Salvador Rodriguez Catering, I was in Chatsworth, he's from Compton

I was struggling on how I wanted to start this one off.  I was trying to find the right things to say.  We have an amazing tight nit community.  We have a group that enjoys spending time together.  We share in each other's successes, we help each other when we need.  There was a slew of nice, sweet things I wanted to say about the Saint Nick's community.  Instead I'll tell you a little more about the birthday boy himself.  Trumbo.

Trumbo, more known to all of us as Trevon is a great dude.  Always full of life, always a man that I've looked up to for his free spirit fun loving attitude.  A guy who literally turns his Jacuzzi into a smoky pool to entertain the kids that are at his birthday party.

So that card above was made by my daughter Eleni.  She was trying to write Trevon, but it looks like Trumbo so I enjoyed calling him that.  My kids love Trevon.  They get excited to see him everywhere.  He is the voice of the Valley Greek Festival every year on Memorial Day Weekend, and my children imitate him for weeks afterwards and try to be just like him.  He has taken Alexander to comic book stores, which is so cool because I am not a very patient person and have never been in one myself, but Alexander loves it and thinks it is awesome.  I've known Trevon and his whole family my whole life and I'm very lucky and grateful that he has been in my life for all this time.  His daughter Mia was the flower girl in my wedding.  She's kind of mean to people now, but that just entertains me and we all know her mom is one of the toughest smartest people around and is always a few steps ahead of this young lady who's almost done with high school.  Below is a picture of some of the things that Evie made and brought.  She is so crafty and awesome.

Trevon and his kick ass wife Jen have a most excellent back yard.  They do movie nights through the summer.  For Trevon's birthday, it was Empire Strikes Back!  Prior to the movie starting, he had Weird Al singing, I love the song and on the big screen, it was super cool.

Here is a photo of the set up that he does and then he is generous enough to invite many of us over to get to watch movies on this screen.  Last year he did a Ghostbuster's night just for my daughter Eleni who loves Ghostbusters.  She still does, we watched it today!

Here's a quick shot of some of the great folks who were there celebrating Trevon's birthday!  I can't say that I have anything but love and admiration for everyone in this photo.

Speaking of love, let me show you a photo of this dude cooking.  He was a very nice guy, he grills onions which were crazy good and also grills whole fresh jalapenos, yeah, I did eat three.  They were so damn good!  Pinto beans instead of refried, I go back and forth, these pinto beans may not have been as good as my cousin Lisa's, but they were solid.  Rice was fine, it was good rice.  This guy is a hard working good dude.  His food is good overall, but he is just a really nice guy.

Yeah, pastor just gets me excited.  Enough chatter, lets get down to business.
RATINGS:
ASADA: 3, it was great, I enjoyed it, it got better the longer it sat.
POLLO: 3, this I teeter tottered as a 4.  It is really good.  Tender, wells seasoned.  Something to talk about, I mean, heck, I'm still talking about it.
PASTOR: 4, yeah, it is that good.  After it sat for a bit, it got even better, it was so well seasoned, so well cooked, the care to this meat was amazing and it melted away on your tongue with the happiness that only seasoned meat can bring.
SALSA ROJO: 4, this spicy goodness was smoky and had a little twang from a pepper and I am not sure which one.  That intrigued me!
SALSA VERDE: 3, pretty run of the mill, good, heavy lime flavor.

If you are looking for a truck for a party I recommend this guy.  He also does carnitas and I hear that it is off the chain.  I do have another truck that I recommend, email me for their info, I have to go to another party that they are at and get some photos, do some rating and do some writing.
Contact info:
Salvador
Spanish: (323) 353-8303
English: (323) 240-4719

I really enjoyed chatting with him and watching him work.  Dude is a master of his craft!

Thank you again for reading.  Tonight's gratuitous goodbye photo is nothing short of awesome.  It is of the man, the myth, the legend, Trevon Kezios.  This is a photo of him heckling the captain of the boat on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland.  Trevon not only is that guy, but he pulls it off and it is one of the many reasons that everyone who meets him loves him.  I am very thankful to have been invited to his birthday celebration.  Very Happy Birthday to an amazing dude.

Stay Excellent!

