Drove by the new location on Hauser and San Vicente and pulled over.
Costilla tacos and chivichangas this time. Fresh flour tortillas, spicy salsa, friendly folks. I’ll be back.
5610 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles
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It looks like the chivichanga is true to the Mexican definition of the dish, and not a renamed chimichanga? At least from what I can ascertain.
Intriguing. 
As good as the grilled meats are at sonoratown I think this is the dish to get. The tortillas are great there and the mix of juicy meat cheese and chile/tomato is a delight. Good thing is you don’t need to decide and can do both. They aren’t large.
Isn’t a chimichanga a deep fried burrito in the USA?
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Yes.
But in trying to look up the definition of chivichanga, most definitions just say it is the Mexican spelling of chimichanga which isn’t exactly true.
- they also keep calling it tex-mex, which is screwy.
Some even said it contained corn tortillas instead of flour.
This recipe came from the folks at Sonoratown
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https://www.ocweekly.com/was-the-chimichanga-invented-by-chinese-in-mexico-6624206/
This was a pretty interesting exercise.
Having lived in Arizona, the origin story there leans heavily towards their collective mythology.
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More research is needed haha. I enjoy hard shell tacos regularly but haven’t had a chimichanga like that outside of a place like TGI Fridays 30 years ago. No shade intended.
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Agreed. That’s why yours looks interesting.
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The chivichangas are worth a try if you’re down this way. Deceptively simple per the nytimes recipe but not something I could do at home.
Having previously been to the downtown location, the burritos are also tasty (of course, no rice) - no rice really lets the other ingredients shine (and it’s a balance I now prefer), but also leaves room for more than one item.
(lataco photo)
Some good deals in volume too, including just buying the tortillas (there are lots of good flour tortillas here but these certainly qualify)
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cabeza (not always available) - ample fat and tender parts, not as smoky as the costilla tho.
costilla and (very crispy) tripa
some of the best tacos in town and that is saying a lot. the meat is so smoky and juicy the flour tortillas are perfect and the salsas are all good and have kick and sweetness too
and i didn’t even have a chivichanga this time.
i need a second stomach for when i come here.
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Took some 80 year old Scandinavians here today for their first tacos. Big hit !
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I didn’t know they opened a second location. Glad it’s as good as the first.
Reminds me of the last trip I took before lockdown hit (like just made it back to SF). It was mostly a food tipe — Sonoratown, Major Domo, Pizzana, Apple Pan, Langers, Smorgasborg, Tacos 1986, Banh Cuon Luu Luyen, etc — and hang out with friends and some museums. Oh and saw my mom in SD at the end.
Thanks for the reminder. I can’t tell if it seems like a couple months or 10 years ago.
But it was me and my gf (I lived in LA/Socal for a bit and she’s been a bunch) and my good SF born and raised friend who had never been. Our first stop was was at Sonoratown on our way to the Airbnb. The SF friend loved the tacos after being wary at first hearing about the flour tortillas (must have been the LARD).
I think these are costilla, chorizo, and chicken tacos, and a burrito:
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Yum.
It’s really excellent.
Pina and also cantaloupe Agua Fresca today. Flavors change. The chivichangas are nice too. Cabeza is usually available now. The tripas are my favorite in town.
I agree about being wary of flour tortillas. These are special tho ! Def lard.
Close to the new academy of motion pictures museum if you return.
A few bean and cheese burritos for later is a good move. Nice to try those tortillas in burrito form and sometimes nothing more comforting than the basics. Not huge but $4.50. Nice standard red salsa for me here.
What are your favorite bean and cheese burritos?
Jonathan Gold touted the Al and Beas one
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I know I will sound like a gringo, but I really like flour tortillas
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Where are your favorite tortillas ?
Have u tried sonoratown?
Sometimes in lesser places flour tortillas just throw the inhalable balance of the taco off for me or signify lesser (gringo) tacos overall. Course there are bad corn ones too.
What are some of your favorite taco spots these days also ?
Yes, but it just doesn’t really do it for me.
El Russo
Ave. 26 (not flour, obviously)
Macheen (fish tacos with flour toritllas)
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