Hole in the wall eateries come and go pretty quickly in the omnipresent strip malls of LA. After three visits, all without bringing my camera inside, let’s hope Antojitos Chilangos sticks around. Antojitos roughly translates to “little cravings” and this little shop specializes in simple cuisine specific to the Mexican capital. (I am informed however that chilango, referring to someone from Mexico City, is not a word to be thrown around in the wrong context.)
The specialty of Antojitos Chilangos has to be their panbaso. This large sandwich starts with a salty bolillo roll that is dipped in a mildly spicy red sauce. The roll is then filled with potatoes, chorizo, lettuce, and cotija cheese. Sprinkle a little salsa on top and gorge (with a fork and knife to keep your hands clean).
(Photo: ocfoodblogs.blogspot.com)
In true D.F. fashion, you can also grab some tacos de canasta filled with either beans, cheese, or chicharron. I’m not sure if these are authentically cooked in a basket as they are in Mexico, but they are an excellent small appetizer, which is important here as they really take their time bringing out the panbasos. If you’re so inclined, Antojitos Chilangos also serves a filling gordita, and some fruity liquidos with bananas and strawberries that make for a nice refreshment on these hot summer afternoons.
Antojitos Chilangos
5528 York Blvd.
Part three of the ‘Readers Write-in Article Ideas Trilogy’ is thanks in part to Karen B. who tipped us off to a new cafe that had leased the space at 5000 York Blvd. back in May. While I don’t really have any information to give, the sign in the shop’s window promises a summer opening but based on the emptiness of the interior, and the fact that no one was working on it on a Tuesday morning, I’d be pleasantly surprised if this place opens in the next two months. Since I can’t give you anything firm, let’s play have fun making speculations based on a hip picture of a hummingbird. I’m hoping for something a little more exotic than just a straight coffee and pastry type of place. A small but good breakfast menu is a must with hopefully at least a few items for lunch. I’d hope for a few tables on the sidewalk, and wouldn’t roof access be cool? Think a quaint version of Buster’s or Heirloom Bakery in South Pasadena. Now if something other than Marty’s would just move in on the other side of York, we’d have a runaway renaissance on York.
The readers are really motivating me to get off my ass and do some posting on the neighborhood this week. This time, Heather sent an email with the subject line “I Love Figueroa Produce” (It’s so nice to see proper capitalization in an Email…). Well Heather, I love Figueroa Produce too.
Located on the NE corner of Figueroa and York, and right next to the best Spanglish named business in HP, “Wateria”, Fig Produce is a relatively small market in a space that used to house a Blockbuster Video. The exterior is simple, clean, and unassuming, but the interior represents a microcosm of where much of Northeast is headed. Think a smaller version of Trader Joe’s. Chicken Fajita mixture ($1.99/lb) marinates next to ready-to-grill game hen. Dried fruits and nuts share shelf space with wasabe peas ($2.29/lb) while European cookies offer a less healthy alternative. The produce looked fresh and was priced decently (2 cantaloupes for $1). They even sold the canned coconut milk for my next foray into Tom Kha Kai soup (The first batch turned out surprisingly well). Part ethnic market and part specialty store, its biggest shortcoming is a paucity of baked goods. One small shelf had a few types of bread in it. Figueroa Market doesn’t have enough to be my only grocery stop, but it should save me the 10 minute drive to Von’s or Trader Joe’s in the future.
Figueroa Produce
6312 N. Figueroa St.
