I’m a writer for the award-winning publication L.A. Taco and appeared on Netflix’s Taco Chronicles. Follow me to find gems all across the city as I guide you through the real L.A. with a curated journey of my favorite spots, updated monthly.
Less📍Added in May: There are many noodle spots in the SGV, all with their own delicious nuances. What brings me back to this strip mall shop isn’t the noodles but the famous beef rolls: long, tender strips of marinated beef, layered with onion and cilantro chopped to almost a fine paste. The Chinese rice flour pancake wrapping is lightly toasted on the griddle, giving it a flaky and slightly blistered texture. Add the diced green chile for a bite you’ll remember. Oh! Get some dumplings too!
📍Added in May: I still remember my grandma using animal cookies to make her mole, my favorite dish growing up. And while no two moles are alike, their thick, creamy texture, nutty undertones, and range from sweet to spicy—if not both—always intrigue me. None intrigue me more than those of La Diosa de Los Moles. Calling herself the Goddess of Moles, Rocío Camacho sets about as high a bar anyone can, and she pole vaults over those expectations.
📍Added in May: At first my interest here was only in the 30 taps of brew from all over California. But one order of freshly fried pickles, and I can’t get my head out of their kitchen. The pizza is among the best in this area, and the long list of perfect bites could keep you pleasantly busy. While I’ve enjoyed practically the entire menu, the Nashville hot chicken sandwich is what I keep going back to. The thick, crunchy fried shell hugging the juicy chicken is outstanding.
📍Added in May: This area of Pico Boulevard in Mid-City has always fascinated me with its unique Creole comforts from the Caribbean to the Cajun south. This café is an L.A. institution, winning people over, including me, with a palate-pounding gumbo soup. The plump shrimp and crab legs sit on chicken and sausage in the thick seafood stock, which is seasoned to a demon-repelling level, making sure your soul feels cleansed, if not awakened, after a hearty bowl with toasted French bread.
📍Added in May: Birote is a specialty bread that’s so unique to Guadalajara, Mexico, it’s hard to replicate anywhere else. Gusto Bread in Long Beach makes the best one near L.A., and this small deli (inside Horchateria Rio Luna) from the mind of Jonathan Perez of Macheen has made a creative, birote-based sandwich menu. Imagine a Oaxacan pastrami with a honey chipotle slaw, a barbacoa dip, or a chicharron bánh mì on a unique bread style. These are some delicious sandwiches.
For a flavor rush of psychedelic proportions, the tikka masala at this South Bay strip mall will have you forgetting your woes—your full concentration will be on slowly tackling this vigorous dish. Order fresh garlic naan to dip into the rich, sweet, and spicy sauce as you eat or to use as a swab to comfort your taste buds between spoonfuls. If there’s room, finish off this roller coaster of flavor with a samosa served with a sweet and tangy sauce.
All Time has become a favorite spot for a lunch date with my lady: It has class and comfort without being presumptuous or showy. The chef’s offerings always seem to include a touch of genuine L.A. while feeling fresh, healthy, and filling. I’ve enjoyed tender carnitas tacos on blue corn tortillas, crispy rice breakfast bowls, and a Good Ass Salad that’s very popular. This little gem keeps it fresh with a changing menu, adding some excitement each time I return.
BaBoys is fusion Filipino food with flavors so euphoric, they will be burned into a new core memory. This tiny, take-out-only, mom-pop-and-son shop is known for their lumpia burger: a crispy lumpia split open, Asian slaw, pickled onions, and garlic aioli on a sweet Hawaiian bun. I’ll also stuff myself with a sweet pork tocino breakfast burrito with garlic fried rice and all the fixings. Oh, and the sisig quesadilla! The pan de sal sandwiches! It’s all so good! I need it all!
This kitchen in Lynwood is a powerhouse of taco innovation and a celebration of L.A.’s diverse flavors. These are tacos that embrace shared tastes on handmade tortillas. There’s lots to try here, but the nutty almond mole, the vibrant chicken tinga masala, and the savory Korean asada taco are my automatic recommendations. Perhaps the most innovative item is the Tropical T taco—the hibiscus-infused jicama root tortillas with crunchy coconut shrimp are a delicious curiosity.
This hidden gem in the neighborhood I grew up in is so inconspicuous, it took one of my favorite chefs to introduce me to it recently. The embodiment of the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” Banadir is Inglewood’s best-kept secret. I go for the tender, juicy, and robust Somali-style goat with slightly roasted ends, served in a large dish with yellow rice. Drizzle lime on the meat, smash a banana into the rice, and spice it up with their relentless green sauce.