Also with Al Pastor specialist ideally you don’t want to go to early or too late.
Carnitas? El Momo is where you want to go. The son Billy will take care and spoil you if it’s your first time.
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concur on either though i’m not sure where to find el momo on a sunday. i presume moreliana is open on sundays.
i love me their aporkalypse, and their salsa is top notch, but getting a mix of the entire hog at moreliana gives a random factor of just what exactly is in the taco that can surprise in a very good way so you can get two tacos that are allegedly the same yet different.
A skill that’s trainable. The internet tells me so, so it must be true. Stephen Chow describes the discipline (in Vietnamese dubbing, for some reason) at 0:44 of this clip from “Forbidden City Cop”…
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most japanese do the same when they slurp down their ramen which is traditionally served at scalding temperatures. ditto for korean soups like sul long tang, etc. i’d liken it to developing calluses after decades of playing any stringed instrument, but i hesitate to do that to the inside of my mouth, especially my tongue.
I’m coming from San Francisco.
Thanks to folks the multiple caveats about timing. This will be an afternoon crawl, so it sound like we’ll skip Leo’s as al pastor is the priority there and it won’t be ready. Bullet dodged.
Holbox sounds amazing.
I’m into offal, but I’ll have to survey the group. I’ll certainly keep La Guera in mind for myself in the future.
I hear you about not duplicating specialities, especially when there are so many things down there unavailable in the Bay Area. With that in mind, because we occasionally have good carnitas in NorCal, Villa Moreliana may go lower on the priority list.
Sinaloan seafood towers look crazy!
Oh! moreliana Added to the list.
I don’t know how big your stomachs are and how late you wanna stay up but you could squeeze in Koreatown and/or Thai Town on Friday night. Or scrap the Sawtelle idea.
Like Thai Town for dinner, catch Marty and Elayne at the Dresden, finish it off in Koreatown (have you had the Galbijim at Sun Nong Dan?)
I could write a page each on those 2 neighborhoods but I could give you the cliff notes.
If you are looking for a hike in Griffith Park:
-Ferndell to the Observatory, this one is nice and if you must you can extend to Hollywood sign (I wouldn’t it’s overrated)
-Old LA Zoo the trails behind it are not crowded with some pretty good switchbacks
-Wisdom Tree, this is short but very steep, rocky, and narrow. Take your time if you are considering this.
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+1 Plan a K-town itinerary instead of the Sawtelle agenda
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Instead of hiking, why not just spend an afternoon wandering the well-manicured gardens and grounds at The Huntington Library, which is SGV adjacent.
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That is a good idea too. Can easily get your daily 10,000 steps a day. It is a nice leisurely walk.
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Also with bowler in your name Koreatown has Shatto Lanes. These old unfashionable bowling alleys could be gone soon. You can get the Shatto Lane Special!!!
Chicken wings, cabbage, rice, and egg!!! Mmmm low brow food. And there is a bar too.
Bring some BBQ Pork Neck from Ming Kee on Ocean!!
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Too bad you can’t stay longer was hoping you can squeeze in Howlin Rays and Langers
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There’s so much we want to do in LA, I wish we could have more time there!
My wife and I eat Korean way more often than we eat Japanese food, so Sawtelle and Japanese food is an appealing change of pace for us. However if our flight back gets delayed, or if we have extra stomach space after Sawtelle, we’ll make a bee line to Sun Nong Dan 
Hah, we’ll probably wind up at a bar, but I’d certainly enjoy Shatto Lanes! I’m not that avid a bowler, but did squeeze in a few midnight games at Pickwick Bowl a few years back
I’ll float the Ferndell to the Observatory suggestion. @ipsedixit, thanks for the Huntington Garden suggestion. We’ve been there before, and have liked it-- our friends are going, but we’re on the fence about paying the $29 entrance free this time around.
That stuff is the bomb.
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If you do Ferndale, the Trails cafe is a lot better than it needs to be.
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Holbox IS amazing.
And yes, their tacos are lovely but I am a carb gal and the holbox shrimp torta? With spicy peanut salsa? So good. Cheap enough you could get it and just eat a few bites for the experience and be fine.
But that’s just me : )
P.S. I adore and rec Guisados and, Marisco Tacos.
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If flight gets delayed make beeline to coni’s seafood in Inglewood for sinoloan seafood. Call ahead get the snook. Smoked Marlin tacos. Favorite place to take out of town guests.
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Hiking from Fern Dell to the Observatory is a nice hike of under a mile and sure beats driving to the Observatory where traditional access is a zoo. Fantastic city views if it isn’t smoggy. We do it dozens of times a year.
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re: Moreliana
Note: can customize your tacos with combinations of pig parts. My go to is pierna y cueritos topped with onions, cilantro and their green salsa. They give you a freebie while in line too.
re: Holbox and Chichen Itza
I had the scallop taco at Holbox and it was fantastic. They have a chile morita salsa that is damn good. Also, don’t forget the amazing chicharon tacos at Chichen Itza across the mercado.
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Those scallop tacos are SO good - we almost always end up getting those and the octopus tacos. Sometimes they’re not on the board, but if you ask, they may still be able to make them. 
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