mad love for mexicali taco!

(esdras ochoa and javier fregoso, the mexicali duo)

people say you never forget your first love and i counter with my belly and say, you never forget your first taste of mexicali taco either. in my case, my first vampiro made me swoon so hard that the first bite i took many moons ago sowed a seed of crave that only mexicali taco eats can fulfill. trust. though i miss their humble beginnings in an empty parking lot on first and beaudry in downtown with the downtown skyline as the backdrop, it became obvious that their fans, including this roaming belly, would follow them wherever they went. and follow we did to baja night and daily dose until they became unnervingly quiet and not quite as accessible. what happened, i wondered.

then they began tweeting messages about opening a storefront late last year which made their fans buzz with excitement. a permanent home?! after much anticipation and a long hiatus (long to me anyways), they had their soft opening tonight at their new digs on figueroa near chinatown and i'm so.freaking.excited. i am literally a hop, skip, and jump away and i can FINALLY get my vampiro fix whenever.i.want. it's been way too long baby and this belly is HONGRY.

homemade horchata. forget the cup, let me just stick an extra long straw into this barrel! delectable, delicious and craveable too with just enough sweetness. methinks the perfect drink for my mexicali meal.

imported authentic medio litro coca-cola ($2.75).

their condiment bar. hands down, my favorite has got to be the little strands of limey red onions and their guacamole sauce. talk about uplifting the meal to another savory level with strategically placed condiments.

a cachetada with a fried egg on top. who would have thunk?!

cachetada ($3) with a choice of carne asada, chicken, chorizo, or vegetarian options. think of a tostada piled high with meat then topped with mexican cheese and a savory aioli chipotle sauce. YUMZ.

(cachetada)

the zuperman ($4.75) has three kinds of meats sandwiched between two tortillas. again, flavorful and intense the mexicali taco way.

nachos ($6) packed with crispy chips, meat, cheeses, and salsa de rajas. definitely not your every day run of the mill nachos. these nachos demand your full attention and your big mouth.

and the vampiro. sigh. the lovely vampiro ($3.75) with the garlic sauce. the bite that i took tonight reminded me of the bite i took back in july when i was huddled on their plastic chair in the parking lot. garlicky, meaty, and 100% lovely. it was like reuniting with an old friend again and i sure missed my friend a lot.

churro borough also brought their churro ice cream sandwiches to the celebration. definitely grab these if you ever run across them...super flakey circular churros and this particular chocolate ice cream had a bit of heat in it. YUM.

the night eventually ended with a wonderful speech from esdras about small dreams and building empires. but the best thing about tonight (other than the food of course), was being a part of the realization of a dream. thanks esdras, javier, and co for your invite and i'll see ya real soon. now that you have a permanent home, then i shall roam no more for a beloved vampiro. congrats and wishing the mexicali taco family ALL THE BEST!

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

price: $
verdict: holy shit!

margarita heaven at gilbert's el indio

this man knows his firewater.

he told me you can find it here, at gilbert's el indio in santa monica.

i listened cuz i am a recreational drunk. looking at all those glasses hanging in the air, i knew i wasn't alone and that they must lure people like me to their libations like lindsay lohan to crack.

i wrung my hands in anticipation once i placed my order. omg, wow. omfg wow! this is the best ice blended margarita ($4.50) that i've ever tasted! i want to bottle it up and nurse my margarita bottle throughout the day. would that be appropriate? yes!

though i would have been sloppy happy with just this drink, i decided an empty belly filled with firewater does a car accident make. i decided to ply myself with their complimentary chips cuz i lovee their spicy salsa and their tart pickled carrot slices which i pop into my mouth like chips.

my eating companion dared me to eat a red chili on top of the salsa on top of the chip. he thinks i'm tipsy from drinking the firewater and therefore gullible.

i told him to shove it and ordered the extra super mule ($8.95) instead. not earth shattering like the margarita, but it will do its job to keep your belly satiated. besides, the thirst induced by this monster sized mule will give you more than enough reasons to quench your thirst with MORE MARGARITA. yes please!

i really love gilbert's. i really do. i love the kitschy environment, the friendly staff, and those freakin' awesome margaritas even though the food is just so-so but i forgive thee. listen to me and listen to the man with the headdress, the firewater is goot so bring a wad of cash and prove us right.

