If I had to choose just one taco to represent Los Angeles, it’s the taco dorado de camarón from Mariscos Jalisco. It’s nearly perfect in every way.
Texturally, it’s crunchy on the edges and custardy in the middle. It’s refreshing, thanks to the thick, gazpacho-adjacent tomato salsa with tender, roughly chopped bits of cabbage. It hits you in the face with just enough of its velvety, ultra-secret filling of briny chopped shrimp, onion, and who knows what else, which L.A. TACO has confirmed is totally free of potato, by the way, despite those who say otherwise. Countless recipes online have tried to replicate the taco; even Matty Matheson has tried to crack it, but nothing will ever be like Mariscos Jalisco.
Its foodways also summarize L.A.’s Mexican presence and the immigration pattern that shaped our taco universe. It’s also light enough to appease many L.A. flexitarians, thanks, but hearty enough to satisfy working-class Angeleños.
But most importantly: It’s recession-proof street food, currently hovering at about $3 a taco.
It’s arguably the best bang for your buck, too. Other beloved L.A. dishes, like a French Dip from Phillipe's or Pink’s Hot Dog, come in at about $10. They are decent too, but nothing compares to the legendary M.J. taco. I’m not even going to go into the pastrami sandwiches from Langer’s or bagels from Courage, priced in the $20 range; despite their higher price tag, they still evoke the spirit of modern L.A. at first mention.