When I was younger I loved the rainy weather but now I yearn for the sun to come out and shine across my face and plate of tacos and glisten off the bottle of my lime jarritos.
El Pique cheered me up though. Parked at a car wash less than 100 feet from La Estrella this taco truck doesn't hide the love for mexican futbol. The imagery is on the truck,the menu and probably on the mind of the taco chef.
I knew I was in for some great tacos when I saw that they printed up their own menus. This is a bold move. Not as bold as putting a bulls head or a portrait of Pancho Villa on the wall of a taqueria but it's a statement to the taco patron that they know what time it is(time to eat great tacos).
And I agree with them,these were great tacos. The asada was finely cut on top of soft well oiled tortillas and covered with a delicious salsa roja and the pastor was spiced and sweet and melted in my mouth. I can kick myself for not trying the chorizo after being recommended to do so but there will be a next time. The flavors really stand out here..the toasted corn from the tortillas and the cuts of meat and salsa...I could go on and on about how good these were but I think I'm gonna need another go to really understand what I felt when I ate these tacos.
me to taco al pastor "why can't I quit you?"
I've noticed that the eastside taco trucks tend to have a more rustic spicy salsa roja compared to the westside and valley which are more tomatillo and chile arbol based. It might have something to do with King Taco having an influence over the territory. The King pulls alot of weight on the eastside.
A steady stream of taco patrons came and went as I sat on the bench next to the truck enjoying my tacos. The sun never came out but the wonderful tacos at El Pique brightened my day.
Rate El Pique
El Pique is at York and Ave 53. tacos $1.10 each
Wow Bandini - These look really good! I could eat more then few really good Al Pastor tacos.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the story?! -- Your pic of the sign (on the truck?) says tacos are $1.10, and then you quote $1.15. This could cost me that extra taco!
ReplyDeleteCloudy days always leave me in a Seventeen Seconds mood more than Disintegration, which ends on a hopeful note with "Untitled."
ReplyDeleteThat pastor looks good, though. Man. After some mediocre carnitas for lunch today, I need some good pig tomorrow.
I have never hit that one!
ReplyDeleteAlways pass it by and it seems lonely and uncrowded.........usually hit La Estrella............
Your almost to El Sereno for Cheo's.>>>!
Don't sleep on Cheo's.......
Keep up the Fine Work!
nosh...how many tacos are ya ordering? 10? :)
ReplyDeletekirk...yeah they tasted as good as they looked
hey slack.I agree about 17 seconds...If you want some great pig try the carnitas at Casa Diaz 4666 hollywood blvd.
slowrider
i'm looking forward to cheos...i've recieved about 5 emails about them already
Bandini - Came to your site from Kottke.org and I must say I'm in love. I've been in the LA area since October, eating tacos every chance I get. Really, I think I could give you a run for your money. :) I'm out in Pomona, so most of my taco experience is even further east of you. You should try El Taco Nazo in El Monte (there might be others around) or Guasalmex in Pomona. Those are my two current favorites. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteKind of a tangent, Arturo.
ReplyDeleteBut what kind of camera do you use to make these tacos look sooo good. Seriously, i gotta know, bef. i buy a new digital
your friend,
chinaski
lauren
ReplyDeletemy taco journey will inevitably take me to the eastside communities of Pomona and El Monte. Sounds like you are a taco explorer also...thanks for the tips!
hank my friend...
my current cam is a canon powershot A410 3.2 megapixels
cheap and effective (around 120 bucks)
Great blog! Came from kottke, your blog makes me hungry. Keep up the hunt for the perfect taco, try not to get too fat in the process though :P
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. S'gonna take a while, huh? Good luck, and good eating.
ReplyDeleteBandini, you rock. This is why Al Gore invented Teh Intarweb.
ReplyDeleteI second El Taco Nazo; it was a staple during college. The fish tacos are dynamite.
And two more for you to try: Gallego's on Venice (a block west of Centinela) and Tacos Manazanito on Burbank (a few blocks east of Lankershim). The al pastor at Manaznito is excellent, as is the barbacoa at Gallego's.
Oh man, those taco pics are torture for poor souls in Richmond, VA who crave the ultimate T. That's T as in taco, not torture.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, here by way of DKos.
Have you tried the tacos (etc.) at the Arco Station at Hoover and 23rd?
ReplyDeleteThat guy's been working behind the counter for lots of years.
Apart from Chanos and the truck that parks on Vermont in front of the post office, the USC area is something of a taco wasteland. 23rd and Hoover is pretty close by, though...hmm. I'll have to give that a try.
ReplyDeletethanks for the replies
ReplyDeletei wont get too fat cuz when i'm not eating tacos I can be found cycleing on the bike bath from santa monica to redondo beach..too bad there are no taco carts along the way...
adam....I go to gallegos all the time but for tamales...I'll have to try manaznito..thanks!
Any plans on critiquing tacos in Orange County?