Gilbert's El Indio Restaurant
2526 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 450-8057

gilbertselindiorestaurantmenu.info/

price: $$
verdict: omg, i love it!

ricky serves up a mean ass fish taco

most folks come to silverlake because it's eclectic and hip. but if you're a food enthusiast, you probably come to silverlake because of ricky and his infamous fish tacos. ok, hello yum! that is still a super plan you guys! come on over!

depending on who i talk to, when folks find out that i live in silverlake, i am inevitably asked whether i've eaten a ricky's fish taco. until today, i've always uttered a sheepish "no" because i typically find myself outside of my hood during my weekends. but FINALLY, for once, i can say YAY, i paid ricky a visit and the man is da bomb. holla.

ricky rents a little spot inside the mi alma collective, a wonderful space filled with odds and ends, knick knacks, and knick knacks with succulents growing in them. it makes for a rather wonderful spot to sit down and enjoy a fish taco or two while getting your sunburn on.

my crew of eaters got there right when ricky opened shop so there wasn't much of a wait to order. as we stood waiting for ricky to fry up some mouth watering pescado morsels, i got the opportunity to yap with him and watch him do his thang. during the course of our short convo, i learned that he might have to relocate, depending on an impending agreement that was yet to be made with the mi alma collective. but all hail to technology, any changes in location will be tweeted by ricky and he will continue to fry up these wonderful battered fish fillets for all to enjoy during the weekends.

excuse my tangent....but i love his mustache!

the fish taco ($2.50) is served with shredded cabbage sprinkled with diced jalapenos to add some heat. you have your choice of sauces but i decided to get saucy with the tomatillo one cuz i love my sauces mean and green.

omfg, HELLO! call me. YUM. wow. OOOOOOOOK....yes! the fish taco DID NOT disappoint. the batter mix he created was infused with herbs which added a pleasant fragrance to the taco. and the best thing about the batter was that once fried, it became the perfect casing for the fish fillet since it was thick enough to keep the delicate fish moist without any risks of overcooking AND it still retained a slight crunch to it when you bit into it. if it wasn't for the fact that i had already nibbled on something prior to ricky's, i could have probably inhaled another one or hundred more fish tacos.

flaky, crunchy, and moist, just what a fish taco was meant to be.

man he's good.

before i left, i wandered through the mi alma space and picked up this cute little dish holding a succulent fringed in red. i hope mi alma and ricky can continue their partnership because of their symbiotic relationship. look at me, i went in for a fish taco and walked away with a belly full of it AND a plant. hell yes i'm coming back again!

Ricky's Fish Tacos

4016 Santa Monica Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90029
twitter.com/RickysFishTacos

price: $

verdict: omg, i love it!

oink goes bagnatic!

Granada Mexican Restaurant
1100 W Victory Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506
(818) 843-0313

price: $$
verdict: not worth my time

hungry, hungry, hungry. my belly sang these words to me over and over again so i stopped by granada because i was on my way to something else. what i can't eat there, i can take elsewhere was my thought. it was a belly emergency and it couldn't be denied.

the ordering process was grueling at best. bless the lady's heart that took down my order but she seriously had no idea what she was doing because a spicy meatball soup and a burrito in ranchera sauce to go ended up being $30. wtf? 11 plus 6 rounding up equals....HEY, wait a minute! she quickly fixed it though, but by then i had already started gnawing on my fingers because i was so hungry. my pinky was already consumed and i was working on my ring finger. the maddening hunger continued.

once the food came out all packed to go, i rushed to my destination, ripped off the packaging and discovered a trough. perhaps in the literal moment of being hungry like a pig, alfredo's granada interpreted my hunger with a trough-like to go container that had no borders which meant the beans and the rice and the ranchera sauce mixed itself up into a hot mess. it was unappetizing to look at and to top off this insult, the food was mediocre at best. the rice was tasteless and mushy (I WONDER WHY?! *cough, cough*) the burrito had a very sparse serving of meat and what WAS there was fatty. given the fact that the beans had already runneth over, i could not distinguish much of the taste between all the items. i was not enjoying my meal at all but i ate it like prison food, knowing my next meal won't be coming anytime soon.

the alfredo rachera burrito trough.

a fork in a trough is like a pig in a blanket. it just makes NO sense.

