here, you have your choice of several different salsas and a creamy mayo sauce to further dress your taco.

To his fish tacos, J drizzled on the mayo sauce and a smoky chipotle salsa.

To my shrimp tacos, I added Ricky’s recommendation for the least spicy salsa. Upon hearing J’s recommendation the mayo, however, I also added a generous squirt of that sauce.

The superlative praise lavished on Ricky’s Fish Tacos is deserved: these are no joke. The batter which coats the fish and shrimp is suprisingly light and, despite being fried, the tacos are neither weighty nor greasy. The cabbage and pico de gallo add a firm crunch to the tacos, and the salsas are all uniquely flavorful. Although I do not particularly love mayo, the cool, creamy sauce provided the finishing touch on both the shrimp and fish tacos (or so I’m told, with the latter).

We also thoroughly enjoyed our sweet hibiscus agua fresca, made with pressed hibiscus leaves. Like its color, the flavor of the drink was deep and complex. My only complaint is that the drink was so good, but the cup was so small!

I weep to only learn now that Ricky’s Fish Tacos sells more seafood than the kind mentioned in its name.

Ricky’s Fish Tacos
1400 N. Virgil St.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.twitter.com/rickysfishtacos

Salinas Churro Truck

With the continued popularity of gourmet food trucks, many OG food trucks have been lost in the shuffle. Salinas Churro Truck is not one of them.

Located in Echo Park, the truck advertising funnel cake and “churros y chocolate” continually draws a diverse crowd including area locals and dessert fanatics who gladly make the drive for a bagful of the sugary sweets. After hearing numerous positive reviews (OK, ecstatically positive reviews), I decided to investigate Salinas Churro Truck for myself.

Upon arriving, my curiosity was piqued by the various desserts pictured on the side of the truck. The Salinas Churro Truck offers more than its name might suggest, including platano frito (fried plantains) and bionico (fresh fruit topped with condensed milk, dried fruit and granola) as well as savory snacks such as nachos. After watching several patrons happily dig into their bags of churros, however, I opted to try the truck’s namesake.

A large window provides an up-close view of your churros being prepared–first squeezed out of a large metal tube as dough, then cut by hand and fried and, finally, rolled in a mix of cinnamon and sugar.

I ordered the churros con fresa (churros topped with strawberry jam and drizzled with condensed milk, $3.00). My friend Nguyen of Starry Kitchen once said, “Condensed milk is the bacon of the dessert world; everything is better with it,” a sentiment which was certainly applicable here (and is particularly fitting since he is the Mayor of Salinas Churro Truck on FourSquare). Although it was the mention of strawberry that hooked me, it was the sweet, rich condensed milk that kept me munching and desperately dipping my churros in any little pools of it at the bottom of my container.

Honoring the original, we also purchased an order of five regular churros ($2.00). Yes, I said $2.00. Having previously only sampled stale, overpriced churros at Disneyland, my expectations were low. How good could these really be? The answer: very, very good. Salinas Churro Truck churros exemplify the potential of simple dishes made well. Served piping hot, the churros presented a delightful mix of textures–crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I also enjoyed the coating of sugar and cinnamon, which was sweet but not overpoweringly so. As scrumptious as my churros con fresa were, these original versions beat them by a mile.

If you’ve only ever eaten Disneyland churros, do yourself a favor: try these. And get the OG style.

Salinas Churro Truck

Echo Park and Sunset Boulevard

Lucha Libre Taco Shop (San Diego)

As someone raised on a small island, the idea of a “day trip” is somewhat foreign; from my hometown, the longest I can drive is around 30 minutes to the farthest tip of the North Shore! As such, I appreciate that, in California, a few hours in the car can land you at a destination altogether different than where you started.

With its beautiful coastline, relaxed daytime vibe but happening nightlife and, of course, pandas, San Diego has become one of my favorite mini-vacations. My most recent trip, however, was not only koala-driven but also food-motivated.

Located a stone’s throw from the 5 freeway in Mission Hills, Lucha Libre Taco Shop serves Mexican food with a touch of SoCal flavor and a whole lot of inspiration from Mexican wrestling. Although the shop has been a favorite in San Diego since it opened in 2008, it has recently been inundated with new customers after being featured on the Travel Channel’s Man v. Food.

At least there is ample cheeky signage to keep you occupied while you’re in line.

Upon finally entering the restaurant, I took one look around and was thrilled to be eating here. The flamboyant wall colors, rotating disco balls and floor-to-ceiling luchador memorabilia made for quite the inviting interior. I felt as pumped as a wrestler before he enters the ring, energized and ready to eat.

We began with an order of guacamole ($1.75), which was fresh and deliciously simple. The large chunks of avocado simply begged to be scooped up and devoured.

