Spot Check! Welcome back to L.A. TACO's newest column, where we bring you the latest and most exciting openings, pop-ups, and food events around all of Los Angeles to check out over your weekend.
A new vendor of Jalisco-style birria tatemada is setting up in El Sereno. Birria Tatemada El Chespiro claims to serve "la mejor de Los Angeles," with plates and bowls of dark red consome and black-rimmed ribs, gams, and shreds of goat meat, as well as refreshing servings of chocomil (chocolate milk). Perhaps we'll see him at a future Birriamania, September 30th's upcoming celebration of birria at Santa Anita, brought to you by L.A. TACO.
4809 Huntington Dr. N Los Angeles, CA 90032. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Lines 78, 179 or 665 - “Huntington/Eastern" or Bus Line 182 - "Huntington/Monterey."
Michoacan-raised Don Chamorrón will be preparing his carne apache this Saturday as one of 50 vendors at Simply Crafted Market's event in Pico Rivera, with orders being taken now for this botana, which is sort of like a cross between beef tartare and raw beef ceviche. Orders being accepted now on IG.
4-9 pm, 9155 Telegraph Rd. Pico Rivera, CA 90660. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 62 - “Telegraph/Serapis” or Bus Line 266 - "Lakewood/Telegraph."
The Agave Library is debuting its tasting menu experience centered on Codigo's Tequila this Saturday at Sendero in Downtown. Every Saturday evening, chef Kevin Luzande will prepare a 5-course, Jalisco-inspired tasting menu paired with five expressions of Tequila for just 12 guests per seating in an attractive and intimate dining room on the 24th floor of the Ritz-Carlton. The Codigo showcase will stretch through 2023. Agave Library will also celebrate Dia De Los Muertos with over 3,000 marigold flowers, candles, calaveras, and Catrinas with themed eats and cocktails, from October 2-November 4.
900 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015. Closest Metro lines and stop: Bus Line 28 - “Olympic/Georgia” or Metro J Line (910/950) and Bus Line 81 - "Figueroa/Olympic."
Spanish chef Jorge Serrano's Serrano Experience pop-up will appear at Santa Monica's Offhand Wine Bar on Sunday, September 10. Past events have found Serrano cooking dishes, including Moroccan skewers with cumin labneh, pan con tomate on Bub & Grandma's sourdough, Japanese hamachi crudo with 12-year Pedro Jimenez white vinegar, and a hand-carved pata negra ham sourdough tostada with crushed heirloom tomatoes.
4 pm-sellout, 3008 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90404. Closest Metro line and stop: Bus Line 4 - “Santa Monica/26th.”
Chef Joseph Pelillo's mobile catering operation, Little Joe's Tacos, will be preparing chimichurri sliders, Poblano pulled pork wonton tacos, and michelada shrimp ceviche this Saturday at Upscale LA, a cannabis-friendly party in the Arts District. I hope you're hungry! Pelillo also co-owns Wanda's Kitchen, which provides event services and private dining catering.
A benefit brunch for victims of the Lahaina fire is planned for this Sunday at City Club L.A. in Downtown, run by chef Victor Munoz, whose "mole madre" L.A. TACO featured in 2022. $50 entry includes food and drink by various LA chefs, pop-ups, gourmet food purveyors, national spirits brands, live music, "raffles, prizes, and surprises." 100% of proceeds go to Maui Strong & World Central Kitchen. [NOTE: This event was rescheduled to this week due to the hurricane warning of last month].
Sun. Aug. 20, 11 am-3pm, 555 S. Flower St. Los Angeles, CA 90071. Closest Metro lines and stop: Metro A, B, D, E or J (910/950) Lines - "7th Street/Metro Center Station" or Bus Lines 16, 18, 20, 53, 55 or 62 - “5th/Flower.”
Chickflag is holding a grand opening in Garden Grove today through Sunday. The concept merges the phenomena of Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and different shades of Korean fried chicken, served in wings, tenders, drumsticks, whole birds, popcorn chicken, and wait, what's this? TACOS! There's also tteokbokki, kim chi fried rice, and ramen. The business will hold a raffle, with tickets to Escape Halloween as the grand prize, as well as offer different specials throughout the day.
13470 Harbor Blvd. Garden Grove, CA 92843
Everytable, the restaurant empire that prices its dishes differently depending on the neighborhood to make healthy meals as accessible as fast food, now offers family-style meals that can be picked up or delivered to feed the whole brood at around $6 a serving. All options are under $20 and include build-your-own chicken tacos, roasted salmon with edamame and kimchi sauce on brown rice, tomato basil pasta with chicken, and chicken with braised kale and mac. Order here or find a location near you.
Huxleys is now available in California cannabis dispensaries. The brand uses minor cannabinoids, proprietary terpenes, and THC to craft blends specific to their intended effects, meaning there are formulas for sex, sleep, energy, and joy. Options include 20mg THC gel capsules with 5mg of minor cannabinoids like CBG, CBD, and THCV, and gummies in 20 mg, 10 mg, and 5 mg sizes.