Taqueria El Tapatio, Canoga Park, CA

We'll start this adventure in the back of the building.  How can you not be excited when there is a place called "the Knife Trader" in the same parking lot?  Nikki, my BFF has been telling me to go to this place for sometime now.  Her and her beautiful fiance Matt frequent it.  It is right by their house.  It is in Canoga Park just North of Sherman Way.

This place is just inviting from all angles.  It is screaming for you to come in and eat some tacos.  Nikki and Matt have been telling me about this joint.  I am sad it has taken this long to go, but it won't take this long to get back, that is a fact.

With a menu like that, how can you not want to go back?  I ordered two things that were on the menu and he snaps back that everything that is not bold they don't have.  This conversation happens in Spanish.  I look at Matt and say, "duh, should have been obvious to me."  The guy behind the counter says in English now "yeah it should."  This only made the trip better.  The guys working there were bad ass cool dudes.  I loved it.  A mild attitude with hard work.  I dig it.  If you haven't gotten the message yet, the food is legit.

Yeah, who had the huge order?  Oh yeah, that was us!  We got a ton of tacos, a burrito, damn near everything that they had!  Yes, we finished everything and I probably could have eaten more.  They have a salsa bar that I just dig.  It is perfect.  I know that sometimes I dog places for too much variety, sometimes not enough.  I just think each place should be true to itself.  This really isn't a salsa bar per say, but it kind of sort of is.  I thought it was perfect.  Jalapenos were great, radishes were fresh, limes were juicy!

Look I even got the picture blurry!

Started the evening with me trying to finish work, which I didn't until late at night on the phone and email.  We went to Matt and Nikki's house, they've had it for a while, but Nikki would not invite me over which is sad, but a fact.  Their house is fantastic.  It is really cool.  They have done some amazing things with it and it is getting better everyday.  We had an opportunity to chat, catch up, talk about their wedding which is going to be next year.  They are the type of friends that I am so lucky to have.  Their is a group of people that I am just lucky to be a part of.  Matt and Nikki are such kick ass awesome people.  I can't see enough of them.  We can always laugh in a comfortable environment, usually laced with endless teasing and jokes about Melanie Butters.  I was forced to send pictures to Melanie because she made Eleni, her goddaughter so sad.  I have said it many times, I will say it again, probably even in this blog, it doesn't matter where or what you eat, but who you get to eat it with.  I got really damn lucky last night with Nikki, Melissa, Eleni, Alexander, Matt and the Juggernaut.  Alright, lets get to it.
RATINGS:
LENGUA: 3, this was good, but not blowing me away.  Very solid and good.  I would eat it again, I just love lengua and am always looking for something a bit unique to rate above a 3.  Melissa did love it and eat, so did Nikki!
CARNITAS: 4, this was crispy, sweet, tasty and above average goodness.  It was tender and sweet, but crispy edges and great flavor.
ASADA: 3, this was good, but very right on the line, nothing above average, nothing special, but worth eating and something that you will enjoy time and time again.
PASTOR: 3, so close to a 4.  It was a bit heavy on the clove.  I would eat it again, I originally rated it a 4.  Point being, you have to try it and decide if it gets that coveted extra point.
POLLO: 3, solid.  Very solid, very good, very tender and sweet.  They do a really nice job with it and anyone that eats it won't be disappointed.
CABEZA: 5, no doubt this was good.  Really good.  I've had some rough bouts with cabeza in the past, but lately I've hit a stride of good ones.  This might take the taco for best.  It is really good.
SALSA: 4, this is spicy, flavored, layered goodness.
BURRITO: 4, Matt ordered a burrito.  I had a few bites.  It is a pretty simple burrito, but it is crazy sick good.  It really melds the flavors together, it is great stuff and an item that should not be overlooked.  Sometimes when you are eating and driving, burritos are easier to eat, I'm just saying.

Melissa ate an entire lengua taco.  What amazes me about that, what excites me is that when we were dating about 13 years ago I took her to a taco place.  I didn't tell her that she had taken a bite of tripa and she couldn't eat!  She spit out her food and would not eat tacos for a short period because it was so "gross" and it tasted "nasty."  When she had a bit of this lengua, she ate an entire taco!  So glad that she has developed such a keen taco palate after all of these years.  I know, you are impressed by the Olaf cup on the table.  The question is, who's is it?  Mine, Matt's?  Jason's,  Melissa's?  I know it is a true mystery.

