Looking for fresh Flour Tortillas in West LA (?)

[dj food]

Hi all, this is my first post,

I'm looking to buy freshly made FLOUR tortillas to take home on the Westside. Much like the tortillas at Paco's (but they don't sell them separately). Soft doughy and not filled with preservatives like store bought. Just flour, salt, baking powder, water, and lard. To me this makes all the difference in a Mexican meal.

Thanks in advance!

[JBC]

Casablanca - Venice ~ Call and ask if they'll sell you some (you know like a to-go order):

http://casablancarestaurant.net/

[dj food]

thanks! but I called them, and they don't sell them to go.
I still need to eat there, haven't been yet.

[QualityMart]

There was a thread about this not too long ago, try searching a bit.

[JBC]

Were you referring to this thread ?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/652018

It was moved to the General Chowhounding Board, so searching this one would have failed, and is wasn't concerning "FLOUR" tortillas but a Corn & Wheat hybrid.

[QualityMart]

No these two:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/636415
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/630220

(Though no it's not 100% clear which recommendations are for flour vs. corn.)

[dj food]

I did seach, but didn't see any for flour tortillas in West LA.
feel free to post if you find it.

[happybaker]

You can get fresh - uncooked - flour tortillas at Costco in the refridgerated section. Then you cook them on a griddle or large fry pan when you want them. Very nice, better than storebought - and easier than driving to east LA!

[sel]

They are pretty good but frequently out of stock. That's how it often goes at Costco!

[DiveFan]

The Costco Business Center in Hawthorne has the uncooked tortillas, can't remember the brand. Unfortunately for me, the package qty is too big for my small fridge AND the tortillas are too small. I want small burrito size!
http://www.chow.com/places/49055

Anyone know a brand with UNcooked 10" flour tortillas? The brands I've come across in supers are Guerrero and Canasta, 8" size only.

BTW these 'uncooked' products are really semi-cooked and have the usual list of additives requiring a PhD in chemistry to understand. But they ARE wonderfully thin and non-gummy.

It is very annoying to me that All of the big local Latino markets have 'house brand' tortillas that have these additives. I say, take the disgusting thawed seafood out of the refer case, clean thoroughly :-) and store Real uncooked tortillas there.

Also, 'locally' made Diana's tortillas are noticeably fresher at the original Diana's Market in Gardena. http://www.dianas.net/

[DWB]

My grandma was a native Guadalajaran(?), who was yanked out of her native country as a teenager and moved to USA, where no masa was available. Her flour tortillas were things of beauty, slightly thick with charred bits and not perfectly round. Diana's "Tipo Gordita" tortillas are the closest to grandma's I have found. They must be heated directly over an open flame, I do it over a gas range burner on low. Diana's corn tortillas are to my preference also(for machine made), thicker than most and seem to be made from coarser ground corn. Has anyone eaten at a Diana's restaurant? They make such delicious tortillas I would suspect they make other food good as well. As per the website, they have 5 locations around town.

[annapurna7]

I've been to the Diana's restaurant in Carson. I like it, it's typical cafeteria-style Mexican grub. They make a good wet burrito and their tortillas are fresh. My maternal side of the family is from Jalisco and they all love Diana's tortillas when they are here.

[Dommy]

We used to go to the one in near Bell all the time... heavy ameri-mex food...

--Dommy!

[apple7blue]

Guerrero makes 10" and larger flour tortillas so does Mission. Mission makes flavored ones too . . .

[apple7blue]

Why lard?

[dj food]

The best flour tortillas I've had are made with lard. I know it sounds scary, but it makes a difference and adds a moist texture to them. And from what I've been told it's how Abuelitas/Grandmas make them.
Here's a youtube recipe....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Y9cC...

[sel]

Not all lard is the same. The white bricks at the grocery store are junk. They are best saved for use as an industrial lubricant. The fresh stuff, usually tan in color and often sold in tubs at carnicerias is lovely, really! Always available locally at Vallarta Markets.

http://www.vallartasupermarket.com/

[DiveFan]

sel is correct, the freshly rendered lard is the way to go.

Unfortunately corporations feel the need to be politically correct and bow down to the vegetarian lobby. Unprocessed lard is no more unhealthy than Most vegetable oils, but that's another topic.

[Akitist]

Lard scary? Crisco's full of trans-fats.

[happybaker]

Crisco has been reformulated and is now trans-fat free.

Still not a health food but fyi.

[taiwanesesmalleats]

Well to be more exact, it has less than 0.5 grams per serving.

