Al Pastor on a Stick with Pineapple

[mr mouther]

On Indiana St. right between Boyle Heights and East LA I found a taco stand with pastor on a stick. Hadn't seen that before in the US, but in Mexico City this pastor from a stick (think gyro twirl) is served with roasted pineapple. None to be had at this particluar spot, but has anyone ever found a taco stand/ truck/ etc. serving al pastor from a stick with pineapple?

[LesThePress]

Check out this web-site regarding the 'authentic' way to make Al Pastor tacos:

http://www.batista.org/pastor.html

[FED]

i seem to recall they are cooked this way at gallo giro, too, no?

[Ollie]

Your talking about the rotissarie upright "spit"/skewer. Most quality taco trucks or restaurants that know what they're doing when making al pastor, place pineapple on top of the spit to moisten the marinated meat as it cooks and to give it a balanced flavor so as not to allow the marinated al pastor meat be too seasoned or salty. Kinda like what Hawaiians do with roast pork. Same idea!

[David Kahn]

I've seen an onion on the bottom more often than a pineapple. (And as an aside, I've often wondered what happens to that onion when the pastor is gone.)

Taqueria Vista Hermosa in the Mercado La Paloma (http://www.mercadolapaloma.com/restau... ) has great pastor carved from a vertical spit. With good, homemade tortillas, and nice, clean flavors, this is my favorite al pastor in the city (at least of those I've tried so far).

And, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't yet tried it, but, El Jalapeño, a little stand at the north east corner of Beverly and Normandie has a vertical spit going every night when I drive by on my way home. Don't know if it's any good, but they definitely have the spit.

[love2eat]

bandini's blog (tacohunt.blogspot.com) pointed me in the direction of a taco truck on 8th and ardmore in front of the jons supermarket that serves al pastor from the spit. it is very good but they didnt have pineapple when i went. i think the truck is called tacos taluca.

[Burger Boy]

I think El Gran Burrito does this outside on the weekends after 8 or 9 ish. It is great had it about a month ago.

[love2eat]

thanks for this info! i love el gran burrito's al pastor...it's one of my favorites. i can only imagine what its like when they do it on the spit! do they do the pineapple with it?

[carter]

Funny timing, in that the NY Times' Mark Bittman did a very recent review of tacos and alluded to the al pastor with pineapple he found in many places in Mexico and here in Los Angeles, yet few seem to know of actual places to find it.

[George]

See Jonathan Gold's "Ask Mr. Gold" this week in the LA Weekly, on just this issue.

[mr mouther]

that's quite coincidental. too bad he has to be so vague about where to find. makes me think it's going to be harder to locate, require more leisurely driving than gas prices will permit. what I want is a place where the pineapple is de rigeur.

[FED]

i think that's pretty much the standard preparation.

[mr mouther]

if that's the standard preparation here in los angeles, could you please point me to a place that you know serves it like that?
my experience is that it is the standard in mexico, but it is not the standard in the us or in scal. it's not even common here.