Category Archives: Food!

Border Grill – Santa Monica – Lamb Adobo Tacos

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I’ve been going to Border Grill for 20 years.Sometimes I’ve just gone on a whim, but I’ve also celebrated more than one birthday there. Many years ago, we even had a small party after the opening of the first film I produced. The food has always been good,with a widely varied menu of imaginative traditional dishes, as well as creative items not seen anywhere else in Los Angeles. And the room is upscale, pleasant and fun.

Last night’s lamb adobo tacos proved that The Border Grill is still an exciting restaurant. The lamb was marinated (yes, adobada) and braised in rich spices until it had an almost caramelized flavor. It had only a hint of of smoky chiles, so the rich lamb flavor was front and center. Served on nice heavy tortillas, with slivers of nopal and a shaving of cheese and pickled grilled onions, these are among the best tacos I’ve ever eaten. The rice in two colors and thick, earthy black beans were a perfect accompaniment.

Next time, I’ll tel you about the ceviche.

Here’s the website: http://www.bordergrill.com/bg_sm/bg_smwel.htm

Churros Calientes – Food Truck, West Los Angeles – Churros

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Nearly 3 years ago, I was thrilled to see that a restaurant called Churros Calientes was coming to Santa Monica Boulevard, near Federal Avenue right around the corner from home. Before it opened, though, I had to move out of town for a while, and always regretted missing out. Sadly, since returning to LA, I haven’t had an opportunity to try it. Last week, though, I posted a picture of the great churros I had at the Barrio Cafe in Phoenix, and the urge for churros became rather intense.

Leaving the gym yesterday, I saw among the usual food trucks at the Santa Monica office park a new truck… Churros Calientes… and I was able to satisfy my craving. delicious, hot (yes, caliente) pastry, fresh from the fryer, tossed in the perfect mix of sugar and cinnamon, with a thick dulce de leche sauce. I could have chosen different sizes and shapes, and there were chocolate, strawberry and guava sauces available. I’ll try those eventually, but probably not until I’ve had this perfect combination a few more times.

Here’s the website: http://www.churroscalientes.com/

Moles La Tía – East Los Angeles – Portabello al Mole

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Here’s something you don’t see on any other menus. Portabella mushroom with grilled eggplant and zucchini slices, served on a bed of spinach salad… with a pistachio mole! Every bite was perfectly orchestrated, but of course, the mole was the highlight. Toasty and nutty, it also had an almost fruity undertone, balanced with the pleasant sting of serrano chiles. A brilliant vegetarian dish.

Here’s the website: http://www.moleslatia.com/

Moles La Tía is one of the participating restaurants in the East LA Meets Napa event on July 19. Here’s the website for the event:

http://www.altamed.org/eastlameetsnapa

East LA Meets Napa – Los Angeles – July 19, 2013

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Here’s an event that sounds great! Restaurants from East Los Angeles joining with Latino-owned wineries for a very worthwhile fund-raiser. I really want to be there. Check the website to see all the great restaurants and wineries that will be participating. The photo is from one of the participating restaurants, but I’m not telling which one – yet!

Friday, July 19, 2013
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Union Station
800 North Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Purchase Tickets Today!

AltaMed’s premier food and wine tasting fundraising event, East LA Meets Napa, is in its 8th year. The event takes place outdoors on a warm summer evening in a unique aesthetic venue, the Union Station & Metropolitan Water District courtyards. The perfect setting for the 1,500 guests who enjoy trekking their way past their favorite food and wine stations. Latino owners, chefs, and representatives from 30 restaurants and 30 wineries showcase their wonderful food and wines. This event includes a VIP pre-event reception, a brief program, live entertainment, dancing, all the food you can eat, all the wine you can drink, and a surprise or two! Top sponsors enjoy the comfort of their very own private VIP reception areas.

With 1,500 guests in attendance, East LA Meets Napa is AltaMed’s highest attended annual fundraising event. Invitees will include the AltaMed Senior Management Team, Host Committee co-chairs and committee members, elected officials, sponsors, and friends of AltaMed.

This year’s event, appropriately named East LA Meets Napa & Beyond, will take us on a wine tasting journey stretching from the famed Napa Valley, through various California wine regions and beyond. An exploration of California wines showcasing and honoring the roots of so many Latino vintners and families.

http://www.altamed.org/eastlameetsnapa

Guisados – Boyle Heights, Los Angeles – Seafood Tacos

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I was at Guisados’ Echo Park restaurant just last week, but when my friend Tom and I came across the original location during a walk across Cesar Chavez Boulevard, I couldn’t resist another visit.

This time I went for a shrimp taco and a fish taco. The shrimp was served with a beautifully rich seafood stock sauce and slivered green and red peppers and onions. The fish taco came with the traditional sliced cabbage and salsa, and featured a generously large piece of perfectly grilled fish. Both were served on Guisados perfectly soft hand-made tortillas.

The staff couldn’t have been more pleasant and friendly, and we even met the owner, Armando, who showed us some of the backroom secrets that make Guisadsos such a high quality favorite spot.

2100 East Cesar E Chavez Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90033 (323) 264-7201

La Huasteca – Lynwood, CA – Pork Chops with Mole Manchamanteles

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I’ve never taken a photo of a mole that captures the deep, velvety richness that is so much part of the overwhelming experience. Manchamanteles means “table cloth stainer'” and after one glance, there’s no doubt whatsoever that it’s true. It’s one of the 7 classic moles from Oaxaca, powerful but nuanced, flavored with ancho chiles, cinnamon and cloves (and many, many other ingredients). Pineapple is the usual garnish, and the maraschino cherry was a nice touch. La Huasteca makes one of the very best manchamanteles I’ve had anywhere.

Guisados Tacos – Echo Park, Los Angeles – Chicken Tinga Taco

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A guisado is a stew, and that’s what Guisados uses to make their unique tacos. There’s a range of delicious, well-known dishes made from pork, chicken, beef and veggies to choose from. The tacos are small but filling, served on heavy, hand-made tortillas, with a base of black bean salsa. My friend Leili and I tried several of the selections, and my favorite was the chicken tinga, a rich stew of chicken and interesting spices.

I haven’t been to the original Boyle Heights location, but the Sunset Boulevard spot was nicely busy on a Tuesday lunch time, with a cheerful mural-decorated outdoor patio.

The website doesn’t seem to be working at the moment, but maybe it will be back by the time you read this: http://www.guisados.com