[apple7blue]

I don't know if lard is scary or bad health wise. I am vegetarian and I pretty well know that corporations are least worried about offending the vegetarian lobby. Most vegetarians can't eat foods that many corporations literally print on the box Suitable for vegetarians . . . I like the non-lard tortillas I eat. Lard just sounds disgusting because it's rendered fat isn't it? . . . I think Chris Rock or some other wit, discussed about how a lot of peoples with poverty in their background eat a lot of 'bad' food, because poverty caused them to be inventive with whatever they had. Maybe there is a better quality alternative to lard? Or maybe lard is best heh, I am not likely to find out the truth definitively because I don't eat it . . .

[annapurna7]

They have freshly made flour tortillas at Tacomiendo in Mar Vista. I don't know if they sell them separately.

[Bria Silbert]

There's a wonderful Mexican market called Oaxacan Market on the southeast corner of Barrington and National in a mini mall and they have terrific Oaxacan string cheese - and I remember them also selling homemade flour tortillas there. Hope they have what you're looking for!

[dj food]

Thanks for the info! I think you mean Barrington/McLaughlin & Venice Blvd. (National & Barrington is Whole Foods)
I'll definitely check this place out, driven by plenty of times. That would be a great resource!

[dj food]

thanks for reply, but no luck here either. they only have Guerrero pre-made ones. search continues...

[dj food]

Anyone else? Fresh made flour tortillas on the Westside to go? (Looking for bbq quantity like 10-25)

[m.l.w]

Gelson's and whole foods both carry uncooked tortillas to cook at home. Whole foods are better in my opinion, I think the brand is tortillaland and they come in a orange package in the refrigerated section or sometimes you have to ask as they have them in the back.

[happybaker]

Tortillaland is the same brand that Costco carries, fyi.

[Lmo1823]

I hope I don't get laughed off this thread, but Trader Joes sells really delicious flour tortillas. Be sure to buy the kind labeled "genuine homemade" or something to that effect. My friend who is used to her grandmother's freshly made tortillas says these are as close as they come and buys them weekly.

[DiveFan]

The ones labeled 'hand made' might be worth checking out.
However, I stopped being a TJs tortilla purchaser when their supplier changed the recipe for the regular 10" flour tortillas. Too little fat, tortilla falls apart.
Die, yuppie figure friendly, die!

[Akitist]

One more entry on the list of dis-improved TJ's products. I find their corn tortillas freshness-challenged.

[macnut]

I find most of TJ's bread offerings freshly challenged. Unless you purposely want to chip teeth, I'd stay away.

[apple7blue]

Why not just ask when the fresh bread is put out?

[Mattapoisett in LA]

Dommy! and I found a place today which might be worth checking out. Maria's Tortillas on Manchester near Florence makes corn or flour tortillas. They are better than the the standard varieties you can find most places. The tostada Dommy! had from the flour tortilla was the lightest and crispiest I've ever seen. They also have Masa Preparada which in the Tamale I had was good. One note about their tamales, They microwave to reheat and the masa stands up to to it without being rubbery but the Pork Chile Verde inside was not saucy at all and didn't like the microwave all that much The Chile Con Queso Tamale on the other hand was very good

Maria's Tortillas
5606 West Manchester Avenue,
Los Angeles, CA 90045
[phone]

[lapizzamaven]

i was hugely disappointed by the corn and flour tortillas at Casablanca...nothing noteworthy IMHO...but La Cabana on Rose does make and sell great homemade tortillas...the corn are really killer...and i 2nd Tacomiendo!

[dj food]

well with a name like "Maria's Tortillas" I would think the odds are good. thanks for the tip. looking forward to trying them out!

dj

[Mattapoisett in LA]

Let us know what you think. It's on our list to go back.

[Jessmonic]

Not in the west-side, but Taste of Texas in Covina, CA makes great homemade flour tortillas. They even sell packs that you can purchase to go.
They are so good that I even like to eat them PLAIN for breakfast or for a snack. I just heat them up in the microwave for a few seconds. Yum!

[AAQjr]

tried some flour tortillas that a friends parents brought back from new mexico. WoW! really thin and delish. I'm really more of a corn tortilla guy, but those were fantastic. I'd love to be able to get something like that here,, ohh well

[Dommy]

That is one of the things I long for the most from New Mexico... They had them at the Amaranta in the Topanga Mall.... but sadly it closed...

--Dommy!

[crowmuncher]

I'm so jealous!

[Hillbilly Moonshiner]

I've gotten very good homemade tortillas at the Mar Vista farmer's market in the past, but I don't remember if they have flour.