I have such fond memories of Rocio Camacho’s previous restaurant, Moles La Tía in East L.A. that I was delighted to finally try her new place.

We were presented with a choice between the regular menu, which features a remarkable selection of Rocio’s trademark moles, and a well-stocked buffet. Normally, I tend to stay away from buffets, but this one looked so fresh and varied that we went for the chance to try a wider range of dishes.

Moles were represented this week by chicken and pineapple slices in a rich, spicy mancha manteles, and pork chops in toasty-flavored red pipián (pictured above). There were also chilaquiles, fish in a creamy tequila sauce, menudo, nopal salad, a spicy treatment of Mexican style scrambled eggs and a tasty vegetable dish with zucchini, onions, nopal and portabella mushrooms (see photo). Everything was truly delicious, but for me, the highlight was the carne en su jugo (pictured above). Described by my friend as a spicy cross between soup and salsa, it featured tomatillos, steak, beans and serrano peppers.

After a dessert of rich, dense flan and rice pudding with rompope sauce, we walked away – slowly walked away – happy that we made the trip to the Valley.