Check out a great photo of Matt taking a monster burrito bite!  He's a total pro.  Like I said earlier, it is not as much what or where you are eating, but who you are eating with.  This Tacoteering trip was awesome on all fronts.  The place was fantastic and beautiful, the tacos were out of control good this place might be a top 5!  The company was amazing.  My tolerant, patient and amazing family.  Matt and Nikki are amazing people and I'm so lucky to have them in my life and so happy that we got an evening of eating tacos.  Thanks everyone for reading, re-posting, re-tweeting, following and telling others, please keep it up!

Today's gratuitous goodbye photo is actually photos!  It is like an action shot.  The first picture is Nikki taking a taco bite.  Look at the Tacamo she looks like she if falling into with her eyes rolling to the back of her head.  The second is a semi blurry photo of Nikki eating that monster bite.  Thanks for sharing the adventure with me.

Stay Excellent!

La Fogata, Sherman Oaks, CA

This has been a long time coming.  La Fogata is known in LA.  It has been around for quite sometime.  La Fogata has a great following.  It is an old school popular place in Southern California's beautiful San Fernando Valley.  I have eaten here, its been a long time though.  The building is unassuming, perfect for good tacos.  Menu is big, lots of variety, good place to come, get a good meal.  They do serve beer and wine, but we know I'm just there for the tacos!

You name it, they make it.  I remember their tamales just being OK, nothing amazing.  Meats are usually all pretty solid, service is perfect for me.  You order up at the register and sit down.  As you take a seat in the dining room, you can overlook a beautiful salsa bar:

Yeah, it excites me too!  I will rate the salsas below, but the salsa bar itself sits at a 3.  Some variety, but not very much, nothing too exciting as far as salsas go.  They aren't trying anything new or cool.  They are run of the mill salsas, pickled jalapenos are more carrots and onions than anything and the jalapenos that were in there were limp and just ehh, no bite, kick, punch or anything to them.
RATINGS:
SALSA VERDE: 1, please don't eat this, it is horrible.
MILD RED: 2, lots of canned tomato flavor comes out on this one.
SPICY RED: 3, less of that delicious can flavor, but not much going on.  It is not bad, I'm glad that I ate it, but I'm not super proud.
SPICY PICO: 3, I like it when places do a spicy pico, they do an OK job, but it really isn't very special.
CARNITAS: 2, yeah, I was caught off guard with disappointment.  There was some serious blandness to it.  No real attempt at flavor or tenderness.
ASADA: 3, there is nothing wrong with this.  It is good, it is not amazing, but you will not be disappointed.  Cooked nicely, tender, flavor was good.
DORADO CHICKEN TACO: 4, yeah, I went for a hard shell, shredded chicken taco.  That was a win!  It was good.  The chicken is cooked perfectly, nice flavor, paprika, little spice, I liked it.  Tortilla was fried great, not overdone but a great crunch to it.
FISH TACO: 4, I of course went for the grilled not the fried.  I love grilled fish tacos and this did not disappoint in anyway whatsoever.  I am so glad that the fish was not overcooked!  It was flaky, good and exactly what I was looking for.  I really did not have high hopes, but was very pleasantly surprised.

I know some of the ratings look low, but I like this place.  I will be back, I will take people there.  The people working there are so nice.  The food is overall good.  The atmosphere is cool.  It is that old Sherman Oaks, Studio City feel.  I happen to find it nostalgic and comforting.

Thanks for reading, I know this is a bit short, after rereading it almost seems as if I've rushed it.  I don't know, I can't tell you why.  I have one to two more places I'm hitting this week, if you follow me on Instagram, you know tacos have really been on my mind!  Today's gratuitous photo reminds me of a movie.  Because its nothing, absolutely nothing.










Stay Excellent!

Taco Miendo, West Los Angeles, CA

I've been reading about this place for a while.  I've passed it many times when I'm heading to Freddy's.  Right off of Pico on Gateway is Taco Miendo.  They make their own tortillas, they are supposed to have amazing food.  Let me start off, by saying I found it pricey for what you get.  Yeah, I know, I'm cheap, but I'm looking for great cheap tacos.  I only got three tacos as I didn't want to spend too much money, oh well, too late, I already did on this place.  Service was slow.  When I say slow, I'm saying, don't utilize that half hour lunch on this joint.  There are cheaper, faster tacos up the street, spoiler alert, I know that they taste better.

