REVIEW: Little Belize in Inglewood

[noahbites]

My friend Josh and I have been on the hunt for really good Belizean food in Los Angeles. Most specifically, we were looking for inexpensive, fried and delicious things. Well we found our place, and its name is Little Belize.

Tucked into Inglewood on Nutwood street, it’s an unassuming but very welcoming spot. We were greeted right away by the owner, Adrien. This self proclaimed “King of Oxtail” has been running Little Belize for 8 years, and is even talking about expansion.

We ordered at the counter, then slid into some booths with a pair of the Belizean beers called Belikin. Then the food arrived. His stewed oxtails are indeed tasty, served with a nicely fried plantain, some buttery, peppery white rice, potato salad (seemingly a Belizean staple) and a soupy bowl of stew beans. I would happily just eat a bowl of his flavorful white rice, topped with stew beans and a few squirts of Adrian’s homemade habanero hot sauce (even though I do so love the standard table hot sauce of Belize— Marie Sharp’s). And when things got a little on the spicy side, the potato salad proved to be a nice cooling agent.

But the real winners of the afternoon came in the form of cheap, delicious appetizers. They ranged from $1-$1.50 and each have their own merit. We had:

* Panades: Similar to small, tasty empanadas.

* Garnaches: A fried tortilla spread with beans and cheese.

* Salbutes: Our favorite, and possibly an import from Yucatan. A crispy, pliable fried disc of cornmeal topped with shredded meat, tomatoes and some cabbage that tastes like it’s been quick-pickled and tossed with a little of that home made hot sauce. It’s a real delight.

* Meat Pie: Small and with a tender but flaky crust, it’s a perfect balance with the nicely seasoned ground beef tucked away inside. Add a dash of hot sauce and you’re home free.

There was also a tamale ($3), which had an almost custard-like consistency, with large pieces of bone-in chicken filled inside. This wasn’t a bad dish, but neither of us found it particularly interesting, or quite frankly, worth finishing.

Regardless, I’m very happy to have found this place. Tough to beat a plate of tasty fried things for a dollar each that’s a little different than what you’re used to, but still hugely accessible.

Food Breakdown: 2 beers, 7 appetizers, 1 entree.
Cost: $33

www.littlebelizeres.com
Open every day until 8 PM

For full review with pics:
http://noahgaluten.com/articles/22/sa...

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Little Belize
217 E Nutwood St, Inglewood, CA 90301