La Super Rica type rest. in la/oc

[geat]

I really enjoy La Super Rica. Are there any similar type rest. in la/oc? I love the food and the laid back ambiance.

[FED]

as long as we're veering into the whole "great taqueria" thing: has anyone tried Taco Loco in Long Beach (magnolia between PCH and Anaheim). great meats, great salsas and homemade tortillas. as far as the typical socal carnitas/asada/buche type menu, these guys are right up there with the best i've ever had.

[sano]

I'd give the nod to Taco Mesa on 17th street in Costa Mesa, too. Nothing is quite like LSR's unique SBmex, but Taco Mesa is worth a visit.

Note, I;ve never seen anything like LSR in Mexico, either.

[carter]

super rica is fine when in Santa Barbara, yet there are so many places in the greater LA area that are at least its equal, yet do not provide the exact same ingredients, menu, etc. Most all will offer fresh tortillas, such as Carrillo's Deli in Winnetka in the SF Valley, Amapola in Downey, and many of the others already mentioned.
Many of the local taco trucks are its equal. Even Poquito Mas does a fairly good imitation, yet without freshly made tortillas.
Super Rica is more in the headset than in the taste as I see it. Good yes, yet hardly superlative.

[mattesq]

Poquito Mas?!? Come on . . . if your not that into SR that's fine but to suggest that you can get anything at Poquito Mas that comes even close to LSR is a joke.

[sel]

I agree! Poquito Mas is an example of the culinary corporate mediocrity that CH has helped me and thousands of others avoid! There is so much wonderful Mexican grub in the area covered by this board from taco trucks, tables and stands with a couple of stools and/or benches to elote, fruit, paleta and tamale push carts. The sit down restaurants of E.L.A. with famous fish tacos and a pretty full spectrum of Mexican cuisine exemplifying great chow from many Mexican states. And lets not forget the Oxacan grub in Central and W.L.A. Lastly the grand high end more urban restaurants in South Gate, Linwood etc.

That said, I have not found ANY food in L.A. that is similar to the type of grub at LSR since the demise of the much lamented Las Ruinas in Pasadena. Some of LSR's grub is mediocre (tacos) and some is WONDERFUL (#16 La Super Rica Especial, the Chorizo con Queso or whatever they call it and the tortilla stuffed with spicy beans among others. Many of the daily specials on the white board including Posole on Sundays only and others! Yea, there is good posole in L.A. but what about a Tamal de Verduras or Calabacita (sp?) sorry!

Most of the suggestions above are for good stuff; but not the same or even close to LSR!!!

[mattesq]

Yes . . . there is nothing in LA like the #16.

[FED]

personally, one of my favorites is the tacos de rajas. caramelized onions, grilled peppers, crema. mmmmm.

[sll]

ok, now i think i have to drive up tomorrow for posole and #16...

[FED]

i think you might be missing the point at la super rica. it's not just the fresh tortillas. it's the different fillings. there's nothing wrong with buche, carnitas and lengua, of course, it's just that at most places you don't find many alternatives. this isn't to say LSR is the BEST taqueria (though one could argue that), but just that it is excitingly different.

[Moose]

Fed,

I couldn't have said it better - LSR is in a class of its own.

Moose

[geat]

David, your post from jan 18 (Iso the best la taco trucks/carts) pretty much sums up your taco\mex. food experience. fogata and vista H. are both very good, for myself though neither would represent a similar dining exp. to lsr. If my only criteria was freshly made tortillas, I would have started an awesome tortilla thread.

[Grubber]

Taco Mesa

[wilham]

I guess part of Super Rica's emense appeal is that for a taco stand, they have a lot of atypical items on the menu and specials that change. They use squash blossom blossoms for instance, or some kind of funky cheese or sausage, whatever...I like new and different things, too.

So Border Grill also does that sort of thing, in a bit of a more posh setting. If you're looking for new kinds of mexican food I am reminded of Guelaguetza on 8th in LA and Alegria on Sunset in Silverlake for starters.

Also in the OC there's this place in Costa Mesa (i think on 19th) that I forget the name of. Some people have claimed it's like LSR in the OC/ it's not, but it is does have some good food that's not exactly like most other taquerias, if youre in the neighborhood. It looks sort of like a 'flying wahooey fish taco' joint with that surf-rocker vibe, what's that place called?

[JimN]

Loteria Grill at the Farmer's Market (3rd and Fairfax). Don't forget to have your parking ticket stamped.

[cvc]

I must say that I have to agree to some extent. We've come a long way since Julia Child thrust that little taco stop onto the foodie map. I still try to grab a quick bite there whenever I go to S.B. but for L.A. there are many here more familiar than I with what's available and where but some personal favorites include El Taurino Market at 11th and Hoover (24 hr.), a number of places in the Culver City area especially around Inglewood Ave. and Culver Blvd. like Taco Miendo, and the market across the street from it, and, yes, Border Grill in Santa Monica. Happy hunting.

[glutton]

Tacomiendo is probably not quite in the class of La Super Rica, but it's excellent. Border Grill, however, should not even be in teh same sentence as La Super Rica.

Different type of food, but I think Tacos Baja Ensenada is akin to La Super Rica.

[tony michaels]

Probably as close as you are going to come to LSR in terms of feel and food is Yuca's on Hillhurst:
http://www.yucasla.com/

[Das Ubergeek]

OK, I have to say, I don't get the La Super Rica fanaticism -- it's a good taqueria with fresh tortillas, but that's available all over LA. I mean, even my grocery store makes great tacos with fresh, less-than-five-minutes-old tortillas.

[geat]

I also have great taquerias near my house, los cotijas, Q-tortas, taqueria de anda to name a few. I would not consider myself a super rica fanatic, though I do think they have some very unique dishes with wonderful flavors. Again my question was in reference to a similar style rest., not a great taqueria.

[kevin]

the thing is das, and let me say in'm not really a super rica fan, but the cheese and peppers combo (whether poblano or some other chiles) you can't really get anywhere else.

the rajas tacos, the cheese and whole cut up chile dish, and the veggie tamales with the cream sauce (which fans may compare to a Mexican-ized version of a French souffle).

the tacos here, the meat tacos, are horrible, dryed out, and tasteless. oh, and the guacamole is really good.

in my opinion, the real gem along milpas is Taqueria El Bajio.

for LA, someone mention a joint in the Eagle Rock area, that might do similar goods, Colubmo's ????

[geat]

agreed

[Das Ubergeek]

You can definitely get the cheese and peppers combo in LA -- La Cabanita in Montrose has great rajas, and they have other such combos. Not exactly a taqueria, though.

[tony michaels]

I still stand by Yuca's and their incredible cochinita pibil as having the right "feel" as LSR. While their menu is not as vast as LSR, what they do have tends to send the right messages to all my "buds".

[Moose]

Oh, I wish there were one, but nothing comes close, especially considering the tortillas they serve you are no more than 5 minutes old.

If they opened up a location 3 times the size in a good LA location, the lines would be worse than the original location!

Moose