One of our favorite L.A. pastimes is going searching for tacos.
What better way to do it while riding on the C line? The Metro train gets you from Norwalk to El Segundo in one easy squiggle. Along the way, you'll see vivid murals while getting your steps by walking to these taco spots from each station.
These are some of the most delicious tacos and tamales along the C line (formerly known as The Green Line).
El Edén ~ Norwalk Station
First stop: El Edén, a small business right by the Norwalk station. It sits in the plaza's center on Imperial Highway and Domart Street. When you walk in, you can see the menu on their wall showing a selection of breakfast items, classic Mexican lunch dishes, and fresh juices.
We ordered two tacos de asada with handmade tortillas and were given homemade chips and chunky red salsa. Then came the tacos, with tortillas that are thin and a little crispy but not fried. Those are topped with cilantro, onions, and three choices of salsa, naturally. We went with the salsa tatemada and the jalapeño asado a amordidas.
We also ordered one of the jugos tropicales, which complemented these wholesome tacos. They do close early, but this small business hits the spot before or after getting on the C line. Note: It’s cash only.
10628 Imperial Hwy. Norwalk, CA 90650
La Perla Del Mar ~ Lakewood Boulevard Station
La Perla de Mar is located on Imperial and Lakewood. It has a diner feel, and when you walk up to the location, you are greeted by flags of their favorite soccer team, LAFC.
Walking in feels fresh and inviting as you see families celebrating each other. They have an amazing selection of seafood dishes including molcajetes teeming with aquatic animals and other shareable plates.
After being seated promptly, we ordered two tacos El Gobernador from the appetizer menu, consisting of shrimp, cheese, and grilled bell peppers. The tortillas were a little crunchy, making for a perfect texture with the soft cheese, which led to a dramatic cheese pull.
If you are around the Downey area and want to celebrate or watch a soccer match, this is the place to do so.
8803 Imperial Hwy. Downey, CA 90242
BALAM Mexican Kitchen ~ Long Beach Boulevard Station
The next stop is BALAM, where the regionally-influenced tacos make for an experience that no one should miss, whether they opt for tacos with porky cochinita pibil or those more favored by vegetarians.
We stayed on the theme of seafood and cuaresma (Lent), so we ordered a "Taco La Paz" with beer-battered tilapia topped with purple cabbage and chipotle sauce on a handmade blue corn tortilla, bringing us back to the Baja beach in seconds. Our second taco was taco de rajas con crema, with roasted poblano peppers, onions, garlic, and crema Mexicana on a handmade yellow corn tortilla.
You can enjoy your tacos either inside or outside on their patio, surrounded by succulents and string lights while the breeze comes rolling in.
11700 Long Beach Blvd. Lynwood, CA 90262
Tamales Elena y Antojitos ~ Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station
Tamales Elena has been a staple at this location for 30 years. It started with Elena selling her Netflix-famous, AfroMexican-style tamales from a shopping cart, a church parking lot, and then this family-owned-and-run food truck. From the moment they open, folks make their way to eat Elena’s tamales, which is a cash-only business. The cart is decorated with Mexican iconography and a picture of Elena on the side.
There are three menus to pick from: a "unique" menu, a "red menu" which is all birria items, and the "original" menu. We ordered from the special menu, enjoying their tamales verdes de pollo topped with refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. Every bite was filling and did not disappoint.
While we started eating our order of tamales especiales, we could hear their clientele ordering half a dozen to a dozen tamales, sending us signals that Elena’s Tamales y Antojitos are here to stay.
On Wilmington Ave between 110th and 111th Streets in Watts.
Teddy’s Red Tacos ~ Hawthorne/Lennox Station
Teddy’s Red Tacos has turned into a staple in Los Ángeles. With their wide selection of birria tacos and other dishes, you can’t go wrong with anything you order here.
If you are feeling hungry and need your taco birria fix, this is the taquería for you. The signature beef birira, with or without the oozy melted cheese that gets lightly crispy on the edges of the corn tortilla, is packed with flavor and dried chiles. They come packed with meat, cilantro, onion, and a side of their fire red salsa, plus birria drippings for dipping. These tacos will kill your hunger until you get to your next stop.
422 W Imperial Hwy. Inglewood, CA 90304
Caló Kitchen + Tequila ~ Douglas Station
If you’re feeling a little fancy and want to enjoy the sunset breeze, this is your spot. Caló Kitchen + Tequila is a Mexican restaurant that offers fantastic ambiance and equally amazing food. They have seating in their patio up front, and a small patio in the back, as well as indoors.
You'll be served totopos first with a chunky red salsa and refried black beans, all packed with flavor. We ordered their prime rib skillet tacos, which recalls tacos de alambre and melts in your mouth with every bite. The prime rib sits on a bed of cheese, mushrooms, grilled onions, and cilantro. It’s accompanied by a side of guacamole, rice, refried beans, and handmade corn tortillas with cilantro in the masa, which bring all these flavors together like a sweet melody.
It’s a beautiful restaurant to visit along the C line and celebrate with your loved ones. Our server, Alejandro, was amazing, and if it’s your first time there, they will most definitely take care of you.
2191 Rosecrans Ave. El Segundo, CA 90245
This is a sponsored article by Metro Los Angeles.