The first of J’s two tacos was the Undefeated Seafood Taco (grilled shrimp [or blackened mahi mahi] topped with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, jack cheese and a creamy serano sauce, $3.69). The soft tortillas provided the perfect bed for the crunchy toppings and snappy shrimp, and each bite was a delightful mix of textures and flavors tied together by the cool, creamy sauce.

Next came the Surf n’ Turf Taco (marinated steak, shrimp and avocado slices, topped with a special sauce, $3.49). The plentiful steak was tender and flavorful, and the avocado and special sauce added a pleasant creaminess to the dish.

I ordered the Surfin’ California Burrito ($6.75), which received Adam Richmond’s stamp of approval during his Man v. Food visit. After watching the episode and learning of the behemoth burrito stuffed with grilled steak, shrimp, fresh-cut french fries, cheese and chipotle sauce, my inner luchadora emerged, and I knew that the Surfin’ California must be mine. Because each ingredient was fresh and delicious in its own right, the combination of them all was outstanding. From the snap of the shrimp to the softness of the fries to the creamy kick of the chipotle sauce, I loved everything about this burrito and, I’m proud to report that I polished it off by myself.

After this first trip to Lucha Libre Taco Shop that pleased both my stomach and my wallet, I believe I have a new staple San Diego restaurant.

Lucha Libre Taco Shop

www.tacosmackdown.com

1810 W. Washington St.

San Diego, CA 92103

(619) 296-8226

The Charcoal Grill

Usually, Downtown LA successfully fulfills whatever type of food my hungry tummy desires. Usually.

In terms of Mexican food, on one end of the DTLA spectrum, we have Chano’s, which meets all your “super cheap and delicious but terrible for you” needs and, on the other end, we have Rivera, which LA Magazine named one of the “Best New Restaurants.” There is a decided dearth, however, of yummy, mid-priced Mexican food, which is why I was excited to try The Charcoal Grill with my friend Josh and one of his friends.

Located on 2nd Street, The Charcoal Grill is an interesting mix of take-out and sit-down dining. For example, you order your food at the register before you sit down and grab your own utensils, but staff checks in while you’re eating and clears your plates at the end of the meal.

Our trio started off with an order of guacamole and chips ($6.99). When the platter arrived with these technicolor chips, I sighed. Guess our Mexican experience at The Charcoal Grill was not to be an authentic one. Although the guacamole was made with fresh avocados, it was disappointingly bland and left none of us particularly impressed.

Stephanie ordered Bean Sauce Enchiladas served with sour cream, cotija cheese, guacamole and grilled scallions ($9.95), which were weighed down by the heavy bean sauce and were also fairly bland.

Josh opted to make his own burrito with sirloin, refried black beans, pico de gallo, cheese and sour cream (although they seem to have left out the sour cream) ($8.65). Although the green sauce wasn’t bad, the dish’s potential was limited by the generic rice which made up most of the burrito’s heft.

I ordered a watermelon agua fresca ($2.75), which was crisp and fresh and ended up saving the night for me because…

the Viva Mexico plate with a sirloin taco, chorizo taco and a quesadilla ($9.95) was also a let-down. The strangest part of the dish was the sirloin taco, which tasted strongly like teriyaki. Hoping that I would fare better with simplicity, I took a bite of the quesadilla, which was sadly very greasy and gave me a stomachache when I dug into my leftovers the next day.

Although The Charcoal Grill certainly gives you a lot for your money in quantity, there’s not too much to be said for the quality of the food. In fact, I actually prefer La Salsa or Baja Fresh to what I ordered this night (at least the steak tastes like steak). Guess my search for something tasty in between Chano’s and Rivera continues!

The Charcoal Grill

www.thecharcoalgrilldowntown.com

108 W. 2nd St. #104

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 687-8040

Santa Barbara Day Trip!

With graduation, the “real world” and unemployment on the horizon, a vacation to Cabo was not in the cards for my last college Spring Break. I was, however, fairly certain that I would shoot myself in the face if I did nothing to change up my routine. With this in mind, J and I headed North to Santa Barbara (a first for both of us!) on a day trip. Sadly, because this was just to be a day trip, no wine tastings were involved (*wah wah*).

After asking for a food recommendations, J and I made our first stop of the day (obviously a food-related one) at La Super-Rica Taqueria. Literally translated, “la super-rica taqueria” means “the super tasty taco shop,” and, indeed, it is.

Look at that menu!

With its open-air ordering area and covered outdoor patio/eating area, La Super-Rica Taqueria has a nice, relaxing vibe. If I lived in the area, I’d definitely be a regular.

I ordered the chorizo quesadilla ($3.50) and arroz. La Super-Rica Taqueria hand-makes its tortillas on location, and you can taste the difference; they’re so light and fresh. The quesadilla oozed with yummy cheese, and the chorizo added a nice smoky flavor.

