YORK BLVD.

“Brick and Mortar” Mexican Food

Ξ May 7th, 2008 | → 3 Comments | ∇ 90065, Beyond Northeast, Food |

With the Save Our Taco Trucks Campaign exploding, we’ve been too tied up to continue posting on the progenitor site.  Still, this old girl is getting jealous, so we thought it a good idea to show a little love for the “Brick and Mortar” restaurants that feel so left out lately.

First was El Mercadito in East Los Angeles.  The girlfriend and I had such a good time that first Sunday, we returned again the following weekend with friends.  The shops are pretty much what you can get on Figueroa, but the restaurant on the top floor has two stages with Mariachis.  In our visits, we tried the Shrimp Cocktail, Mole Burrito, Carnitas Burrito, Birria Gordita, and Camarones al Diablo.  The burritos were large and tasty but not really worth the trip, the Camarones al Diablo were tasty with a spiciness that slowly built until it had to be put out with a cold Bohemia, and the Gordita was delicious with the fried masa exterior and filling of shredded goat meat.  The culinary highlight though had to be the shrimp cocktail.  Loaded with shrimp, avocado, and cucumber, we could hardly finish it.  Probably the most enjoyable aspect of the day was the music.  Seven Mariachis belted out songs while staying away from the cliches that you tend to hear when you’re in a tourist trap (Rancho Grande, La Bamba, Cielito Lindo, etc.)  For a tip, customers could even come on stage and sing a few of their own favorites.

The following weekend brought a Verdugo-caused hangover that Antigua’s chilaquiles weren’t going to solve.  My girlfriend and I cruised down to Cypress Park for pozole at the original King Taco.  The large steaming bowl of hominy, pork, onions, and cilantro warmed me up and helped with my headache.  We also had a couple of delicious pork tamales and one tasty taco al pastor.  Seeing as the York has brought back the Orange Grove Ale, I think I’ll be heading back sooner rather than later.

Maybe the most apropos aspect of these trips was that we passed numerous Taco Trucks in order to get to the restaurants.    Our argument from the beginning is that the two eating establishments are in about as much  competition as Jack in the Box and El Arco Iris.  One is quick and cheap, the other provides a nicer and more expensive experience.  We also shouldn’t forget that King Taco began as a converted ice-cream truck.

Northeast notables that may interest only me:

1.  La Arca de Noe was featured in an NCIS episode titled “Iced”.  A Pretty terrible episode of a pretty terrible show had the restaurant as the headquarters of the “Vida Mala” Salvadoran gang based in Fairfax, Virginia.  I’m guessing some producer’s only contact with Hispanic culture was Ricky Martin, and he then confused the word “mala” with “mara”.  Still, it was fun to see the Jesus mural on the side of the Highland Theater.

2.  The front page of the Boulevard Sentinel had articles on Debs Park and the Highland Park Transit Village.  Looks like we have a fan in the local media.

Open Letter to Supervisor Gloria Molina

Ξ April 20th, 2008 | → 34 Comments | ∇ 90041, 90042, 90065, Food, Glassell Park, Highland Park |

We recently heard back from Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina regarding her proposed taco truck legislation.  Unsatisfied with the response, we here at YORK BLVD. have crafted an open letter below. Read it and let us know what you think. Better yet, write your own to Supervisor Molina.

Thank you for contacting my office to express your views regarding the
proposed changes to the Los Angeles County peddling ordinance. Please be
aware that this ordinance is effective only in the unincorporated areas
of Los Angeles County. The proposed changes to the ordinance allow peddlers to remain in one location in a commercial zone for one hour. The current ordinance permits 30 minutes in one location. For your information, vending from a sidewalk has never been permitted in Los Angeles County. Our ordinance will protect the health and welfare of our residents and respect the needs of our business community.

If you require additional assistance with a County-related matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (323) 881-4601.

Thank you.

