[dropcap size=big]F[/dropcap]ollowing the announcement from a couple of weeks ago that Xelas and East L.A. BBQ Co. were parting ways, Xelas has informed L.A. Taco that they have found a worthy taquero to follow in the smokey footsteps of David and Carla Marin of ELA BBQ: Dia de Los Puercos.
Find the official statement by Xelas below:
Staying true to our Xican@ culture we are super excited to announce our new partnership with Dia de los Puercos (DDP). Rick and Nicole Garcia, owners of the awesome restaurant group from the Inland Empire will be setting up shop in Xelas located here in Boyle Heights starting July 30th.
DDP got their start in the food truck scene a few years back which then grew into three brick-and-mortar locations in Riverside, Pomona, and Claremont (coming soon). They specialize in what they call “Comida Xicana,” a style of Mexican food that's a combination of Garcia’s Classic Cordon Bleu Training, abuelita’s kitchen, and L.A. Street Food.”
The Xelas and DDP collaboration will include happy hour items, Sunday Brunch, and Vegan/Vegetarian options.
L.A. Taco reached out to Rick Garcia of DDP to get a hint of some of the menu items he has planned. It will be a minimalized 10-item menu that Garcia is calling the “Xicano Munchie Menu,” including their popular “5150 Nachos” topped with chicharrón de queso. As well as both a veggie-friendly and their traditional Clamato-based Puerco-style michelada mix. Other chela bites will be their Taquitos de Weenie, served with jalapeños toreados, and vegan-friendly tacos de rajas made with cashew cream on handmade tortillas.
They will be also be doing a brunch menu that will be exclusive to Xelas, including items like Tres Leches Pancakes, a “ChoriLoco” Hash, and Chola-quiles, their cholo-version of chilaquiles.
Garcia grew up in El Sereno and his wife Nicole grew up in the Mariana side of East Los Angeles. This will be the restaurant’s second time trying to get something going in Boyle Heights since a short three-month stint at the Ramirez Beverage Warehouse.
“We’re excited to be back in Boyle Heights and we will be here to get the gente’s feedback.”
Dia de Los Puercos will begin their service at Xelas tomorrow, July 30th.
For now, East L.A. BBQ Co. and their smoked lengua tacos will be available through catering and during announced pop-ups only. Follow them on Instagram to see where they will pop-up next.
