Taco Truck Crawl Suggestions
I'm planning a taco crawl with some friends this weekend. The rough itinerary is to go from East LA, to Highland Park/Eagle Rock, and to end in Echo Park:
Tacos El Korita
La que si llena
La Estrella/El Pique
Rambo's/Leo's
and the Churro truck in Echo Park
My questions are these: 1. Where is the vaunted Tacos Arabes truck I've heard so much about? (Maybe on Whittier or Olympic?) and 2. What suggestions would you have to add to the itinerary (within the rough geographic boundaries above). Thanks for the suggestions.
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I decided to try 3 new taco trucks tonight, and found my suggestions here. I opted for Mi Teresita, Taco Zone and Tacos Arabes. I finished the little taco tour at Salina's Churros!
I arrived at Mi Teresita (Western & Lexington) to find out it was not there, but El Matador was. Not sure if it is a permanent thing or what, but I was starving, so I placed an order for 2 tacos and a Jarritos. I got al pastor and asada. The al pastor was very good, and the asada was pretty good. The asada was a little tougher and didn't have a great beefy taste, but it was solid. I'd give the al pastor a 4+ and the asada 3.5.
Taco Zone (just North of Sunset on Alvarado) was next, and this place had a small crowd around it! I was expecting great things seeing how many people were there, and they didn't disappoint. I ordered an asada, suadero and al pastor. The highlight of the meal was the suadero, very delicious, almost a smooth, buttery flavor. The asada was also very good. I was a little disappointed in the al pastor; not that it wasn't very good - it was. It was just that compared to the other two it didn't quite hold up. First I didn't see a spit; it looks like they had all their meats prepared and in trays ready to dish up. Not a big deal, but I always look for a spit when I'm looking for great al pastor. Lastly, it was fairly chopped up, almost like chorizo. Overall, I would rate them: 4+/4.5/4- (asada/suadero/al pastor).
Walking up to Tacos Arabes (Sunset & Logan), I got a huge smile on my face, because I was staring at a huge hunk of pork sandwiched (and dripping) between two onions on a vertical spit (outside the truck in the little parking lot). These had to be great. I ordered an asada, al pastor and suadero again - to keep things consistent, and a Sidral to wash it down. They arrived relatively quickly, and I added the required condiments (cilantro and onions and salsa - roja for the asada and al pastor and avocado salsa for the suadero). I threw on some pickled jalapenos (with onions and carrots) - escabeche, right?, and went to the trunk of my car to dig in. I was rather disappointed. The al pastor was lacking flavor, and it was also a little (too) charred. I kept taking bite after bite, hoping the next one would be taco Nirvana, but it never happened. Same thing with the suadero; just wasn't anything special. The asada, however, was better. It had a great smoky-beefy flavor, and was tender and chewy (in a good way). It definitely seemed like they used a higher grade of beef than what is usually in asada. Reminded me a little of El Parian. The best part of the tacos was the tortillas (freshly made I assume, though I didn't necessarily see him make them), but even this had a downside: one of my tortillas was partly stale and crunchy. I did like the escabeche. It seemed like the sum of the parts was less than the whole, for the most part. Oh, and these were pretty greasy too - my plate had a layer of grease by the time I was done! It was only $1 for a taco and they were decent sized, so that's pretty good. Overall, 4/3.5/3 (asada/suadero/al pastor).
I finished with some churros from Salinas Churro's, just down the street. I am not a churros lover or anything (not big on sweets), but every once in a while it sounds good. And fresh out of the fryer, these babies were delicious! I was getting full, so I only had one, but I had another about 20 min later, and well.... just eat em fresh!
I saw alot of taco trucks and even a little taco table on a small street, so I may have to try and make it out to Echo Park again some time, but living in Santa Monica, it's hard with LA traffic. Overall, I had some mediocre to great tacos, but I didn't find my new "Best Taco spot", that still belongs to a two-way battle between El Chato and Chema's.
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funny, i just saw an article on CNN about LA taco trucks! yes, CNN! they mention taco arabes and give the details:
"Northwest corner of Sunset Blvd. and Logan St., Echo Park, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Mon.-Sat. Dishes $2-$4."
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Not sure if you're speaking of the Tacos Arabes truck located in Echo Park off Sunset where they hand-press the tortillas with each order. If so, most evenings you can find it at:
1210 Logan St
Los Angeles, CA 90026There are 2 different trucks on both sides of the intersection, the truck worth going to is on the side of the Walgreens. Try both a taco and a quesadilla as they have different tortillas. They use a wonderfully flakey flour tortilla for the 'dillas and pressed corn tortillas for the tacos. Get adventurous and try their lengua, cabeza, tripes, buche, suadero.. all are deliciously flavorful and tender like butter.
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mrshankly
Jan 28, 2009 06:37 PM
The truck in front of the Comfort Inn on Colorado Blvd, one block west of Eagle Rock Blvd... been going there for over 20 years and the quesadilla and all-meat burrito have yet to be beaten by any other truck or stand. HIGHLY recommend it.
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re: mrshankly
PurpleTeeth
Jan 29, 2009 08:32 AM
That place seems to have a huge following, I don't quite get it. I find it quite ordinary, good when I am coming home tipsy at 3am. I much prefer the carne asada at La Estrella truck up the street or Sophie's around the corner in front of Super A. Sophie's also makes a mean veggi Quesidilla
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re: PurpleTeeth
mrshankly
Jan 29, 2009 09:48 AM
It's hit and miss depending on who is running the truck. The owner runs it Mon-Thu and that is the best time to go. The guy who runs it Fri-Sun prepares the food in a way that is far removed from the owner's original recipe and truly mediocre... and his service is painfully slow.
Never been to La Estrella or Sophie's but I'll give them a try. Thanks for the recomendations!
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re: mrshankly
PurpleTeeth
Jan 29, 2009 11:25 AM
You know I don't think I have ever been during the week. Will have to hit it up again!
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I've usually found the Tacos Arabes truck on Olympic east of Soto, before the 710. I seem to recall it as being some six or seven blocks east of Soto on the south side of the street.
Last night I had truly superb al pastor tacos, some of the best I've had in town, with fantastic salsas, at a street stand - not a truck - on North Main just a little before Lincoln Park, a bit east of Dino's Burgers on the north side of the street. It is there most nights in front of the Jalisco Market.
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