Yup, its still about the Ground Beef & Pickle Tacos @ Mas Malo

Mas Malo, the "badder" DTLA sequel to the popular cantina in Silver Lake has a prime location, on the ground floor of the building that houses Seven Grand on 7th Street.  The space is a former jewelry store and has double height ceilings and is landmarked.  I was recently invited to check it out and was able to sample several of the dishes and cocktails.

Overall the dish I recommend most is the signature dish of the establishment, the ground beef and pickle taco.  It is filling, and at only $4 is a value.  The ground beef, pickles and shredded cheese is a homage to the classic cheeseburger.  Stuffed into the fried shell and dipped into the Serrano salsa it is surprisingly delicious and a crowd pleaser.

To share, the Chicken in Mole Poblano ($16) is also quite good.  The mole sauce is rich and complex and not overly sweet.  While it may not be at the level of Guelaguetza, this is a dish I can heartily recommend and would order again.  It is hard to not dip your chips into the mole; always the sign of a successful sauce.

The Medicina Latina with a chili salt rim was a highlight of the beverage menu.  I thought the other cocktails I sampled were just ok.  As they have 200 tequilas and mezcals on the list, exploring the deep list may be the optimal way to go.  Unfortunately Mas Malo doesn't have sangrita to accompany the great tequilas.

You can reserve their tequila vault for tastings or private dinners.  This room was literally one of the vaults used by the jewelry store decades ago.  The huge glass and steel door is impressive and leads to a small room with walls lined with bottle after bottle of tequila and mezcal.  The selection inside could inspire one to dig a tunnel underground and come up inside the vault, just to get to try them all.

Mas Malo carries the full Del Maguey line of mezcals, including the Pechuga, made with chicken breast.  The photograph below is but part of one wall of the tequila vault.  Reserving the vault for a tasting may be the best way to enjoy Mas Malo; it will certainly impress your friends.

Whether you are looking to sober up before or after a Seven Grand visit or are planning on having dinner and sampling the full menu, Mas Malo is a beautiful comfortable space with reasonable prices and a nice vibe.  The ground beef and pickle taco has some ineluctable quality that just draws me in.  Some things just can't be explained; they need to be experienced.

Mas Malo: 515 West 7th Street, DTLA | 213.985.4332 | http://masmalorestaurant.com

Komida, tacos from Yamashiro's Chef Brock, Opens Tonight

If you have been to the weekly Farmers' Market at Yamashiro, then you have likely seen the lines for the creative tacos created and prepared by Yamashiro Executive Chef Brock Kleweno.  Now you no longer have to take the shuttle up to the mountain; the mountain (or at least the tacos) are coming to you.  Beginning tonight, Chef Kleweno's tacos will have a home of their own at Komida, in the Hollywood & Highland complex.

As of now, Komida is only opem Thursday nights (5 pm - 9 pm) and Saturday mornings (10 am - 2 pm) but sources say that days and hours will likely expand next month.  Expect to find tacos with Asian fillings inspired not by the ubiquitous Korean taco joints but by the food at Yamashiro, so Miso Sake Black Cod and Spiced Hoisin Duck Confit are among the delectable choices.  The tacos are $4-6 each and for the first time Kleweno is now offering his salsas for sale, in glass jars.

Beer, wine and sangria will all be available to wash down a plate full of tacos. This could be the perfect pre-Library Bar stop, for cocktail enthusiasts.  Alas, for now Komida is cash-only, with an on-site ATM.

To celebrate the opening of Komida, all customers who purchase a taco before 8:30 pm tonight will be entered into a drawing for Tacos for a Year.  The lucky winner gets three free tacos each week at Komida for a whole year.  Only one entry per customer and the winner will be announced at 8:45.

Komida: 1738 N. Orange Drive, Hollywood.  Twitter: @komida_la  Facebook: Komida.LA 

Taco Night @ The Golden State

Last Monday Mexicali Taco Co and The Golden State came together for a night of tacos and beer. It was a great collaboration to be able to have the tacos, vampiros and cachetadas of Mexicali Taco Co in the comfortable environment of The Golden State and wash the great food down with their excellent selection of craft beers. There are rumors that this may become a regular thing. Count my vote in the Yes column.