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Sergios in the City of Commerece? It's been there like 25 years and is locatated in an area known as Bandini... how fitting... You report will be highly valued..
ReplyDeleteMan, these tacos are just making me sick. I was used to this in California, but here in this border El Paso town, the concept of "al pastor" is nonexistent. Someone told me that the California Mexican cuisine comes from central Mexico and is older (more modern Mexican cuisine, for example, does not use cilantro). I don't know, but I do know that if I can't get some cilantro and onions on a taco soon, and if I get another taco with just lengue in it, I'm going to go crazy!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great web site. It's what blogging is all about. Keep sending those pics of taco vans -- I need a reason to feel bad about El Paso. Where the Mex food is good, but DIFFERENT.
Los Angeles definitely gets a much more diverse range of Mexican immigrants than does El Paso. I can't imagine there being more than one or two Oaxacan restaurants in EP and CJ combined, while there are at least a dozen here.
ReplyDeleteKiller blog Bandini. A noble and worthy effort.
ReplyDeleteI'm here via mariginalrevolution.com. Tyler Cowen there is a world class foodie.
I'm at the other end of the taco universe... Houston, Tx. Our local "super" taqueria is http://www.taqueriasarandas.com/
Of course, any joint worth eating in doesn't have a web site.
It's very interesting to see what's the same and what's different between Houston and L.A.
I'd have a 1000 qustions to ask you. Do you have "california super burritos" in L.A.? Pozole? Napolitos? Queso blanco? Milanesa tortas on bolillos? Cabeza barbacoa? Do they do the bit with the pineapple and onion on top of the pastor vertical rotissirie?
What's the whole deal with the "truck" thing. It's the same exact way here- tacos are sold out of permanently stationed panel vans. With power off orange extension cords and $5 plastic nesting seats. As are que and fresh shrimp.
Gotta say your blog going wide has our man tikipundit feeling the monkey on his back. Cheer up, TP, you're in the center of the New Mexico school zone! Have some stacked enchiladas w roasted green chilis with an egg on top, and thank your lucky gringo ass you ain't hanging out in NYC.
Bandini, I just stumbled across your blog and couldn't resist putting in my 2 cents. I too am a taco connoisseur! I love Cheo's for the Asada and Cabeza, I love El Pecas on Soto for their Al Pastor and Suadero, and of course King Taco is never a bad choice...... well, sometimes their Suadero is kinda dry, but you just can't beat their Al Pastor!!!
ReplyDeletekmunden,
ReplyDeleteyou can get every dish you mentioned in LA. My favorite torta is a torta de milenesa.
most al pastor spits have the onion on top but I've seen a few with the pineapple.
cabeza barbacoa..now there is something I havn't had. I've had cabeza and I've had barbacoa but not cabeza that is barbacoa'd.
Isn't barbacoa usually goat or lamb? It's goat at Don Felix, if memory serves.
ReplyDeleteyeah barbacoa is goat
ReplyDeleteso maybe cabeza barbacoa is goat head
although at Chipotle they call their shredded beef Barbacoa.
I would rag on Chipotle but it's certainly better than a burger, except maybe Fatburger.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm gonna do a taco hunt in my folks' town the next time I go home to Illinois. A fairly sizable Mexican community (largely from Michoacan) has settled in the far northern/northwestern suburbs of Chicago because the real estate is cheap. Perhaps some decent taquerias have opened up to serve this new and potentially lucrative market.
Tacos are now $1.50 at el pique
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteTacos are now $1.50 at el pique
ReplyDeleteIsn't barbacoa usually goat or lamb? It's goat at Don Felix, if memory serves.
ReplyDeleteKiller blog Bandini. A noble and worthy effort.
ReplyDeleteI'm here via mariginalrevolution.com. Tyler Cowen there is a world class foodie.
I'm at the other end of the taco universe... Houston, Tx. Our local "super" taqueria is http://www.taqueriasarandas.com/
Of course, any joint worth eating in doesn't have a web site.
It's very interesting to see what's the same and what's different between Houston and L.A.
I'd have a 1000 qustions to ask you. Do you have "california super burritos" in L.A.? Pozole? Napolitos? Queso blanco? Milanesa tortas on bolillos? Cabeza barbacoa? Do they do the bit with the pineapple and onion on top of the pastor vertical rotissirie?
What's the whole deal with the "truck" thing. It's the same exact way here- tacos are sold out of permanently stationed panel vans. With power off orange extension cords and $5 plastic nesting seats. As are que and fresh shrimp.
Gotta say your blog going wide has our man tikipundit feeling the monkey on his back. Cheer up, TP, you're in the center of the New Mexico school zone! Have some stacked enchiladas w roasted green chilis with an egg on top, and thank your lucky gringo ass you ain't hanging out in NYC.
Have you tried the tacos (etc.) at the Arco Station at Hoover and 23rd?
ReplyDeleteThat guy's been working behind the counter for lots of years.
What a great idea. S'gonna take a while, huh? Good luck, and good eating.
ReplyDelete