Where is Monrovia and do they have Tacos?

Monrovia is a TINY little town off the 210 Fwy about 20 min. east of Pasadena. The only reason why I even knew about it is because a cool little restaurant called DEVON lured me and some foodies there over 10 years ago on NY Eve.

5 years later my friend and accountant moved to the area. Last year, while living in Eagle Rock I happened on a vet out there that I really really liked. And so, I have been visiting on a semi-regular basis.

Monrovia is one of the oldest cities in the LA Basin and was incorporated in 1887. It's quaint Main St. is filled with historic buildings and like Pasadena, there is a lot of neighborhood pride and cleanliness!

In 1937, the original McDonald's was born here, right next to the airport. It thrived and expanded for 24 years before milkshake machine salesman Ray Kroc bought it in 1961 for $2.7 million dollars and turned it into a bazillion dollar franchise. The headquarters of Original Tommy's, Trader Joe's and Naked Juice are all based in Monrovia, which makes me think it might be the perfect spot for me to launch my taco empire! (mostly kidding)

SO! Where can one eat some good tacos in Monrovia? I have only been to two places thus far, but here they are....

LA ADELITA

Located on Colorado Blvd. right across from the popular Peach Cafe, it's an old style place. Small but cozy, I had breakfast there which I enjoyed. They had a steady stream of customers, they spoke Spanish if you preferred and the taco plates I saw passing by looked good. They also have crispy tacos, yay. I wouldn't call it a 'must go' exactly but it's reliable if you are passing through.

LOS VICTOR'S

I was on my way to a Xmas party, driving through a residential neighborhood and on the corner I see this stand. I just knew it would be good so I convinced my friend to stop on the way back. He had the asada and I had a crispy ground beef! Hooray. God I love those. Super nice people. They took over the burger spot that used to be there. They've been open less than a year but they stay open late (12am daily and 2am on weekends) which is also a plus in a sleepy little town.

The carne asada was a little 'odd'. Can't say exactly why... big thick tortilla, lots of meat, but the texture was off. Too chewy? Didn't really taste like meat. The crispy taco was good though and I would stick with that. Crispy ground beef or crispy potato. Maybe even a bean and cheese burrito. They don't get great Yelp but I think it's the kind of thing where you have to know what to get there.

They also have a 'nacho machine'. Which is probably for teenagers under the influence!

OTHER SPOTS

There is also a Rigo's, a Rudy's and an Enrique's right near by. Rigo's is a chain and so is El Zarape. Nothing really gets high marks... meaning a solid 4 or above except for Baja Mar Fish Taco. This is the one I will try next time and report back.

***For more info on McDonald's history in LA click HERE.

San Marcos Mexican Grill, Van Nuys, CA

I am a taco reviewer that likes to focus on the positive. What's the point in really bagging on something? Every now and then I get upset enough to bag, but I perfer to talk about a place's strengths and so I will (more or less) with San Marcos.

They are located in Van Nuys, a neighborhood I have been frequenting of late. I drove by and I got the 'vibe'. Yelp confirmed my suspicions that this place had good tacos.

The first time I went,, I got a burrito. WHY? I don't know!!!! It was cold out and I was craving a melty refried bean and cheese classic. Not too big... $3 or $4 bucks maybe. Well... they don't really make those here. Their burritos are MASSIVE and most people like it like that. They come with meat, beans, rice and salsa. Guacamole if you like and they cost around $8. Because they are HUGE. Seriously... they weigh at least a lb. I tried to coax them into making what I wanted but it didn't work. DISASTER really.

BUT, I gave them another chance. I went back for breakfast and am pleased to report that their food is great. Everything is fresh. They have a fun comfy 'cafe' atmosphere and eating there is definitely recommended. We had Huevos Mexicanos, and an array of tacos. All of them were very tasty. They give you melted beans with your chips. They use mostly cotija cheese and maybe one other white medium hard cheese but don't seem to keep on hand the shredded cheddar variety (which is prob a good thing). They also have crispy tacos! YAY.

If you are anywhere nearby, give them a try. While the giant burrito carries a hefty price tag, the tacos are the usual $1.25 and the breakfasts are reasonable too.

5939 Hazeltine Ave.

Van Nuys CA

818 781-3040

Frida Tacos, Los Angeles & Pasadena

7217 Melrose Ave.

I remember eating at the Frida Restaurant in Beverly Hills about 8? years ago. It was actually a fine experience, but the formality of the place and the price kept me from returning.

CUT TO: 6 Years Later - and I notice the Glendale Americana has a Frida. Could it be the same? I look on Yelp and the reviews all express some degree of disappointment.

CUT TO: Yesterday - When I was driving down Melrose to take a visiting friend to the crazy Jet Rag sidewalk $1 sale - which happens every Sunday and involves hoards of people grabbing at piles of antique (and sometimes smelly and stained) used clothing. I heard one girl say "I got an amazing Chanel suit here last week in perfect condition... for ONE DOLLAR."

Well, the smells and the crowd were getting to me and I didn't want to be accidentally pepper sprayed fighting over Chanel, so I wandered down Melrose. I came upon Frida Tacos and thought.... 'COULD this be the same as the other two?' I decided NO, due to the hipness, inexpensiveness and ultimately the PERFECTION of the taco fillings. But guess what? They are one and the same.

