Some of us consider ourselves lucky to have grown up watching Fernando Valenzuela—L.A. Dodgers great, six-time All-Star, World Series champion, Cy Young x Rookie of the Year-winner, and son of Etchohuaquila, Sonora—pitch in his prime.
Today, we feel even more fortunate to have the legendary southpaw personally strike us out.
We had the chance to speak with "El Toro" at Dodger Stadium last week during a press conference for the launch of the new canned michelada from Estrella Jalisco that he's helping to hawk.
And with one of the greatest pitchers to ever grace the mound before us, with one of the most incredible rags-to-riches stories, there were, naturally, a thousand things we would have loved to ask him about. But this being L.A. TACO, we were obliged to hone in on the most important of them all:
What is Fernando Valenzuela's favorite taco in Los Angeles?
We secretly hoped he would point to some Sonoran sensation blanketed in a sobaquera at El Ruso or one of Sonoratown's taco caramelo, or maybe some obscure Stadium-adjacent taquería he's been hitting on the low for decades.
Of course, if you've followed the man's career, you already know Fernando is never one to get pinned down easily, quickly crushing our hopes for an easy win like so many chumps that have faced him at the plate and been summarily dismissed. With a humor, and humility that only exacerbates our lifelong affliction of Fernandomania.
Without further ado, [Vin Scully voice] it's tiiiiiiime... for "My Favorite Taco" with Fernando Valenzuela.
Hi Fernando, we're with a website called L.A. TACO. What is your favorite taco in L.A.? It's the one that has the tortilla and the... [uproarious laughter from our peers in the press obscure the rest of the answer].
STRIKE ONE!
How about at any L.A. restaurants or taquerías? You know what... no, I think it's... tough question... really, I go everywhere. Anywhere, and I think all the taco styles taste pretty good. Maybe... home.
STEEER-IKE TWO!!
And any type? Asada? Pastor? Buche? Salsa bandera. Do you know salsa bandera? Cual es? Es lo mejor. Con su poco de jalapeños...
STRUCK L.A. TACO OUT!!!
Desperately hoping for a hit to justify our being at the Stadium and not behind a desk on a Wednesday, we scramble for a second at-bat with Fernando. And come to the plate with a less politically contentious food question.
Mr. Valenzuela, when you were pitching, did you have any favorite pre- or post-game meals or eating rituals? No, because when someone says I'm going to do this because it worked for me the game before,' that's getting in your head. So, I'm not that way. Before a game, I'd just eat regularly like everyone.
We meet Fernando a little later up close, during which he generously grants, "that was a good question." Though we'll need numerous tall cans of Clamato-cut Mexican lager throughout the day to lick our wounds.
All we can pray is for the opportunity to meet this legend in the question-asking Thunderdome again, with hopes for a more specific answer to the all-important investigation into his favorite taco. Rest assured, we're not going to give up easily, Toro.