so i went to sleep with this full stomach of mine...all mushy from a mushy dinner and dreamt about being a pig which crazily didn't seem too bad because i could sleep the whole day and take amazing mud baths for my skin. thanks alfredo. thanks for confirming what i had known all along. i am quite the pig. oink.

come here comer

Las Glorias Del Buen Comer
620 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 484-9090

price: $
verdict: it's aight

like every other busy person in this world, the idea of consistently stocking my fridge or cooking after a long day does not appeal to me though i claim that i can cook and i do get hungry a lot. even though i can take care of myself without the help of the golden arches, the truth is that motivation to cook every meal diminishes with a busy schedule and grocery shopping during the weekend just plain blows. last night, i looked in my fridge and couldn't find anything but a moldy lemon wedge, a small bottle of partially consumed champagne, and a stick of butter. i'll give you $2 if you can make something edible out of that. come on now, can ya feel me?

racking my brain for some close by eats, i decided to give las glorias a try. it is a rather classy looking taco stand if i must say so myself.

do you see the rocking foliage, lime green walls, and water fountain hidden in the corner? it makes this under $10 eating experience rather pleasant doncha think? besides, the foliage provides nice blockage of the rushing traffic on busy silver lake blvd.

the menu is typical with the usual burritos, enchiladas, tacos....blah, blah, blah. they also have a vegetarian menu to the delight of all the hipsters living in the neighborhood. i opted for the green sauce enchilada. the meal came with three enchiladas so i tried the chicken, beef, and cheese. they were alright...*shrug* the green sauce was tart and tangy, but this was not a mind blowing foodie experience by any means. it's just a cheap way to fill yourself with food when you are hongry and live close by.

i also ordered a side of taquitos which meant one lonely taquito. somewhere in the bible, it must be blasphemous to serve only one taquito. isn't it more natural to serve taquitos in pairs like chopsticks? mexican chopsticks in this case. anyways, this beef filled tube was nicely fried up and gave a good crunch when you chomped it. it was also flavorful with a dollop of creamy guac as garnish. i would order this again if i ever find myself facing a moldy lemon wedge, a small bottle of partially consumed champagne, and a stick of butter for dinner.

though i would never expect this place to be zagat rated because it's just not one of THOSE places, for the strict purpose of quick and cheap eating, it most certainly fits the bill.

pancho underwhelms me

Pancho's Restaurant
3615 Highland Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 545-6670
www.panchosrestaurant.com

price: $$
verdict: not worth my time

if pancho was a real man, he would be gorgeous, sexy, and oh so hot! shaggy black hair, sparkly eyes, and a crest white stripes smile. but if pancho was a real man, he probably wouldn't have much to say either. vapid be the word? no substance? definitely dumber than a doornail. that's how i felt about pancho's the restaurant. its all looks but no substance.

friends and i came here for lunch not too long ago. first off, they have valet with different price points for lunch versus dinner time. wtf?! this is outright wallet molestation. since i was running late and metered parking wasn't available, i had to valet. when i came out, the valet guy actually had the gall to TRY to raise the valet price on me because of the change in time. so what if we took a long time shmoozing in there. i parked during lunch time and left right before their dinner shift. how dare you try to pull one on me! he backed off and gave me a "warning" instead. wtf?!

not to mention the food was totally underwhelming. i ordered their enchiladas suizas which in hindsight should have never been ordered because no place beats gloria's suizas and i always get disappointed. the pancho's version wasn't tart or tangy, the sour cream was a glob, the rice was too wet, and the beans tasted like canned goods given to them from red cross. why the heck do people eat here? it's overpriced and the food is stupid boring!

it's a sexy atmosphere serving mediocre meals. pancho, i would not bang you again, no matter how hot you might be.

salt bricks

Burrito King Sunset
2109 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 484-9859

price: $
verdict: hells no!

i think i just ate a salt brick that looked like a burrito. gross. i'm quite sure i will be shitting salt crystals pretty soon.

