At long last, Highland/Glasell Park soccer-moms can get their ubiquitously bitter coffee without having to drive all the way to Eagle Rock. Yes, Starbuck’s, with its 15,000 stores in 44 countries has finally deemed us worthy of their coffee. Technically, I believe the address is in Glassell Park, but I wouldn’t have believed anyone who told me York Blvd. would have a Starbucks in the foreseeable future. Let’s hope the new Cafe de Leche isn’t run out of town by the 1,000 lb gorilla that is Starbucks.
Beyond a coffee shop that I don’t plan on ever visiting as I’d rather give my money to Miguel at Antigua or the guys at Casa Blue (which isstill open), Occidental Plaza is also sporting a Long’s Drugs that is already open, and an L&L Hawaiian Plate Lunch joint that actually has potential of receiving my business. Back in college, when I was a frequent visitor to our youngest state (for reasons I can’t disclose as I value my current relationship) Plate Lunch was a delicacy of the Hawaiian hoi polloi that I couldn’t find on the mainland. Now, these places proliferate, but it’s still nice to have one nearby. Personally, I’m looking forward to the Korean spare ribs, chicken katsu, and mac salad. Based on a recent drive-by, it looks like L&L and the Starbucks are opening imminently.
Occidental Plaza
4430 York Blvd.
The “Great Taco Truck War of ‘08″, the end of the school year, and international travel (first Thailand, next Spain and Morocco) have taken the wind out of our sails here at YorkBlvd. Still, we’re committed to posting up our thoughts, or at least pictures of our trips for our parents to see. In keeping with our street food theme of the past few months, we’re happy to bring a special review to the site today: A taco truck beloved by a Pulitzer Prize winning food critic, Jonathan Gold.
A little background information may be necessary here. You see, over a month ago, I was invited to participate in a panel discussion with Zocalo LA regarding the new Taco Truck legislation (which incidentally will be airing on KPCC this Sunday night). Mr. Gold was also on the panel and as we exchanged notes on our favorite neighborhood haunts. He promised me that he had arranged for one of his favorite trucks in LA, Gorditas Lupitas, to serve free huaraches after the panel. 90 minutes later, I ran outside ready to do some serious culinary damage, only to be disappointed by a stale huarache, bland beef, and flavorless nopales.
However, since Mr. Gold has one more Pulitzer for food writing than I do, (for now at least) I decided to give Gorditas Lupitas another chance with the hopes that the poor quality was a result of cooking for so many people at once. We ordered one carne asada gordita, six desevrada (shredded beef) gorditas, one quesadilla, and two tacos al pastor as they were clean out of carnitas. A good ten minutes later, our food came out with a generous side of what would turn out to be deceptively spicy salsa. While the food was much better than my first encounter with these ladies, but I doubt I’ll be driving that far down the Boulevard again for their food for a couple of reasons. First, the asada and pastor just wasn’t as tasty as the trucks closer to home. Second, the wait was pretty significant considering there were only 2-3 other orders at the same time. Tacos are about speed. They should be served fast and eaten faster. The quesadilla though might be worth another trip. I didn’t order it, but it looked basically like a miniature calzone, stuffed with cheese and fried. Mix in some salsa and it’s pretty hard to make that taste bad.
Despite these drawbacks, Gorditas Lupitas isn’t without its charms. For one, they make the tortillas and gorditas with fresh masa that they pound out onto the grill, which may partially explain the long wait. Second, the desevrada was very good. Also, for only $1 per gordita, you’ll be stuffed to the gills for about $3.
Gorditas Lupitas
Eagle Rock Blvd.
Between Estara and Ave. 33 (Yes that Estara)
Glassell 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.
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