63535 Mon Oct 04 19:03:10 -0700 2004 21 2 Los Angeles Area 0 340491 So I am doing some advance Mexican scouting before hitting LA for 5 days. Usually hit my taco higlights and then spend a bunch of time scouting for new highlights. Just read below that El Taurino has a fire and is closed for now. Could anyone suggest some similar places. I used to love getting there early on the weekends for the barbacoa and the costillas. Are there any substitutes at the Farmers Market, or anywhere else for these types of items ? Any and all other Mexican suggestions would be great. In addition to the items mentioned above, I am looking for carne asada, carnitas and al pastor tacos, as well as excellent tamales. Thanks in advance. Andrew Mon Oct 04 19:03:10 -0700 2004 0 EV Andrew 1 340527 King Taco is perfect if you're a El Taurino fan. Also, at farmers market at the Grove there is Loteria Grill, which seems to be getting a lot of press. I haven't been myself but you should check it out. But King Taco will definitely be what your looking for. Tue Oct 05 00:13:57 -0700 2004 340491 0 hawkchul 2 340531 If you are looking for an El Taurino or King Taco kind of place, Loteria is definitely NOT the place you would want to try. You might try El Gran Burrito on Santa Monica and Vermont although the last time I was there it was not that great. Many of the trucks are good, but they are also hit and miss. Loteria is a bland gentrified (sp?) version of Mexican food that can be eaten by the people that frequent Farmers Market. Go to the Campos Burrito on Robertson or to any Benitos. At least you will have some flavor. Tue Oct 05 00:28:34 -0700 2004 340527 0 Bruin2 3 340535 Thanks, I will steer clear of that place then. Tue Oct 05 00:34:43 -0700 2004 340531 0 hawkchul 3 340547 Hey there Bruin, thanks for the input from you and hawkchul. What is King Taco like ? About the trucks, I have benn purusing the list put together by one Low End Theory. Do you have any feedback from his list ? Also, does anybody like Taqueria Sanchez ? Or Tacos Por Favor ? They were some favorites from prior visits. Also, what about the place up on Vermont all the hipsters like ? Something with a "Y" at the beginning maybe ? Tue Oct 05 09:08:31 -0700 2004 340531 0 EV Andrew 4 340561 I have not been to King Taco, but I heard that it is owned by the same people as El Taurino, so I am assuming that it would be similar. Tue Oct 05 11:54:33 -0700 2004 340547 0 dork 5 340586 Where is King Taco, I found many listings - see below King Taco 3900 Peck Rd El Monte, CA 91732-2243 Phone: (626) 350-5698 Business Types: Restaurants Map | Directions | What's Nearby? | Email a Friend King Taco Restaurant 10420 Garvey Ave El Monte, CA 91733-2221 Phone: (626) 448-5150 Business Types: Restaurants Map | Directions | What's Nearby? | Email a Friend King Taco Restaurant 12102 Long Beach Blvd Lynwood, CA 90262-4831 Phone: (310) 884-9984 Business Types: Restaurants Map | Directions | What's Nearby? | Email a Friend King Taco Restaurant Inc 1915 N San Fernando Rd Los Angeles, CA 90065-1228 Phone: (323) 222-2854 Business Types: Restaurants Map | Directions | What's Nearby? | Email a Friend King Taco Restaurant Inc 2904 N Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90031-2601 Phone: (323) 222-8500 Business Types: Restaurants Map | Directions | What's Nearby? | Email a Friend King Taco Restaurant Inc 3421 E 14th St Los Angeles, CA 90023-3803 Phone: (323) 266-3585 Tue Oct 05 14:00:31 -0700 2004 340561 0 EV Andrew 4 340576 That would be Yuca's. It's actually on Hillhurst. I like it. I've never been to El Taurino, so I can't really compare. Been going to Yuca's since I was about 8, though, so who knows how much sentimentality enters into it. Tue Oct 05 12:54:51 -0700 2004 340547 0 Jack Flash 4 340619 First, King Taco is essentially a glorified stand. It has seats, but its like someone put walls and a roof over a stand. Its nicer than that but you get the picture. Next, its basic Southern Califonian Mexican, ie burritos, tacos, etc. But, they have terrific Carne Asada, pretty good beans, and really really spicy salsa. Get the mild; trust me, the hot is too hot even for my kids who eat HOT. I have not tried Taqueria Sanchez but it gets great reviews here. Not far