I’m not sure what was in this rice, but it was delicious. The flavor was milder than that of traditional Mexican rice, but J and I really enjoyed this.

Next up, The Burger Bus–how could we come to Santa Barbara without trying it? Operating out of a shiny yellow school bus, The Burger Bus uses only grass-fed/free range/hormone-free beef and local bread, jelly, cheese and produce.

The Burger Bus is best known for it’s CB&J ($7.50)–or cheeseburger and jelly. Because the #1 had a cautionary “Hot!” written next to it, I opted for the #2 with cheddar cheese and olallieberry (a hybrid of blackberry and raspberry) jelly.

There was nothing not to love about this burger. From the crusty ciabatta to the sweet jelly to the gooey cheese and the juicy meat, this burger was delicious.

We also ordered yam fries ($2.50), which were delightfully simple. They tasted like sliced-up yams with a little salt thrown in. So fresh! A dip in ranch dressing took the fries to a whole ‘nother level.

J and I then took a stroll around the UCSB campus which is, apparently, a 5(-ish) minute walk from the beach. Clearly I made the wrong choice in university. The campus and surrounding area were gorgeous! I have no idea what their programs are but, if I had toured the campus in high school, I would have definitely applied (you can take the girl out of Hawaii but not the Hawaii out of the girl).

Next up was the Santa Barbara Mission, which was founded by Spanish Franciscans in 1786. Because the day was getting late, we didn’t take the tour which, in retrospect and as a history buff, I regret. I guess I know what I’m doing on my next trip to Santa Barbara.

Afterwards, we headed to State Street, parched and hoping to find a smoothie, which we did at Blenders in the Grass. If you ever happen upon one of these, I highly highly recommend you check it out. My Tropical Guava smoothie was all fruit and flavor and no gritty ice. Yummm…

While walking around State Street, J and I noticed a farmer’s market…and just when we thought that the day couldn’t include any more of our favorite things! We ended up buying some of the best tangerines I’ve ever eaten and some behemoth strawberries.

Although J and I were both pretty stuffed, I had been very strongly urged to visit McConnell’s Ice Cream and Yogurt, a locally-based ice cream chain. Far be it from me to ignore any ice cream recommendation, so off we went.

The first thing I noticed was the size of the servings of ice cream and frozen yogurt of the people around me; they were huge! I then noticed the completely reasonable prices and began trying to convince myself that I was not too full for ice cream.

J ordered the Macadamia Nut ice cream in a cup ($3.75), which had whole macadamia nuts in it. So good.

I ordered the Burgundy Cherry in a sugar cone ($4.25). With its creamy cherry base and chunks of fruit, this was mind-blowingly good.

I’m already trying to find a grocery store near me that carries McConnell’s ice cream pints.

Sadly, it was then time to head back…but not without one last look at the gorgeous water.

I thought this was funny.

And so, my day in Santa Barbara was fun, gorgeous, relaxing and delicious. I didn’t even wish I was in Mexico, instead!

La Super-Rica Taqueria

622 N. Milpas St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

(805) 963-4940

The Burger Bus

www.theburgerbus.com

Blender in the Grass

Locations: www.drinkblenders.com

Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market

www.sbfarmersmarket.org

McConnell’s Ice Cream

www.mcconnells.com

201 W. Mission St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93105

(805) 569- 2323

Chano’s Drive-In

Chano’s Drive-In is a USC-area institution, famed for its cheap, tasty eats. Operating out of a questionable-looking stand on Figueroa, Chano’s serves Mexican fare such as tacos, burritos and enchiladas as well as burgers and sandwiches. On Sundays, they also offer menudo and pozole.

Some argue that Chano’s is only for the drunk or hung-over, but I’m here to tell you that it’s an excellent decision any time you want some good Mexican that’s bad for you.

Their nachos are piled high with meat (in this case, steak), pico de gallo, guacamole and cheese. The chips are thick and crunchy, the pico de gallo is flavorful, and there’s a lot of meat. I always end up stuffing my face when I order these.

My favorite dish from Chano’s, though, is the combination plate with two tacos (here, I ordered shredded beef and hard tacos) served with rice, beans and pico de gallo. I just love the contrast of the soft meat, pico de gallo and sour cream with the satisfying crunch of the taco shell. This plate is probably one of my favorite things in the whole world.

If a shady stand with a drive-thru speaker that sounds like Charlie Brown’s teacher isn’t your thing, you can class it up down the street at Chano’s 2, which used to be a KFC. Awww yeahhh.

I’m sure that Chano’s food is absolutely terrible for you, and my workout was really hard the next day but, still, Chano’s…you have my heart (and J’s heart, although he was once given his nachos sans chips).

Chano’s Drive-In
www.theoriginalchanos.com/

3000 S. Figueroa St.

Los Angeles, CA 90007

(213) 747-3944