Vampiro and cachetada at The Golden State

Mexicali Taco Co is found at the intersection of 1st & Beaudry on Wednesday - Saturday evenings.
The Golden State Cafe: 426 N. Fairfax, north of Beverly Blvd. Mid City. Phone: (323) 782-8331.  Website: http://thegoldenstatecafe.com

Tinga at Tinga

When you name your restaurant after a particular dish or drink, your version of the dish better be spot on and delicious. I can't vouch for the authenticity of the tinga served at Tinga as I have never had the dish before, but I can say that it is tasty.

Tinga, a Mexican cafe which opened two weeks ago, is now doing a bustling lunch business. I hadn't had the opportunity to try the namesake dish on my previous visit, so stopped by yesterday to check it out.

The tinga is shredded chicken with tomato chipotle, lettuce, crema,and marinated onions on a crispy tortilla shell. It comes two to an order. It can get messy to eat these open faced tostadas but they are full of flavor and the taste is clean.

I also grabbed a potato taco, which I had heard good things about, but found it to be not too my liking as the contents were mushier in consistency than I prefer. Stick to the tinga, the chicken or the beef tacos and you will be a happy camper, and remember to save room for dessert.


Tinga: 142 S. La Brea Avenue (1st St/2nd St). Phone: (323) 954-9566. Website: www.tingabueno.com

Ground Beef & Pickle Tacos @ Malo Cantina

I recently stopped by Malo Cantina in Silverlake for a margarita and a snack. The bartender (Rhachel Shaw) told me that the ground beef and pickle hard shell tacos (2 for $6) were among the most popular items on the menu. I was skeptical of whether they would be good, worried that they might be Tito's Tacos style tacso, which were the last hard shell tacos I had eaten, and which I thought were terrible.



I am not one to dwell on authenticity as long as the food tastes good, and these ground beef and pickle tacos tasted good. If you like pickles and you like tacos, then these could be the snack/meal for you. On Mondays, which are Taco Nights at Malo, these tacos are only $2 each. Later this fall, a second Malo will be opening beneath Seven Grand, in downtown Los Angeles.

Malo Cantina: 4326 W Sunset, in Silverlake. Phone: (323) 664-1011. malorestaurant.com

Tinga: Now Open

Tinga restaurant opens today on La Brea Blvd, just south of 1st Street. The Mexican taco specialist is the first restaurant project for husband and wife caterers Jerry (pictured below) and Chris Baker. Last night I was invited to their friends and family opening celebration to see their new space and try the food.



The menu is built around five types of tacos, including cochina pibil, papas bravas, puerco especial, steak picado and short rib deshabrada. I tried the steak tacos, which were very clean tasting and had nice bright flavors. Others around me raved about the pork tacos and the potato (papas bravas) tacos.

The other signature dish is the tinga, which is shredded chicken served on a toastada with tomato chipotle, lettuce, crema and pickled onion. The tortillas, salsas, guacamole and beverages are all made in-house.



The team was especially proud of the horchata (pictured below), justifiably so, in my opinion. Very refreshing. Tamarindo, jamaica and watermelon lemonade are all also available.

My favorite of the dishes I tried was the grilled corn, which had spices and lime juice on it to give it a real kick. The corn was served off of the cob in clusters of kernels in a salad format and was packed with flavor.



The pistachio desserts were tasty treats and have a strong lemon flavor as well. Lemon is a favorite of mine in desserts, so I was happy to eat a second one when given the opportunity.



Tinga does not have a sign up at this time. Look for the open french doors and the large communal wooden table dominating the interior. The walnut stool seats and table tops were manufactured for the Tinga team by a maker of cutting boards, which is a cool design touch, although I don't suspect they'd like you to start cutting straight on the table...

Tinga does not have an alcohol license. The taco plates are between $5.50 and $8.50 and the fresh drinks are $3.75. Tinga's slogan is "The people, they like it!" and I'd have to agree with that sentiment.

Note: I was invited to this event and did not pay for my food or beverage.

Tinga: 142 S. La Brea Avenue (1st St/2nd St).

Taco Roundup on Cinco de Mayo

Inspired by LA Taco's recent taco tournament which anointed La Estrella as the best taqueria in town and a friend who recently moved to LA and is obsessed with tacos, I journeyed on a personal quest to try some of the more prominent taco joints in Los Angeles to see what they had to offer.

In each location (where possible) I ordered two carne asada soft tacos. I visited as many as four in one day. They were: Carnitas Michoacan, La Estrella 3, King Taco, Sky's Tacos, Tacomiendo, Tacos Por Favor, Tito's Tacos & Yuca's.

