The Tacowire: Hermanito Hits Sawtelle; IPA Marinated-Asada in Pico Union
Hermanito
A brand-new bar and restaurant called Hermanito is currently soft-open this weekend on Sawtelle Boulevard in the west L.A. neighborhood of Japantown. The new spot takes over the owners' former Flores & Sons space with classic and modern Mexican cocktails from Boyle Heights-based Va'La Hospitality, like the on-draft "Saladito" with Ilegal Mezcal, umeboshi, and Japanese plum wine and the "Corazon de Osaka" with platano-infused Toki Japanese whisky, guava, and chamoy. There will also be beer-marinated flap steak, shrimp and beer-battered wahoo tacos on handmade Sonoran-style tortillas, aguachile, smashburgers with ChoriMan's red Zacatecano chorizo and roasted poblanos, and buñuelos from former Butcher's Daughter chef Victoria Gallegos along with "subtle nods" to the community's venerated Japanese heritage. The full opening is planned for March 7.
Soft open this Fri.-Sat., 6 PM-12 AM ~ 2024 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 ~ barhermanito.com
Duran and Amigos
Duran and Amigos, a new pop-up bringing together the French training of chef Julio Duran with traditional Mexican and Californian ingredients, will pop-up in Pico-Union this weekend. Creative items on offer include IPA-marinated asada, po' boy shrimp tacos, corn-truffle tacos, cheesy chorizo, mulitas al pastor and drunken chicken. The pop-up also dabbles in specials and unique salsas, offering a white truffle oil-and-chapulin salsa along with a chile morita salsa and another based on mango-habanero.
Feb. 29 - Mar. 1 , 9am-6:30pm ~ 2329 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90066 ~ 424-465-9029 ~ instagram.com/duran.and.amigos_food
Tierra Alta Tacos & Grill
Tierra Alta Tacos & Grill is grand-opening tonight in Highland Park tonight. The streetside stand comes from Jr. Chavez, the local owner of One Day Tree and Planta Nursery, where the pop-up will be held. You'll find birria, asada, pastor, chicken, and other meats here in tacos, tortas, mulitas, burritos, gringas, quesadillas, nachos and nacho fries.
Fri. Feb 28, 7 PM- 12 AM, 6011 York Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90042 ~ instagram.com/oneday_jr
Señor Birria
We have a friend you should meet. His name is Señor Birria and he means business. Birria de res business. The new stand considers himself the first to bring birria de res to Downey and also makes his own tortillas for a selection of tacos, mulitas, quesadillas, and vampiros. We think you two will get along.
Tue-Sun. ~ 9952 Lakewood Blvd. Downer, CA 90240 ~ instagram.com/senorbirria
Paco Tacos
Paco Tacos is a Westside taco stand that manifests every Wed.-Thu. on the patio at Bigfoot West in Culver City and Fri-Sun at Harvelle's in Santa Monica. Count on a big, pineapple-topped cone of al pastor roasting on a vertical spit, along with chicken, beef and vegetarian tacos, quesadillas, burritos and mulitas.
instagram.com/paco_tacos18
Jerk Muva
Chef Ashley Moore goes by Jerk Muva, having been taught the ins and outs of Caribbean cuisine by her Jamaican mother and stepfather back in NYC. She will make her first public appearance this Saturday, Feb. 29 in Downtown at an event she is dubbing "Food Love Communion." In addition live painting, games, a wine tasting and tunes, she'll be preparing a full menu of internationally-flavored Afro-Caribbean dishes like jerk furikake popcorn that she credits Roy Choi for inspiring, a fried chicken sandwich on a coco bread biscuit with jerk sauce, chickpea curry enchiladas and andouille sausage with cheddar grits. Tickets are online. Bless up.
Sat. Feb. 29 1-5pm ~ movement.fm/event/flcpilot
Modo Donuts
Modo, once just an ephemeral Hawaiian pastry pop-up in these parts, has gone legit. You'll now find it a permanent space inside the new Mitsuwa at Torrance Del Amo, slinging its studded, fried-to-order mochi rings covered in glazes that include black sesame, churro, lilikoi, chocolate-peanut butter and mixed berry.
3525 W. Carson St. Ste. 164, Torrance ~ mitsuwa.com/tr
Tacos 1986 Wants You. Maybe.
The forthcoming Beverly Boulevard location of Tacos 1986 is staffing up for its upcoming opening, announcing a hiring spree on social media. Meaning you could be the next sexy-ass taquero or taquera selling Tijuana-style tacos adobaba. If you think you can handle it.
instagram.com/p/B9DPvYtBTKM
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from L.A. TACO
The Seven Best Poke Places In Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, the poke scene is starting to heal from a bit of a hangover caused by rampant overindulgence. These are the true Hawaiian-inspired, fresh fish spots that endure for good reason. Most, located right by the beach to enjoy L.A.'s crisp ocean breeze with your sashimi-grade fish.
Spot Check: Colombian Desgranados In Echo Park, Mexican Wine Festival At Mírate, and Perverted Waffles in DTLA
Plus, a party highlighting pan-African cuisine, a new Taiwanese cookbook by an awarded local from the San Gabriel Valley, and a Little Saigon food festival that starts tonight! Welcome back to Spot Check!
This 24-Year-Old Latina Mortician Beautifies the Dead and Influences the Living
Growing up in Arleta with a first-generation family from El Salvador, Berrios admits that her family only embraced her career choice two years ago, after she started to win awards like “Young Funeral Director of the Year.” The 24-year-old works as the licenced funeral director and embalmer at Hollywood Forever cemetery. As a young person born in peak Generation Z, she's documented her deathcare journey on TikTok and has accrued more than 43K followers on the platform.
Meet ‘Carnitas Rogelio,’ The Family-Run Stand With The Best Michoacán-Style Carnitas O.C. Has to Offer
Michoacán-raised Rogelio Gonzalez slices the cuerito (the pig skin) in a checkered pattern to ensure a light crunch in each bite and utilizes every part of the pig, from the feet to the liver and intestines, which he binds together in a braid.
‘The Office’ Star Rainn Wilson Brought Jerk Chicken Tacos to the Picket Lines Outside of Paramount Studios
In three hours, D's Tipsy Tacos and her team passed out “roughly 100 plates” of tacos, burritos, rice, beans, nachos, and quesadillas to striking screenwriters and actors.
