57430 Mon Dec 15 17:36:37 -0800 2003 4 2 Los Angeles Area 0 299859 My experiances around USC randomly going into latino restaurants are so damn unpredictable. USC's favorite taco stand Chano's had overly fatty/underflavored carne asada and el pastor. Across the steet on the other hand, Taquiza is surreal: The tortilla's are thick soft and homemade--if i was mexican im sure they'd be like my mom made. The meats are smokey and moist. And they have about four types of grilled seafood tacos!!! After four astonoshed visits, I have concluded against all positive aesthetic signs (colorful mural on walls, no available guacamole, radishes dominating salsa bar) that the Taco Restaruant near Hoover and 25th (next to Fugazzi coffee shop) is lousy. The same goes for a small el salvadorian sopas spot on Adams, near Ralphs. The place is little more than a salvadorian woman's kitchin with a counter and stools. She only makes type of soup--but its bland and fatty and full of unpeeled starchy vegitables. Luckily down the street at 41st and Figuroa is one of the best taco stands ive come across anywhere. Jose and his dad marinates and grills carne asada and el pastor at home every morning and sells them from his truck for a dollar each. Any additions to my systematic map of East LA area would be helpful. -ryan Mon Dec 15 17:36:37 -0800 2003 0 ryan 1 299866 Yea, Taquiza's is GREAT! Now I've gotta find this truck on 41st. Is it directly on Fig? Mon Dec 15 18:15:03 -0800 2003 299859 0 C.S.2 1 299869 it's been a while since I was at grad school at 'SC, but these were popular for places relatively close-by: LA BARCA 2414 S VERMONT AVE 90007 VERACRUZ 2306 S UNION AVE 90007 A little farther, Mexican, (take the car) EL GALLO GIRO 701 E JEFFERSON BLVD 90011 EL TAURINO 1104 S HOOVER ST 90006 And in the area, you might want to try this place on Jefferson just east of Figueroa, that had (if I remember correctly) Hawaiian-Japanese style saimin. I think it might have been Kenny's, but I'm not sure if the name and the place go together. And just searching on Jefferson at lapublichealth.org here's a place that might be ok - TAQUERIA LA LENA 1433 W JEFFERSON BLVD 90018 two blocks east of Normandie. Good luck. btw, there may still be a place (used to be definitely) on Exposition west of Normandie that had wonderful cheap buckets of peel-and-eat shrimp and crawfish. You might go and luck and see if it's still there. As well, at USC you're not too far from Phillip's BarBQ in Leimert park. ONe of my fave's definitely. Used to be only food to go. It's still easiest just to call in advance and it'll be ready for pick-up. PHILLIP'S BBQ 4307 LEIMERT BLVD 90008 Mon Dec 15 18:56:13 -0800 2003 299859 0 Jerome 2 299886 the saimin place was Mihoshi my offices were on the 'SC campus on adams for a few years. the only thing i ate at regularly was the Japanese place in the lot with 711 on adams and figueroa and the italian across from del taco Mon Dec 15 21:41:14 -0800 2003 299869 0 southbayron 1 1854063 On Saturdays or maybe Sundays (or is it vice versa it has been a while since I lived in the area...) there is a car that parks on the side street next to the Adlong Carniceria on Adams at Budlong. Out of the back of thie woman's car come amazing AMAZING tamales. Her young son? often helps her and they are both lovely. Try the tamales. But don't be fooled by the tricycler who sells his tamales. For months my boyfriend and I thought that we lived next to a Muslim who offered Arabic prayers daily... Well, it turned out to be the tricycler yelling, "Tamales!" His tamales are b-b-b-bland. And oily. Tue Sep 05 02:45:44 -0700 2006 299859 18341 elirarey