It's been two years? Time flies when you're eating tacos. This day kind of snuck up on me and I didn't have a chance to go out for tacos to celebrate so I thought to recognize the two year anniversary of my taco journey I'd list the best tacos I've had the last 2 years.
Best Carne Asada- Has to be El Parian. Although it's been awhile since I've stepped into LA's most hidden taqueria but the memories are still there.
Best Al Pastor - This one is a little tricky. I would say the taco table at the corner of Gage and Cesar Chavez with the al pastor spit but I've been told it's not there anymore. So when it comes to Al Pastor you can't go wrong with El Taurino.
Best Carnitas - This is a close one also. Carnitas is usually a safe bet at most taquerias but there are a few that really excel in the pig. The Antojitos Denise's taco stand in East La fries their pig in seasoned pork fat. Mmm pork fat.
Best Cabeza- The cabeza at Tacos Chatos has been a step above all the cabeza I've had. A little gem on the westside. Cabeza taco with guacamole salsa, lime, and a mexican coke.
Best tortillas - this one is easy.....Los Cinco Puntos!
Best Tacos in Los Angeles.......drum roll please!!..............Sergio's Tacos! - No I wasn't bribed, and yes I'm a little frightened the dictator himself King Taco will have me arrested for sedition. Sergio's just overwhelmed me on my visit. The tacos are classic LA tacos, packed with flavorful meats and topped with a shot of spicy salsa roja.
So here's to another year of healthy and safe taco eating for all.
Reply with your favorites for each category and I'll get to them in year 3
onward!
There is a killer Al Pastor outlaw cart on York in Highland Park.
ReplyDeleteIt's on the North side of the street one block East of Galco's. It's in front of a tire shop. They are there pretty much every night that I've stopped by. Al Pastor on a spit, very fine!
If it's the same one, which I think it is, the taco cart on Cesar Chavez is now a little west of Gage on the south side of the street and still going strong. At least the al pastor there is as good as I've had outside of Mexico.
ReplyDeleteYup, those are some of the best tortillas around and they're made from actual maiz they process on site. You don't see that much anymore.
ReplyDeleteI recently visited a taco place in east los angeles called Taco Real, they serve some of the best tacos I have ever had. please let me know if i'm the only one that feels this way. Everyone eating there was raving about the fresh tortillas and the food in general.
ReplyDeleteSo many taquerias, so little time.
ReplyDeleteGreat choices in a tough crowd.
BTW you should look into using Google for mapping these joints. See this great example at CH: http://www.chow.com/topics/407568
Also the CH Place feature includes a small, zoomable, movable Google map, very useful.
Mapquest totally sucks!
Like half a year back my family passed by Sergio's but no one was hungry cause we just ate. But I made my dad stop cause I havent eaten a taco there for ages since we used to live in the area years back and Sergio's was one the places he used to take me as a kid to eat tacos. Good idea, Bandini isnt lying when he says these are some of the best tacos in L.A. hands down. I sucked it up made room in my stomach and had myself a burrito with some agua de Jamaica, just awesomeness.
ReplyDeleteP.S. the whole in the wall atmosphere with the place being tiny and all add to the experience
Happy birthday! Has it been two years? Wow...I use your blog all the time to find decent tacos and now that we've moved to El Sereno, we've really been putting it to use.
ReplyDeletewhat about fish tacos?
ReplyDeleteHappy bdat TGTH!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bandini, for two years of great eating and reporting. When it comes right down to it, The Great Taco Hunt is one of the most useful and tasty sites on the Web. GOOD WORK!
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ReplyDeleteI've been a big fan of La Taquiza for quite a while, as their al pastor is simply remarkable. I just tried El Taurino's al pastor tacos and they were pretty good. But they are nowhere near as good as La Taquiza's tacos. It's not even close. Therefore, I must respectfully disagree with your selection of El Taurino as having the best al pastor. That crown should belong to La Taquiza.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday. You're an inspiration to taco-loving minions everywhere.
ReplyDeletebest al pastor: Tacos el Rey
ReplyDeletebest salsa bar: Tacos el Rey
best fresh squeezed juice: Tacos el Rey...
on Riverside drive in Chino
I've been a big fan of La Taquiza for quite a while, as their al pastor is simply remarkable. I just tried El Taurino's al pastor tacos and they were pretty good. But they are nowhere near as good as La Taquiza's tacos. It's not even close. Therefore, I must respectfully disagree with your selection of El Taurino as having the best al pastor. That crown should belong to La Taquiza.
ReplyDeletewhat about fish tacos?
ReplyDeleteHappy bdat TGTH!
ReplyDelete