from there is El Abajeno, on Inglewood, which I think is also pretty good. The only truck that I frequent on a regular basis is the one on Lincoln, south of Rose. I get the tacos, and change up the flavors; one time carne asada, one time lengua, pastor, etc. My wife, once every month, will have a taco with chicharron which is delicious, but I feel like I'm doing something bad from a cardiology perspective if I eat one. Tue Oct 05 17:42:03 -0700 2004 340547 0 Bruin2 3 340549 Are you thinking of Yuca's when you say something beginning with a "Y"? They feature Yucatan style pork as well as other tasty items, but they never had chicken in the old days, don't know about now as I have not been for sometime. 2056 Hillhurst Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027-2719 Phone: (323) 662-1214 Tue Oct 05 09:31:57 -0700 2004 340531 0 WLA 4 340639 They still don't have chicken. Not a great place for a vegetarian either as their beans are made with lard. Tue Oct 05 19:50:00 -0700 2004 340549 0 JJ 5 340666 Exactly why they are so good. Mmmmm, lard. (Thanks for the Mmmmories, Homer) Tue Oct 05 22:21:22 -0700 2004 340639 0 WLA 3 340553 Give loteria a try. I cannot understand what Bruin is talking about - If anything is bland and mediocre it's the places he is recommending. I am from Mexico City and even when some of these other places mentioned are OK, there are a few places that are the real thing. Loteria is one. Antequera de Oaxaca on Santa Monica is another. I do like Yuca's. ALso, there are conflicting opinions on La Serenata. Much of what they serve at their East LA restaurant is excellent! If you are used to cheap Mexican this is not it. If you go to spaghetti factory for Italian, then follow the advice of Bruin2. If you have moved beyond that, then try my suggestions. Tue Oct 05 10:37:48 -0700 2004 340531 0 Sergio 4 340560 Thanks so much for the good information. Have been to the place in East LA you speak of. Definately want to try Antequera de Oaxaca. Will certainly hit the farmers maret as well. Thanks and let me know if you think of anything else. Andrew Tue Oct 05 11:51:10 -0700 2004 340553 0 EV Andrew 4 340585 I am with the Capitalano - Loteria's food is more like what I ate when I was in D.F. than anything else I have had in L.A. at the oft-mentioned faves. Maybe I always have ordered the good stuff (albondigas, pipian, etc) Mexican food is so varied. I grew up here, a gringo L.A. native whose grandfather lived his early years on a ranch in Sonora. The food in the south was very different than what I ate when I was a kid. Before D.F., I never tasted mole verde, sesos, huitacloches, flor de calabazas, mixote, atole. The complicated sauces, the ravishing fruit drinks and salads, vegetarian stews. The guy from Loteria lived in D.F. and, to my taste and memory, seems to have gotten some it right. Tue Oct 05 13:53:48 -0700 2004 340553 0 corydon 5 340587 Who is Capitalano, and pardon my oversight, but what is D.F. ? Tue Oct 05 14:01:50 -0700 2004 340585 0 EV Andrew 6 340594 Sergio said that he hails from Mexico City. The polite name for that is a Capitalano. Mexicans from other parts of the country have less-than-polite names for it. D.F. is acronym for Distrito Federal, sort of like a Mexican D.C. Tue Oct 05 14:49:38 -0700 2004 340587 0 corydon 7 340599 Much thanks for enlightenment Andrew Tue Oct 05 15:30:48 -0700 2004 340594 0 EV Andrew 4 340617 Well, a defense is appropriate. First, I have never lived in Mexico..But I have traveled to Mexico often, and to many different areas of Mexico. Second, while I am not Latino, my wife IS and she is a great cook, as is her mother. Whether you accord me some bona fides or not, I stand by my statement that Loteria is bland gentrified food for the people at Farmers Market. I have had had wonderful food in Mexico and it differs from Region to Region. The food at Loteria is NOT as good as any of it. That is my opinion. I have seen marvelous things written here about their corn tortillas. Please. I could make a better corn tortilla. That is not opinion; that is a fact. Eat, enjoy, if you like Loteria, great. I just think its really bland, and with the exception of Latino people here on Chowhound, I doubt many Latino people would find Loteria