I do like Mexicali, but some of that is residual affection from the parking lot days. I still think the cachetadas (which are like the vampiros at TJ-style spots, a tostada with melted cheese and meat) are great, and their salsas are very good, which helps a lot.
Their vampiros are a little too rich for me, but I love a few bites of them.
Maybe not at the absolute top tier in the city like they were back in 2010/11, but I certainly prefer them to the things I’ve had at Sonoratown.
You can add Teddy Reds too
You are the best! Ordered for Sunday.
Agree with @JeetKuneBao, I don’t get Teddy’s! I saw La Unica was back on May 1 - anyone been yet? Even with the hot weather, I’m craving it.
@Ns1 re: 1986 - I also tried takeout (the new location on Beverly) but just a bunch of tacos and not the platter @skramzlife got. With traffic so good, the drive home was pretty quick, and I thought they held up decently.
Honestly, a lot has been lost in translation from the glory days of their first couple months on Highland and in K-town, but for the area it’s still really good. The marinade on the adobada is still great, but the cooking technique on the trompo isn’t there, so there aren’t crispy bits to go with the tender bits.
Salsas (esp their coarser red one) and tortillas are still solid. Hongos still good too, if a bit salty. The asada was ok - not the salt bomb that it was, but not much smokiness.
I appreciate that they opened for their newly hired staff, even though they didn’t have to, and for the neighborhood, it’s a good, reasonably priced option!
Connie and Ted’s re-opened for takeout this month which was great since my fourteenth wedding anniversary was Wednesday. I picked up clam chowder, bib lettuce salad, cold lobster roll for me, clams and mussels for my wife, fried chicken sandwiches for the kids, and whoopie pies for dessert.
GM Matt came out to greet me and thanked me for my business like five times!
shrug It’s one of my favorite things on their menu and I love liquid cheese nachos. Maybe it’s just not to your taste.
Big fan of their vampiros also. Thier salsa bar is also pretty solid. The taco specials are hit or miss.
Agree with this. They’re still very good but competition around town really rose since they started. To everyone’s benefit, more quality choices.
That’s so cool! Happy Anniversary!
Since my mom went vegetarian she’s basically stuck to Leonor’s or just making her own for Mexican food. The mushroom tacos at 1986 were a revelation to her
Haven’t stopped by in quite some time, but still doing quite a bit of takeout. In May (so far):
Antico: pepperoni pizza, honeycomb and orange cookies ice cream (just missed the strawberry drop by a day)
Iki Ramen: black cod bento, wagyu ramen, yuzu shio ramen, kaisen don (not pictured)
PRD: mapo tofu, double-cooked pork, char siu
Sonoratown: burrito 2.0, taco kit (not pictured: traded to PRD for dishes to be named later)
Loqui: roommate bought their Cinco de Mayo package
Be Happy Ice Cream: quick plug for a friend’s weekly/biweekly ice cream delivery (IG: @behappyicecream) - former pastry chef who’s doing this on the side
Canter’s Deli: reuben (and some other things for my grandma for Mother’s Day)
Lalibela: special kitfo, doro wot, veggie utopia
Shunji: kaisen don
!Great eating, Shunji, PRD, Cosa Buona, some of my favorites, thanks for the Rec on Be Happy Ice Cream, they’re good!
She’s Jewish?
I thought you knew I was Jewish 
No, we try to do the reverse Chinese thing and avoid SGV on holidays, and it pivoted into Canter’s/Langer’s (a la Jews getting Chinese food on Christmas). Keeping that tradition alive during these times.
Noguchi sushi with Born Gold.
Best pieces were Spanish mackerel, scallop, Santa Barbara uni and chu toro.
Bulgarini gelato for dessert.
Chocolate pistachio.
Pear sorbet and strawberry sorbet.
Wow! This belongs in the Hall of Fame!
Buttermilk! That’s the flavor I was searching to name in describing Antico’s Strawberry Ice Cream. Has anybody picked up a slight tart inside that sweet, creamy? I thought Yogurt but Buttermilk is more like it.
Funny! Leo said you should have seen the faces of the kids behind the Ice Cream counter at Rite-aid when he told them how many days he spends making his Pistachio Gelato.
Ramayani (Westwood) needs our love. They are not advertising that they do takeout, but it is always a dependable Indonesian joint. Bakmi ayam Jakarta with bakso sapi, and laksa, all made with love…
Toku Unagi & Sushi is quietly offering a delicious bento box ($60), and yes, it contains a portion of Toku’s fantastic unagi-don. Toku’s unagi-don game remains very strong. The freshwater eel rice is great as the weather gets warmer. Do not sleep on their sashimi and sushi either - Tasty as any specialized high-end sushi purveyor out there.
Bulgarini Gelato (Altadena): A funkadelic of FTCers (including @attran99 and @js76wisco - what a pleasure to see you both!) gathered for multiple order pickups from Leo, who was in a jovial mood, and looking forward to when he can debut his open-air Italian feast concept in the courtyard (once the lockdown eases). The tagliatelle con sugo di carne (handcut egg noodle with meat sauce), prepared with Leo’s twice-cooked ragu, and the accompanying housemade focaccia were outstanding!
Il brasato di gronchi (braised short ribs served with summer bean), with ribollita Toscana (white bean soup & seasonal greens)… The meat was so tender, you could eat it with a spoon, along with a superb rich sauce imbuing its magic within the ribs. The soup was a resplendent reminder of the summer to come.
Dessert: One-and-a-half kilos of Bulgarini gelato. Four flavors: Strawberry, pistachio, hazelnut and chocolate. Served with Harry’s Berries gaviota strawberries (with chocolate hazelnut cake from Paris Baguette and my backyard Pakistani mulberries for size comparison). Heavenly!
Didn’t Ramayani in Westwood close? Their Facebook posting says their last day was April 26th.
