TACO MADNESS, Offered by Bud Mild Chelada, is L.A.’s first and largest taco competition. All of L.A.’s heaviest hitting taquerías will probably be in a single place for someday solely! The 21 + occasion is going on this Saturday, Could 6, at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in downtown Los Angeles. Ticket gross sales proceeds will assist L.A. TACO’s award-winning street-level journalism.sm.
Get your ticket right here.
We initially noticed Simón L.A. parked on a Santa Monica Boulevard block in West L.A.’s Sawtelle neighborhood. The previous fine-dining chef Francisco Aguilar’s adventurous menu of coastal Mexican specialties instantly stood out among the many road’s focus of Oaxacan markets, Persian empires, and long-standing sushi-ya.
Smoked tomatillo aguachile negro. Leche de tigre-laced ceviche de pulpo. Aguachile de ribeye. Fish al pastor. Tacos with mushy shell crab and the golden fried regional specialty of pescadillas served over a patch of black bean paste.
Recipes that backed the plain print above the truck’s skull-and-bones graphic that learn: “Mariscos Chingones.” And all completed on 4 wheels.
Aguilar, who labored at Oaxaca’s well-known rooftop restaurant Pitiona earlier than charting his path in L.A., was a flurry of exercise inside this massive blue whale of a lunch-wagon, and aided by his cousin, Alexis Chacon. Quickly, he handed over a bowl of his singingly wealthy, tangy aguachile, clear, fats shrimp bobbing above its inky brim, with resounding warmth that adopted us residence.
Simon’s fish al pastor taco, picture: Javier Cabral
Pescadillas at Simón L.A. Picture by Javier Cabral for L.A. TACO.
Past extremely crushable, crispy fish tacos have been served on contemporary handmade tortillas, each these of the Baja breed and a pescatarian’s pastor speckled with crispy fried and grilled onions beside a heat wedge of candy pineapple. Broad-mouthed jars of habanero-carrot salsa, salsa macha, and salsa piña, all meant to be paired with totally different tacos because the labels attested, stood prepared within the truck’s armory. For those who’re fortunate, they’re going to even have their salsa de chicharrón which deserves an article in itself.
Our neighborhood’s egocentric goals of conserving this impressed, high-quality menu near residence didn’t final; Simón, deserving to be beloved broadly past what our wee western boundaries with their sporadic foot site visitors might supply, cut up for Silver Lake and wider fame, leaving us with one other Kato-sized gap in our hearts.
As we speak, Simón will be discovered every day on Sundown Boulevard on the triangle of quite a few famend companies and eating places. Aguilar has obtained rightful recognition for his unbelievable sourcing and brazen recipes, which embody new weekly specialties–resembling fish milanesa inside a tetela and shrimp memelas a la diabla, in each L.A. TACO and from L.A. Instances critic Invoice Addison.
Mariscos, this flavorful and contemporary, in thrilling recipes which are regionally numerous and nuanced by the hand of a inventive kitchen skilled, rise as a testomony to L.A.’s place as a global culinary colossus. A spot the place a expertise like Aguilar heads to ascertain and impress from a transferring car whereas shedding the bonds that high quality eating calls for. That is meals made in and for a free Los Angeles, convincing us that such a factor should exist.
Aguilar is bringing his dynamic, critically acclaimed mariscos to L.A. TACO’s TACO MADNESS, introduced by Bud Mild Chelada this Saturday, Could 6, at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Get your tickets proper right here so you may strive it your self and be part of us in a night celebration capped by DannyLux, Pachyman, and Grupo Folklórico de USC performances. Get your tickets right here.
