SGV crawl, Taco crawl, etc. itinerary

Next weekend I’m heading to LA with some friends. Would you mind looking over the itinerary and letting me know if there’s anything obvious I’ve missed, or if there are logistical problems aside from stomach capacity? Thanks already for tips in the Destination Chinese thread.

Friday night Sawtelle/Little Osaka (5 people)

  • FuRaiBo followed by an unplanned bang-bang
  • Artelice Patisserie if we can get there by closing at 9pm

Saturday in SGV

  • Breakfast at Huge Tree Pastry (Taiwanese breakfast) after 7:30am, soy milk Purple Rice Fan Tuan with Pickled Mustard and Egg
  • Hike of some sort
  • Lunch at Newport Seafood (San Gabriel) for the house lobster (five people, doesn’t take reservations)
  • Snacks: Beijing Pie House (Monterey Park) lamb pie, wild radish pie
  • Snacks: Beef Roll Sampler (head-to-head 101 Noodle Express and Zui Xiang Yuan)
  • Dinner at Chengdu Taste (Alhambra) reservations for 7 people

Sunday

  • Breakfast at Sqirl or Alcove
  • Hike

Sunday taco crawl

  • Ricky’s Fish Tacos (Los Feliz)
  • Best Fish Tacos in Ensenada (Los Feliz)
  • Guisados (541 S Spring St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90013 location)
  • Mariscos Jalisco (Boyle Heights)
  • Revolutionario Tacos (Expo Park)
  • Leo’s Taco Truck (1515 South La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019)
  • Guerilla Tacos (Venice) @blue bottle in Venice
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Guerilla tacos is no longer doing the truck thing while they prepare to open their brick & mortar location (the last day is Thursday the 19th). :frowning:

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Since you’re in the area, I would add tire shop taqueria and holbox between mariscos jalisco and revolutionario.

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Second this. They are about 5 min away from each other and make for a great surf & turf bang bang.

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X 2 definitely add Tire Shop Taqueria and Holbox.

Add in La Unica it is right next to Mariscos Jaliscos.

Skip Best Fish Taco and head to Atwater Village Farmers Market on Sunday, there is a fish taco stand there that not too many people know about.
If you are not from Texas you might consider getting a breakfast taco at Homestate since you are also in the area.

Looks like a fun weekend! Sounds like Saturday you plan to do a hike in the San Gabriels and Sunday at Griffith Park? Please be careful around this time of the year. Get some electrolyte tabs.

Sawtelle?

How about Kimukatsu for katsu>>>>Killer Noodle for for Japanese version of Tan Tan Mien>>>>>B Sweet for Halo Halo dessert/Artelice if you make it. You should also stop by Balconi Coffee to go with your sweets!

If it was during the day, than Sushi Tsujita for probably the best chirashi bowl in the city.

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i’m partial to the pork & fennel pie at BPH myself, but you really can’t miss. and the pies come in orders of four. a party of five is not optimal for sharing. one more thing, if you were thinking of splitting a 3rd order into two of each: last time i was there, i tried to get them to split an order of four into two of each and they were NOT accommodating. maybe it was the way i combed my hair. probably my bad mandarin. YMMV.

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Thanks @Pomsmoms and @secretasianman, I’d never have thought about either logistical issue. We may need to buy a pair of kitchen shears :slight_smile:

I love pork and fennel dumplings and imagine them being even better in a pie. We’re going to Beijing Pie House either way, but I’m curious, is there a place anyone would recommend that makes large pies like at Jenny’s Kitchen in the South Bay? (I’ve never eaten there)

https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/BUjW0G_w6-QPpMN49HHs7g?select=tUV5KrwuMbR9sM5vbdwm0Q&utm_source=ishare&utm_content=photo

@PorkyBelly and @JeetKuneBao, I’ve added those taco places to the itinerary. What we don’t get to this time, I’ll track down next time I’m in LA for business.

@JeetKuneBao, we haven’t decided on a specific hike for Saturday, but plan to hike near Griffith Park on Sunday And will bring plenty of water. holy cow, Kimukatsu looks unbelievable.

“We may need to buy a pair of kitchen shears”

You don’t want to cut those meat pie for sharing purposes. All the juice/soup will flow out. Even if you catch it in a small bowl. Bite into the pie with soup gushing out is part of the fun. :slight_smile: Maybe getting two orders. Some will have two pieces and some just one.

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And if you are in need of coffee … Balconi is right next door to Artelice. They specialize in syphon brews but their espresso drinks are excellent as well

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Thanks! You’re saving me the cost of shears (and probably a load of laundry) :slight_smile:

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Maybe use the money you saved and invest in some pants with elastic waistbands.

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bite gingerly; the liquid is often piping hot; the avoidance of scalding supersedes staying clean.

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I just eat them whole.

Another vote for skipping Best Fish Tacos of Ensenada and adding Homestate for some breakfast tacos.

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I took a long break from BFTiE after discovering RFT but went back recently and thought it was better than I remembered. The salsas are pretty damn unique.

I mean OP might as well do a Bang^3 for the Homestate/RFT/BFTiE trifecta.

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Honestly for your Sunday taco crawl, I would end it at Holbox, which in my opinion puts all other fish tacos to shame.

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Going to Holbox last would also fit in well logistically if you are making a trip to Tire Shop Taqueria. They don’t open until 6pm on Sunday.

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you clearly have a higher tolerance for consuming liquids at scalding temperatures, not to mention an apparent diameter of head cavity that would put you in the guinness book of world records.

Couple of suggestions for the taco crawl (my favorite food activity for out of town visitors):

  • Kickoff with breakfast at weekend only Barbacoa Estilo Taxco for lamb and goat goodies
  • Pick only one fish taco stop - shoot for diversification vs duplicating specialties. I’m fond of Tacos Baja Ensenada (5385 Whittier Blvd), fun setting (in a taco dining sense) and love the AYCE roasted yellow “chilles gueros”. Also consider adding El Bigoton for the Sinoloan seafood tower
  • Leo’s only at night after the sun sets. Apparently the pastor trompo does not make an appearance until nightfall, completes the experience.
  • How about adding carnitas (Villa Moreliana or Momo) and offal (LA Guera - evenings only) options
  • Holbox - make sure you sample the various salsas offered. Order a Yucatan style turkey Panuchos from their sister establishment - Chichen Itza a few feet away

Shame about Guerilla taco, very unique. Resist the urge to gorge, tacos while appearing small fill you up quickly.

Happy crawling!

If you haven’t checked this out - essential reading FTC Taco report

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yeah, Ricky’s new location leaves a lot to be desired compared to his old place on Virgil. It’s even less inviting than the old rainbow umbrella outside of the laundromat.

if no trompo, just continue driving.

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