STAY AWAY! consider this a public service announcement.

food fix in fontana

El Ranchero at Falcon Ridge
15218 Summit Ave
Fontana, CA 92336
(909) 922-5800

price: $
verdict: it's aight

during our drive to vegas, we had to stop for a quick dinner in fontana. seriously, we had to or else i would have consumed my friend raw! we spotted el ranchero as we exited the 15 and decided to get a quick bite there.

as we stepped in through the doors, all i noticed was the menu because i had a one track mind. that's before i felt the prickly sensation i normally get when i feel stared at. the curious looks came from the patrons there and that's when i realized that all the folks there were umm... white...but white without the pointy hats. heck. aren't there any asians up in fontana?! not wanting to be paranoid, i turned to my friend to confirm this. she nods and agrees that they were indeed staring at us. dang!

the food iteself is alright. you order at the counter and they will deliver your food to your table. the restaurant is clean and the food was standard el torito-esque fare. not the best, but not the worse either. i LOVED the fact that my chili relleno and enchilada combo plate was SMOTHERED in cheese. yummy. with a medium sized drink, my dinner came out to be $9.78. not a bad place to fill my belly, rest, and to be reminded that i am a minority.

whacked out taco taste

Taco Laguna
211 Broadway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

price: $
verdict: hells no!

coming from l.a. where great mexican food for cheaps is readily available really spoils you. somehow when we got down to laguna beach for pageant of the masters, i thought i could find the same. so naive i am. i had a burrito craving and a quick stroll around the area yielded taco laguna. for $7.34, i got a wet carne asada burrito and a small drink. great deal right? great deal until the first bite that is. *sigh*

the meat was cut up into tiny chunks. at one point, i had to inspect the meat to see if it was ground beef instead. nope. they also used this whacked out cheese in the burrito which gave the burrito a whacked out cheese taste. overall, not tasty but i was too hungry to protest.

the only redeeming quality about the food is that it didn't give me diarrhea. it gets an extra one star for that.

build me a burrito

Chipotle Mexican Grill
135 E Palm Ave
Burbank, CA 91506
(818) 842-0622
www.chipotle.com

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it!

i don't know why people keep saying chipotle is owned by mcdonald's corp when it hasn't been since 2006:

http://en.wikipedia.or...

now that you know it's not mcdonald's owned, does it taste better? heck, it's always BEEN pretty tasty. i like their "build your own burrito" concept. the guocamole has a good kick to it and the burrito is flavorful and filling. i also like the salad option if you want to decrease your carb load. besides, it's not gourmet so for the price you pay, the food is pretty decent.

there isn't a chipotle near me. too bad for moi. it is a good option when you want something quick but not too oily.

cozy at cozymel's

Cozymel's Mexican Grill
2171 Rosecrans Ave
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 606-5464
www.cozymels.com

price: $$
verdict: it's aight

had lunch with my friends today at cozymel's. after eating at gloria's cafe last night and getting rodeo grill a few days before that, i think i'm pretty much beaned, riced, and burritoed out for the next few days. *burp*

cozymel reminds me of an alcapulco or an el torito. they must be siblings from the same father but different mothers or something because their decor and food comes from a pretty cookie cutter formula. you know what i mean...adobe styled walls with a smatter of non descriptive inca/mayan script or art...but different enough so you know you're eating in a different establishment.

the menu had the usual americanized mexican food so i didn't expect too much in terms of authenticity or taste. burritos, tostadas, tacos, chile rellenos...you name it, they probably have it. i settled on a steak tostada. the steak and guocamole were pretty spicy. like i said, the food is ok but that's about it.

enchilada burrito love

Rodeo Mexican Grill
1721 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-8311
http://www.rodeomexicangrill.com/

price: $
verdict: omg, i love it!

#27 please.

that means a tasty enchilada burrito with red sauce, a side of well seasoned rice, and refried beans with a cheese topping.... yum! this typical meal costs me $7.57 and i'm never disappointed with it. their other menu items are just as tasty...in fact, i get pretty consistent rodeo grill cravings.

the restaurant itself doesn't have the best decor so if you EVEN think about bringing a date to this place, then it will be obvious to her after your meal that it's best just to be "friends." it's not bad, it's just not a place to impress. it is casual dining at its finest. the restaurant is relatively clean, there's parking on the streets or in their tiny parking lot in the back, or, you can do what i do and park across the street where masa is located. there's metered parking in a lot back there.

come in, eat, then get the fuck out. or come in, order, and take that sucka home.

every yummy thing already exists on this plate.

the glory that is gloria

Gloria's Cafe
10227 Venice Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 838-0963
http://www.gloriascafela.com/

price: $$
verdict: omg, i love it!

