Tacomiendo ~ West Los Angeles

Tacomiendo ~ 11462 Gateway Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034 ~ TACO MAP

People rightly complain that West LA (not the broader designation of "the westside") is a bit lacking in the taco department. While there is truth in that statement, if you've given up on that part of town, you need to put Tacomiendo on your list of quality taco joints which happen to be North of National, West of 34th St, and East of Overland.

Tacomiendo has lots of delicious menu items, but I usually go for the tacos. Of the various tacos, your best bet is the Adobado. It's rich and spicy but the meat flavor is not lost in the savory sauce. Carne Asada is also good, with lots of seared crispy bits mixing with the soft tender parts, and the Cabeza is tasty cubes of meat and not overly stewed which is sometimes the downfall of a good cabeza taco. All of the salsas, especially the chile del arbol (dark red one), are delicious and freshly prepared.

The best thing about Tacomiendo is probably the fresh, house-made corn tortillas. They really add an extra level of freshness and flavor to your taco experience. The free frijoles are another selling point at Tacomiendo, right next to the taco bar is the bottomless pot of beans ready to be added as a side to your plate. At $1.85 the tacos are on the pricier side, but add free beans to that and you've got a complete meal for under $2 if you're really low on cash. Or, go for the $6.25 taco combo which includes rice, beans, guac, sour cream, and two tacos of your choice.

Tacomiendo has a website at www.ta-comiendo.com