I ordered double beans and no rice with my combo

Forget about the fancy restaurants, and hop on down to Melrose for one of the juiciest, thickest, most steak-like asada tacos I have ever had. I also tried the veggie taco and was delighted to find it full of chopped zucchini, asparagus and other grilled delights. Their salsa bar was clean, fresh and iced down and I fell in love with their sliced red onion/sliced habanero 'salsa'. It was hot, but totally edible and FANTASTIC on the steak.

Grilled veggie taco

I didn't eat the tortillas (post Thanksgiving diet and all) but I liked that they only gave you one. They were a bit dry and I would like to see them use a little oil on the grill to warm them up, but the flavor was good. People next to me were eating the Pastor and the Carnitas and they looked delicious as well.

They have a Taco Happy Hour where the price drops by about 25 cents. They have breakfast items, salads, burritos. The servers were very friendly and overall I would def. say I'd have to stop by anytime I'm nearby.

http://www.fridatacos.com/

They are open until 3am on Friday/Saturday

Let's Eat Texas Tacos! Carolyn Knight, Guest Blogger

Guest blog post by Carolyn Knight

Texas Tacos: Real Deal Easy Meals (click for more info)

Ask anyone in Texas about tacos, and you’ll find you’re not talking to an amateur. From the cradle to the grave, a good taco is one of those simple, easy meals that just never gets old.

San Antonio is widely regarded as the taco capital of the state of Texas. If you’re looking for a brick and mortar spot, check out Taco Taco Cafe. This little gem was recently featured on an episode of The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. The sign out front says, “Best tacos in America” and the locals agree. If you’re a fan of the mini, open-faced taco, Guajillo’s is your spot; their al pastor pork taco topped with slices of pineapple, cilantro and onion is the champion of slow-roasted delights.

Guajillo's Cochinita Pibil

Taco Deli, where you can savor every bite of the cowboy taco: cowboy-rubbed beef tenderloin with grilled corn, roasted onions and peppers or a bison meat picadillo taco. Carlos Santana’s downtown eatery, Maria Maria, boasts braised duck tacos with roasted tomato-habanero cream salsa.

Maria, Maria's Enchiladas

Surrender your inhibition and visit the taco trucks on Austin's East side of town. Don’t let the grungy parking lot hosting the Piedras Negras trailer put you off. They have some of the best al pastor and barbacoa in town.

Austin is also home to the breakfast taco, and what will begin as affection for an open-ended mini-breakfast burrito may turn into a full-time obsession. Day or night, Taco Selene, Casita Taco, and Taco-Mex all provide the perfect verde salsa to top any breakfast, lunch, or dinner combination.


Taco Selene's Pastor and Chicken tacos

Whether you need to whip up easy meals at home or find the perfect midnight snack, tacos are the best food on the planet.

Tacos in Pacoima with Victoria

I have been reading about Pacoima for a while. On the Mexi Food Map it is the home of Lenchita's, a restaurant and tortillaria that nabbed the attention of Jonathan Gold. Check out his review HERE.

We decided to head out for an Adventura on a Friday night, but alas, Lenchita's closes at 8pm (we saved it for last) so we were shite outta luck. The few people I interviewed said it was OK but that the lines weren't worth it...

We had about 5 places on the list, and as ALWAYS happens, we were led off the path to something wonderful. The gal at the first place (Mexi-Tamal - cheap, fast and fun) told us there were some good tacos or was it a tortillaria... just down the street... to the right? Left? Straight? It made my friend's joke, that everything in Mexico City is 'al fondo a la derecha' go straight and to the right, all the more poignant.

We followed the directions and found a little grill full of smoke in front of the D + K Market/Gas Station Combo at the corner of Glen Oaks and Pierce. Her name was Victoria and she was a hoot. She was cooking something she called a 'quesadilla', but it looked like a folded burrito and it was covered with a foil-covered brick. Bill Esparza of Street Gourmet LA dubbed them 'Mexicaninis'. She also had bacon wrapped hotdogs. Yum. Drool. Plus, four kinds of tacos (pastor, asada, pollo, chorizo).

carne asada on the grill

this is the tortilla factory we were looking for

Everything is hooked up to the car battery and she already has a following (which includes her brother and his wife). She speaks perfect English and really cares about the quality and freshness of the meat. She's there every Friday and Sat from about 6-11pm She is VERY interested in doing catering and pop ups so give her a call at 818.355.2141.

pastor taco - sweet and savory w/ lots of cumin

'quesadillas' that look like flat burritos

She's pretty picky about what she recommends in the area too. The only food tip she was excited to share with us was some great tamales that two girls sell out of their car at the Superior Market on Laurel Canyon just N. of Osborne. They huddle by a minivan and they serve Mexican Hot Chocolate (a little too much sweet milky goo and not enough actual chocolate for my taste) and about 12 kinds of Tamales for $1 each. They are some of the finest I have ever had. The Rajas were particularly good as were the Chicken Mole and the Jalapeno Cheese.

These girls are an incredible find for the Xmas Season and at $1 each you cannot go wrong. They say they are out there every single evening... but only until about 9pm.

Thank you Victoria! We look forward to seeing you again soon.