Menu is big.  They also had two other boards up with specials.  Lots to choose from.  Maybe a little too much for a place like this.  Too much variety is not always a good thing for the consumer.  If I were them, I'd look into that.  Wow, critical today.  I might have to walk away from this one, cool off and then write.  Here's the thing, it wasn't horrible, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good.  No big desire to tell this story.  I didn't have anyone cool with me, I was just flying solo trying to get my piece of the taco world on this day and it fell short.  I was excited to try this place and found myself walking away sad and disappointed.  I was stuck without the satisfaction that tacos bring me.  If they are horrible, I can get fired up and go on a burn, instead we get this sad, pathetic rant.

Okay, this part was pretty cool, to look at...really?  No peppers, serrano, jalapeno, something?  No, they left me like an ugly kid at prom.  I was sitting there going from excited to let down.  The salsas were OK.  Maybe one of the reasons I'm so down is because I made an amazing salsa the other day.  No, I really think that it is just that their's were just OK.  The green sucked really bad, the reds were ehh.  While were on this subject, we'll head to the ratings.  First, a picture of the tacos how they come out:

RATINGS:
LENGUA: 3, it was OK.  Nothing special, just tongue that was cooked.  It was not too flavorful, just something that was alright.
ADOBADA: 3, it is no RT, it is no El Farro, it is no Guisado, Los Cinco Puntos, El Indio Azteca, the list goes on and on...it is just a mediocre adobada.  Not bad, it is well seasoned, grilled nicely, it wasn't burnt, but it was not special.
ASADA: 3, BORING.  It was just boring and regular and nothing excited me about it.  It wasn't bad, but like I said, nothing exciting.
SALSA VERDE: 2, not very good, I think it might have been spoiled.
SALSA ROJO: 3, this was pretty good.  Possibly the highlight of the place for me.  Not amazing, but not bad.  Just a pretty decent salsa.  I did put it on two of the three over priced tacos.
TORTILLAS: 3, dude, if you are going to make your own tortillas and you get a 3, that is like a 2 or a 1 in the real world.  They were just not a good consistency.  They lacked a nice sweetness most places will get for you in a hand pressed tortilla.  They were good, for a place that prides themselves on making the tortillas, they should have been stellar.

The people working there were not very nice.  Maybe they feel as though they've settled for mediocrity?  Maybe they have given up on great taco experiences.  Either way, it was sad.  They did not make me feel like I should go back there, the food sure didn't do that either!  I go back and forth on if I like to dress my tacos.  It really depends on the place.  I like it at El Primo.  Works for the set up.  Here it was almost an annoyance.  The cilantro was not very fresh, the onions should have been chopped a bit finer.  The limes were juicy and fresh, so that is positive.  The pickled onions were good, I did like that and they ended up all over my tacos!  The few chips that they give you are good, the right amount and were a nice way to try the different salsas.  They do let you get pinto beans, again, found them to be a little bland.

As always, I thank you for reading, re-tweets, re-posts.  I do appreciate everyone getting the word out.  Please keep doing it.  I hope that I have saved you from a really mediocre experience.  While writing this, I've been wondering what my life would be like if I move to Iceland.  I know, not a bad option.

Today's goodbye photo has nothing to do with tacos.  This adventure was me alone, so I thought I'd show you a blurry photo of the two that helped me at that grocery store the other day.  My two younger children Eleni and the Juggernaut.  They helped me through the store and when I told them to go to the car, they ignored so I raised my voice and told them to move it.  Eleni, four years old, then shook her finger at me and told me that she was tired of my yelling and was not going to tolerate it.  It was a great reminder, I have many former and current employees, I was again taught, we all answer to someone!

Stay Excellent!