it's a good thing that i don't live close to gloria's cafe anymore because i'm pretty sure i'd be over there weekly. i have a real soft spot for beans, cheese, and rice and BOY do you find all of that and then some over at gloria's!! the food is really tasty here and the prices are reasonable. i typically order the combo meal (because of the beans, cheese, and rice...hello? is there an echo in here?) and usually get my enchiladas or chili rellenos because these are some of my old favorites. i can't wait to try some of their other dishes though because everything looks pretty spectacular. more reasons to drive to that side of town!

one of the best things about gloria's is their sangria. holy crap this sangria deserves it's own paragraph. it's smooth and sweet...but packs a punch because the alcohol hits you slowly. you typically want to order more than one cup, but i suggest you pace yourself because the alcohol slowly creeps up on you and you're going to find yourself to be a sleepy drunk. if you have more than one lush at your table, i suggest you get the carafe. it is a better bang for your buck.

i love the fact that there's good food, good service, reasonable prices, consistency, and you get seated immediately. if you've never been here before, i suggest you try. little gems like gloria's are hard to find. you will definitely get your grub on!

one of the tastiest burritos ever.

lose los cobanos because good grub ain't here

Los Cobanos Restaurant & Delivery
2927 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 661-6407

price: $
verdict: not worth my time

it's not the best mexican restaurant you can find, but an average place to fill up on beans and rice when you hunger. i've had their pupusas (cheese/cheese and pork) and find it average. soft outsides without the nice crustiness that i like in other papusas. i've also had their tacos which is really greasy and somewhat chewy even though it's the hard shell kind. makes you wonder where the magic of taco making went missing when they created their's. the horchata is good though but will that carry the food? no.

alcapulco it is

Acapulco Mexican Restaurant
4444 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-5751

price: $$
verdict: it's aight

went here last night with my friend. this is our "usual" hangout spot when we meet. why acapulco you may wonder? well, the food is pretty consistent here doncha think? whatever entree i've ordered always taste the same...no hidden suprises. yesterday, i was adventurous and tried their picadillo enchiladas...yuck. too salty. but their combo meals are fine...i like their chili relleno, tamales, enchilada options.

we've never had to wait for a table which is critical when you're hungry and must chow immediately. the margaritas are decent. parking has never been an issue for me...i just park in the circuit city lot. i haven't been towed yet (knock on wood), though my car has been dumped on numerous times by poo poo filled birds.

they also have a pretty rowdy happy hour once in a while. funny cuz i can't really imagine acapulco as being a "happening" place, but it appears to be so on some nights...you would think so too when you witness some grind action next to the hot trays full of $2 tacos.

the 7 seas

El Siete Mares
3131 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 665-0865

price: $
verdict: omg, i love it

one of the best places for tacos in the silverlake neighborhood. i've been going here for years. when i hanker me some tacos, i usually order a combo of carne asada and al pastor. if it's a take out order, i ask for the sauce on the side to minimize sog action (i'm talking about the taco stand and not the restaurant).

i've also ordered their salmon burrito, ceviche, tamales, and their fried platter (fried fish, fried shrimp, and fries). all REALLY good too. i've never been disappointed with their food and the service is quick.

i typically don't sit there and eat unless i need my daily dose of ehaust fix. it is right on sunset and if you've lived here long enough, you know traffic has gone way out of control these past few years.

dead fish leaves bad taste

Pescado Mojado
610 S Rampart Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 480-6620

price: $
verdict: hells no!

this place seriously lacks....soggy rice, dry fish, stale chips, old lettuce, and...and...it just sucks alright. i've had better in its price range and the restaurant can use a broom and a mop.

say no to PES MO!

tasteless taquitos

Cielito Lindo
23 Olvera Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 687-4391

price: $
verdict: not worth my time.

i've gone here thrice to try their taquitos. first time it was because of the long lines and i wanted to check out the hype. the second time because i forgot that i didn't like it and was too hungry to forage for food elsewhere. the third time because my friend wanted to eat there and i didn't want to burst her bubble. i left with the same verdict each and every time though: the taquitos ain't so good. the taquitos are fried, but they aren't the crunchy fried kind either. once in your mouth, the texture isn't pleasant. the beef tasted bland, leading me to think that it was just the stage for the real highlight of the meal, the intriguing avocado sauce. i think it's a bit overpriced for what it's worth but i give it 3 stars because i haven't tasted anything else on the menu except for the taquitos and chile relleno which was pretty good.