Otomisan opened back in 1956, in Boyle Heights, back when redlining and restrictive covenants still played a part in determining who lived where and owned what in Los Angeles.

Highlights From the Rogue 99, 2019 Edition ~ Otomisan

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A.k.a. Afroxander; Editor-At-Large (formerly Weekend Editor) at L.A. Taco and a lecturer at San Diego State University. He has covered arts, culture, history, politics, and sports with an emphasis on Latin America and its U.S. diaspora for over two decades.

Ivan Fernandez

Sports

Did FIFA’s New Investment Scheme Kill The World Cup?

An award-winning journalist covering ICE and immigration raids. Host of the Daily Memo. ‘Where Memo Torres Eats’ on Apple Maps. Seen on Netflix, occasionally on KCRW. 3rd-gen landscaper. Proud son of an immigrant. Golden Bear.

Memo Torres

Izzy Ramirez is a Los Angeles-based staff reporter with L.A. TACO, documenting immigration enforcement and state power as it unfolds on the ground. Their work centers real-time alerts and long-term public archiving throughout the Southern California region.

Izzy Ramirez

an ICE agent watches as a family boards a plane

Who’s At Risk of Being Detained at Airports by ICE? What We Know.

Blending her time in the kitchen as a line cook with her passion for storytelling, Lauren Bethke writes about community, inclusivity and the city she loves the most—Los Angeles.

a woman sits outside wearing a black long sleeve outfit

Lauren Bethke

two women with art and stacks of dollar bills

An Art Show Honoring Sex Work Is Hidden Inside a Fashion District Gallery

a man sits in scrubs that say "1-800-AUTOPSY"

People

Meet the Legendary Chicano Behind 1-800-AUTOPSY Who ID’d the Night Stalker

Julianne Le graduated from UCLA in 2025 with a major in English and minor in Asian American Studies. Maybe it&#8217;s because she isn&#8217;t jaded yet, but she is super eager to peek into the overlooked corners of L.A. and write about them. Le is the former editor-in-chief of UCLA&#8217;s Pacific Ties Newsmagazine and was a finalist for the Associated Collegiate Press&#8217; &#8220;Podcast of the Year&#8221; award in 2024.

Julianne Le

Film

10 Rising L.A. Directors You Need to Follow

Karina Soriano is a Los Angeles-based journalist who covers the crossroads of music, food, art, and social issues. She spotlights the everyday people who really keep L.A. moving. Usually, while stuck in traffic, looking for a good place to eat.

Karina Soriano

L.A. Taco Guides

The 21 Best Soft Serve Shops in Los Angeles, Ranked

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Celebrating the Taco Lifestyle in Los Angeles, CA

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Aisha Wallace-Palomares

Exclusive: Video Footage Appears to Show Drinking Water Contaminated With Worms Inside Adelanto ICE Processing Center

One of L.A. TACO&#8217;s co-founders, Hadley Tomicki is a writer and editor on food, travel, and culture whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, UrbanDaddy, High Times, and many other places.

Hadley Tomicki

Taco Members Only

A New Backyard-Only Brazilian Steakhouse Opens In Pasadena

Odessa Hairapetian is a community-rooted journalist who tells stories of the underrepresented, underground, and unknown. She is passioned by the draw between art and people and empowered by conversation.

Odessa Hairapetian

Remember the 99 Cents Only Art Show? Artists Allege They Got Ripped Off.

A California DJ Recounts the Horrors of Immigrant Detention at Otay Mesa

Tien Nguyen writes about food and culture. She co-authored the New York Times bestseller &#8220;L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food&#8221; with Roy Choi and Natasha Phan, and her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and Lucky Peach.