Skip to Content
Tacos

The Taco Wire: Lonchera Express on the 105; Roy Choi Claps Back; Tacos de Chapulines go to Washington

Welcome to The Taco Wire. Each week, we serve you a roundup of stories on all things tacos and the universe of Mexican food that are making headlines in Los Angeles and beyond. Cuz, it’s never not a good time for tacos.

Lonchera Serves Commuters Stuck on 105 Freeway

[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap] food truck caught in a gnarly standstill on the 105 after a fatal accident made the most patriotic of gestures imaginable in Los Angeles Friday morning when it opened up and served hungry commuters. Carlos Chavez, the truck’ owner, gave L.A. Taco an exclusive interview and said that his employees were en route to serve LAX workers inside terminal security when they – like hundreds of other motorists – ended up stuck in gridlock traffic. That’s when they made the ingenuous move to open up for business, serving mostly burritos to their fellow Angelenos. On this Taco Tuesday, we salute loncheras!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm_ndFWHTtV/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share

Roy Choi’s Revolutionary LocoL Closes Brick-and-Mortar Locations

[dropcap size=big]R[/dropcap]oy Choi, the undisputed godfather of the Kogi Korean bbq taco empire and co-founder of the social enterprise fast-food experiment Locol, took to Twitter this weekend to set the record straight about the closure of the chain’s last brick-and-mortar locations. Following several breaking-news reports that Locol’s two remaining locations in Watts and San Jose would shutter, Choi blasted unspecified media outlets, for what he classified as “clickbait headlines.”

“Calming down as each day passes but still mad & dumbfounded at the presumptive nature of many of the recent LocoL articles & how there is a passive aggressive secret desire that they wanted it to fail b/c of the names involved & the power to say I told you so,” he says in an Aug. 25 tweet, a few days after news broke. Instead, he tells his followers that his crew is “regrouping and transitioning to the next stage.”

https://youtube.com/watch?v=iVLhzMcSm10

Tacos de Chapulines Featured in New Smithsonian Series

[dropcap size=big]M[/dropcap]exicanos have been incorporating insects into our diets for centuries (hello, chapulines). But over the last several years chefs in the Estados Unidos have been catching onto what we’ve always known and are adding bugs to their culinary repertoire. In the new Smithsonian web series Bug Bites, Seattle native chef David George Gordon introduces viewers to the many ways insects are used in food, including the grasshopper tacos served at DC’s Oyamel under head chef Omar Rodriguez.

Man Finds Cockroach in Burrito

[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap] Mexican restaurant in South Sacramento has been shut down after a man found a cockroach in his burrito. The Sacramento health department responded to the man’s complaint at Carolina’s Mexican Food and found dozens of cockroaches and a mouse upon inspection,CBS-13 reports.

O Canada, O Cinnabon Delights

[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]aco Bell’s wildly popular Cinnabon Delights (like a churro in cream-filled ball form) have crossed the northern border and are now available in Canada. Canadians, you’ll no longer have to cross through the Windsor Tunnel to get your fix. If that’s what you’re into.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

This Weekend: Lamb Heart Kebabs Open Until 2 AM, Mapo Tofu Fries, and Free Villa’s Tacos

Plus, Malay-style wings, a collaboration pizza-topped with Philippe The Original's French-dipped beef and hot mustard, and more in this week's roundup.

December 13, 2024

Rare, Pit-Roasted, Zacatecas-Style Birria —Estilo Moyahua—Is Being Revived In This Inglewood Backyard

This isn’t your average, made-for-Instagram birria. The estilo Moyahua dish is available in goat and also a beef version, for the chiva haters.

December 12, 2024

11 Dog-Friendly Places in L.A. To Eat, Drink, and Play with Your Loyal Pup

From sit-down taquerías to World Beer Cup-winning IPAs and a place that serves a sushi menu for you and your dog, these spaces go above and beyond for you to kick it with your loyal pups.

December 11, 2024

Why Is a Major California Supermarket Chain Seeking a Restraining Order From a Favorite L.A. Taquero?

Ralphs has banned the owner of Gracias Señor from its stores and is trying to get a restraining order against him. The taquero who is a DREAMer with a business degree is at a loss to understand why, as he tries to focus on making a living.

December 11, 2024

The Ultimate Guide to the 25 Best Soups, Chowders, and Stews in Long Beach

Soup is good food. From ramen and pozole, to clam chowder, these are the best 25 soups in Long Beach—just in time time for the first rains of the season. But real talk, these soups hit the spot year-round.

December 11, 2024
See all posts