Category Archives: Food!

Chicken Enchiladas – Cincola, Westchester, Los Angeles

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I tease my friend Robert because he will only ever order chicken enchiladas in a Mexican restaurant. Some day I’ll fool him by taking him to a place that doesn’t serve enchiladas. Meanwhile, the enchiladas he ordered at Cincola ( or is it Cinco L.A.? ) were absolutely great! Nice moist pieces of chicken rolled in firm tortillas, and topped with a delicious green sauce, rich and complex, with an interesting slightly sour edge. An attractive minimalist bar with a suitably loud young crowd, this isn’t a place I would have expected to find a serious Mexican kitchen. I’ll tell you about the chicken in black mole later.

Here’s the website: http://cincola.com/

Shrimp Tostada – La Playita. Venice, Los Angeles

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It’s just a little stand on Lincoln Boulevard just north of the Whole Foods store, but I have become a regular customer for their fresh, simple seafood dishes. The shrimp tostada couldn’t have bee fresher or simpler – steamed shrimp, cilantro and avocado slices on a toasted tortilla. A spritz of lime juice and a dash of Tapatío, and I was smiling all afternoon.

Cemita – Food Truck on Whittier Blvd. East Los Angeles

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I walk right past so many food trucks, so I don’t know what instinct told me to stop and try this one. Cemitas are a version of Mexican tortas that come from the Puebla region, south of Mexico City. This one was made by somebody who really understands food… A beautifully fresh roll with chicken milanesa, string cheese, slices of avocado and sun-dried tomato.

Aguachile – Coni’Seafood, Inglewood. Los Angeles

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The aguachile at Coni’Seafood is the most exciting thing I’ve put in my mouth recently. I made an odd noise when I saw the presentation – something combination of a gasp and a “wow!” Basically a ceviche, it is fresh raw shrimp marinated in lemon juice, topped with a fruity/spicy jalapeño puré. I recently visited the wonderful Peruvian restaurant Mo-Chica downtown, where ceviche has been raised to an art-form, but for a blast of pure fresh flavor, nothing can beat this aguachile. A serving was a dozen shrimp (for a surprisingly good price), so I was completely satisfied before moving on to a wonderful main course.

Bohemia Beer

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I was in my early 20s when I first went to Acapulco. It was an exciting trip involving beautiful beaches, fun discos and exotic food. I even had a holiday romance. I had never been served beer with a wedge of lime, and I was thrilled with the magical flavor of Bohemia beer with a tiny dash of lime. I started to look for Bohemia after that, especially on my trips to Mexico, but was especially happy when I moved to California, where it is widely available everywhere. The crisp, hoppy flavor and many wonderful memories make Bohemia my favorite beer.