I don't eat pork or shellfish, which is why I did not sample carnitas tacos or get the famous fish tacos at Sky's.

Best of the bunch: La Estrella 3.

La Estrella is right next to where the train tracks cross Figueroa in Highland Park. It is basically a stand with three small tables connected to the ground.


The meat was just the most flavorful at La Estrella 3 and the cilantro onions and salsa were in just the right proportions.

Runners Up:

1. Tacos Por Favor


Tacos Por Favor on Olympic & 14th St is a Santa Monica institution. They operate efficiently and have tons of indoor seating. Even at prime time lunch the wait to order is relatively short as the line moves quickly. They also have a salsa bar with red, green, pico de gallo and sliced limes, which is a big asset.


The filling doesn't overwhelm the tortillas like at La Estrella. The asada had a nice grilled taste. The tacos come with tortilla chips. Tacos Por Favor uses vegetable oil and no lard.

2. Sky's Gourmet Tacos

Sky's Gourmet Tacos is a soul food take on the Mexican classic. Sky's is located on Pico Blvd near Hauser, South of the Miracle Mile. They have a small indoor dining room and several attractive tables with umbrellas outside on the sidewalk. According to their website, all of their dishes "are prepared fresh without trans fat, lard, artificial additives or preservatives."


I sampled one Authentic Taco which was a small carne asada taco with onions, cilantro and citrus juice and served with hot salsa over two corn tortillas. The salsa was legitimately spicy, which offers a good excuse to try the excellent homemade lemonade. I also got a beef "Famous Taco" which was significantly larger and came with lettuce, tomato, cilantro, cheese and Sky's sauce on two corn tortillas. The "salad" on top was unnecessary and I removed most of it (saving the sauce). Overall very good tacos and a refreshing twist on the classic without changing it beyond recognition.

The Others aka Nothing Special

Tacos from Carnitas Michoacan, King Taco, Tacomiendo & Yuca's were not worth going out of your way for. I had a hard time believing that Yuca's was the winner in LA Taco's bracket last year. Fun spot but their tacos were just fine. By far the worst tacos were at Tito's Tacos. The "tacos" there were absolutely disgusting. Despite being a native Angeleno I had never been there and wished I had kept my streak of 34 years without a Tito's Taco intact. Avoid at all costs.

Carnitas Michoacan


The tacos were extremely oniony, to the point that I could not finish them.

King Taco

King Taco is a fast food environment and the taco is not very tasty and the environment has no charm. There is a parking lot at the Pico & Alvarado location but it is difficult to find a parking space there. The least expensive but perhaps most bland/boring of the tacos sampled.

Tacomiendo


Tacomiendo is located in a strip mall on Gateway in West LA and reminded me of a bigger La Salsa but with food with less flavor. The carne asada was cut into the largest chunks of any taqueria I visited and the tacos were just boring. They also had a salsa bar. No reason to go there with Tacos Por Favor a short drive away.

Tito's Tacos


Tito's Tacos has been in business for over 50 years. I am not sure why people enjoy it. Their tacos come in a hard shell and contain enough shredded lettuce to keep a family of bunnies in food for weeks. I'd rather skip a meal than ever eat there again.

Yuca's


Yuca's has a great ambiance, it just feels authentic in that neighborhoody way. Bonus for outdoor tables adjacent to the parking lot. I just found the tacos to be fine (better than tacomiendo or king taco or tito's or michoacan) but certainly not worth driving out of your way for. The tacos had the least cilantro of any I sampled, maybe that is part of what holds them back.

La Estrella 3: 6103 North Figueroa Street @61st St, Highland Park. (323) 982-0179
Tacos Por Favor: 1406 Olympic Blvd @ 14th St, Santa Monica (310) 392-5768
Sky's Gourmet Tacos: 5408 West Pico Blvd @ Hauser, South Miracle Mile (323) 932-6253
Carnitas Michoacan: 1901 North Broadway (off I-5), East Los Angeles (323) 225-2729
King Taco: 2020 West Pico Blvd, Pico Union (213) 384-8115
Tacomiendo: 11462 West Gateway Blvd, West LA (310) 481-0804‎
Tacos Por Favor: 1406 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica (310)392-5768
Tito's Tacos: 11222 Washington Place @ Sepulveda, Culver City (310) 391-5780