Sincerely, GLORIA MOLINA
Supervisor, First District

Dear Supervisor Molina,

Thank you for responding to our concerns regarding your recent ordinance affecting taco trucks in Los Angeles County. As residents of Northeast Los Angeles, we wholeheartedly support a thriving business community that includes “brick and mortar” restaurants. While we understand there are many conflicting interests involved, we are concerned the measures passed by the board of supervisors do not best promote the health and welfare of our community. Forcing hard working men and women, who we object to being classified as “peddlers,” to move too frequently to earn a sustainable income is not an effective means of addressing the health needs of the community. If the aim of this ordinance is the health of the community, you might consider stepping up inspections and more diligent enforcement of existing health codes. If the aim is to improve the welfare of the community, find a compromise that allows more established businesses to reasonably coexist with nascent restaurateurs and other local business owners. Criminalizing these vendors, for what previously was essentially a parking violation, fails to acknowledge the reality that these vendors are an established institution of Los Angeles County and provide an affordable option for families unable to afford sit-down restaurants. Additionally, the culture and community created by taco trucks is enormously beneficial to a neighborhood’s welfare, as it brings people out on otherwise abandoned streets.

Furthermore, the fact that this ordinance only affects trucks in unincorporated Los Angeles County is of no comfort, as we fear this legislation will open the door for similar ordinances that affect us more directly in the future.

If you truly feel that the honest and hardworking families who work in these taco trucks are detrimental to the community under current regulations, we would urge you to find a compromise that better serves your constituents as well as your business interests. A healthy compromise, that allows restaurants to compete without eliminating taco trucks from the landscape, could include preventing the trucks from parking within a specific distance of an open restaurant. Please consider how this ordinance will affect all of your constituents before removing something so loved in our neighborhoods.

Save Our Taco Trucks!

Ξ April 14th, 2008 | → 22 Comments | ∇ 90041, 90042, 90065, Food, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Press |

It appears our County Supervisor, Gloria Molina is out to (this time metaphorically) whitewash our neighborhoods. Today the Times reported that she is pushing for increased regulation of our venerable neighborhood taco trucks, which would marginalize them and ultimately eliminate them from the cityscape. The article’s focus is mostly on East LA, but presumably, the proposal would affect taco trucks throughout the county. Remember, this is the same Gloria Molina who took offense at some graffiti art murals in the Arroyo Seco a few months ago, which were subsequently painted over. No one ever took responsibility for the murals’ removal, probably because a sizable group of residents were upset that the works had been removed despite prior authorization by the county.

So, Supervisor Molina doesn’t like seeing graffiti art from her Mt. Washington home and she apparently doesn’t like eating at taco trucks either. Currently, the trucks are supposed to move every 30 minutes or face a $60 fine. As we all know, this rule is scarcely followed as the same trucks are in the same location every night. (How can you find Mariscos Estilo D.F. or Takitaco if it’s in a different location every half hour?) Molina aims to make staying in the same location for an hour a misdemeanor punishable by $1,000 and/or 6 months in jail. You read right: Jail. I’m not sure what part of District 1 Molina is working for, but I sure as hell want to move there as the top legislative priority seems to be driving out of business and imprisoning carne asada “dealers”. (Mt. Washington perhaps?) Her defense largely seems to be based around helping local brick and mortar restaurants succeed but I really fail to see the parallel. Eagle Rock seems to be doing just fine despite the presence of several trucks, some of which have been there for decades. Supervisor Molina’s actions would serve to eliminate a fundamental part of Angeleno culture to what benefit? Those who eat at taco trucks because of their affordability will simply eat out less often, and those who like the quality will not suddenly embrace Taco Bell. But why stop there Supervisor? You could round up the mariachis in Boyle Heights who make it hard for “brick and mortar” mariachis to compete. Maybe the Sherriff’s Department can be used to break up church car washes that undercut local businessmen. You know, the ice cream man doesn’t have as much overhead as Coldstone. Can’t we put him in lockup? With frivolous proposals like this being debated in our local government, is it any wonder nothing of substance gets solved? If you feel like we do, that Supervisor Molina should focus more on issues like crime, transportation, and pollution, please send her an email at molina@bos.lacounty.gov

Feel free to cut and paste the following letter, and add any additional thoughts you may have:

Dear Supervisor Molina,

I am writing to express serious concern regarding the actions you have taken against the taco trucks in our neighborhoods. As a member of the Eastside community, I greatly value our local street vendors–for their food, service, and especially culture.
Taco trucks fill many voids left by traditional restaurants, whether it is more authentic, better food, better hours, or cheaper prices. Furthermore, taco trucks create a sense of community on the streets that enclosed, “brick-and-mortar” stores cannot.
Taco trucks are a special and unique facet of East Los Angeles, and something that I cherish about my neighborhood.

I urge you to withdraw your proposal, and instead focus on the more pressing and detrimental issues that are facing our community.

We’d love to hear what responses you get (if any).