particularly compelling (unlike for example, La Super Rica in Santa Barbara which is frequented not only by foodies, but real honest Latino people.) Again, just my opinion, not trying to start a dispute. After all, its just food. Tue Oct 05 17:33:09 -0700 2004 340553 0 Bruin2 5 340669 Mr. Bruin , In this season of debates, I too stand by my opinion of Loteria, and I respect that you have your opinion. We agree that we disagree. OK. Only one question. You state as FACT that you can make a better tortilla? Humility, mi amigo. I have found their tortillas to be delicious, and well cooked. Too many times you get fresh tortillas that are raw in the inside. At Loteria (like la super rica) they are well done. Not too many places know the tricks for making good fresh tortillas - you have to have a thin comal, or they come out raw. So what makes yours so special? By the way at King Taco and El Taurino where I have been many times the tortillas they use for their tacos come from a bag, and the meat they use is harder than the leather of my mochila (book bag) in primary school). The only thing that helps the tacos is their salsas which are ok. So if that is why you call Loteria's food bland, then I understand why we disagree. Try Tacos Mexico for the type of tacos they serve at King Taco or El Taurino. TM is MUCH better than either of this. With respect to your comment about the Latinos on Chowhound vs. the real honest latinos that go to La Super Rica, it is a very offensive to me, a real and honest Mexican. Why don't you go to Loteria on a Sunday and see how many Mexican families go there for their Sunday Comida? Better, go on Mothers Day. I was there this year with some family friends (also from Mexico, living here in california) and it was full with many Mexican families - abuelita, mama, and children. So I don't know where in Mexico you have been but in my 54 years of living (32 in Mexico City, 16 between Guadalajara, Queretaro and Merida, and 8 between Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Anonio) I have had very many Mexican meals. I don't know where you have been eating in Mexico, but I think that my real and honest Mexican (and American) friends and I are qualified to give a good review of Mexican restaurants. There are few places that make delicious mexican food. This is one of them. As a Mexican, I am happy to see the Mexican food here in the USA getting much better. Dios mio (my God) the first time I came to the USa, the only tortillas I found were in a can! Fuchi (ugh! in Spanish) So the food has come a long way. So we disagree. That is what I like about this board. Una cervecita? Tue Oct 05 22:35:25 -0700 2004 340617 0 Sergio 6 340685 Well said Sergio. I also found the comment about the "latinos on Chowhound" to be patronizing and offensive. Tue Oct 05 23:12:27 -0700 2004 340669 0 JJ 6 341597 I am posting this reply late because I was told that someone had taken offense to something I said. I was most certainly not trying to be offensive to anyone, and if my comment was taken that way, I apologize. What I was trying to say is that for the most part these message boards are frequented by a more affluent group of people, not necessarily the type of people that eat at places in Pico/Union, or South Gate, or some of the poorer areas. I, for one, and I speak only of myself, generally see only affluent types at Loteria. That's OK, too. I have nothing against being affluent. As to the food, I'll say it again. You like Loteria, great. Enjoy. For my taste, its bland and undistinguishable. As to the tortillas, they're just not my taste. Last night I had one, just off the grill at El Parian. It was fabulous. By the way, I am not alone in thinking Loteria is just not that good. There are a lot of us out here who think this is just one more over-hyped restaurant. Restaurants get hyped and people fall all over themselves gushing about how great it is. I think that about Loteria. But if you disagree, no problem. Eat there as much as you desire. I have nothing personal against Loteria or the people who eat there. I just have an opinion about the food. And by the way, still think it is absolutely nothing like El Taurino. Till we meet again. Sun Nov 14 00:58:54 -0800 2004 340669 0 Bruin2