Las Brisas, Hawthorne, CA

Supermarket tacos are usually pretty damn delicious, and this joint is no exception.  Work has been nuts, life crazy.  I needed a quick fix, a get away.  I had to reach out for a life line.  Alan Rush and his beard.  Alan is an amazing guy that I use to work with and I can't say enough how much I miss him.  He is a very bright man, great friend and one of the hardest workers that I know.  He had an opportunity come up and had to put his burger and fry cape in his closet and go help a different business.  I text Alan and he jumped to do some Tacoteering.  I think seeing his beard was for sure one of the things I've missed most.

Many delicious options, but truthfully, this was not our first stop.  We went to another joint, but it was closed for the day.  They had a flood and were in the midst of cleaning it up.  I felt for them, I've been there, it sucks.  Alan and I jumped in the Impala and headed to the first place that looked right, it happened to be here.

What a great set up these folks have.  The people working there are super nice too.  Sweet hard working ladies.  People there were nice.  They got swamped while we were there.  I mean a constant line of people for lunch as well as buying groceries.
RATINGS:
ASADA: 3, this is some good tender stuff with nice flavoring, but nothing special.  It is pretty standard, textbook type of stuff.
TRIPA:  don't know, I ordered it, but it never came, kind of made me weep on the inside.
CARNITAS: 3, again, good but pretty average.  It was sweet, shredded into bigger pieces, but not bad.  I would say go for a try if you are there.
PASTOR: 4, it gets a four because it is spicy and I really needed some spice in my life.  It was hot without being overwhelming and it was pretty delicious.
CABEZA: 4, yes, I have hit a couple of places with great cabeza lately.  This was really sweet and tender, good flavor but that nice buttery texture that you should get with cabeza.  Well done ladies, well done.

Yeah, nice looking spread.  The salsa was okay, but nothing worth really rating.  The limes were juicy which is a plus!  I do wish that they served with some kind of a pepper, of course preferably a Serrano or something like that, but this food did pretty well on its own.  Nice job with fresh ingredients and cook 100% to order.  Food took a little longer, but totally worth the wait.

I would say go to this place, but there are a number of places that look great all around.  I am going to get back to JC's and give them a whirl.  Just a warning, this is right by the Hawthorne Police Department.  I do want to again thank everyone for reading.  Please continue to spread the word.  Tell people about the tacos and the blog and what we are doing here to make your meals better!

I've said it before, I'll say it again.  It doesn't really matter where you are eating, but who you are eating with.  I was damn lucky again on that day.  Alan is an amazing dude.  A great friend.  A man that I wish I got to spend more than a year working with.  I am glad that he is happy and enjoying his new job, but sad to not get to see him on a daily basis.  I'll have to use that as a reason to eat more tacos with him!  Yes, he is the goodbye/gratuitous photo of the day.

Stay Excellent!!!

Rambo's Taco Truck, Eagle Rock, CA

FINALLY!  This has been a long time coming to the blog.  Rambo's Taco Truck.  This place is every bit of badass excellence you think that it is.  This truck parks at nighttime only in beautiful Eagle Rock, CA.  Let me show you how legit this place is:

Yeah, Rambo has etched his name into the sidewalk, just to make sure that the literate pedestrians know whats up.  Impressed yet, you should be.  This adventure was with fellow Order of the Taco member and one of my closest friends, Brandon Begley.  Brandon and I have not had an opportunity to hang out much in a while with my work schedule, but we carved out some Tacoteering time and this little gem was the destination.  Let my just say, not a bad drive from the SFV!  We got there and back very quickly.  We were able to catch up, I got to hear more and more about his wedding plans, which is just around the corner!

Yeah, you read that right, "B" is for the best, even the health department caught on to how delicious this place is.  There is a lot of power stacked into this truck.  They are not playing around.  I love the Visa and Mastercard stickers.  They don't really like to accept them, they will ask you for cash, which is cool, I totally get it.  I mean come on, you are dealing with a truck on the side of the road, have cash when you come by.

How can you not want to come here for this kind of beautiful ambiance you can only get and enjoy in Eagle Rock.  The rolling hills, the different cars, the trees.  It is a haven for folks who like and demand delicious tacos.  Rambo's along with two other places in Eagle Rock have been on the list for quite sometime now.  Rambo's got special treatment because my cousin, Corinne was one of the people who recommended it.  Leo's and Sonia's are going to get hit by me sooner or later.  They will not stay on the list for Eagle Rock as long as this place did.  I waited way too long to try this deliciousness.

Look, anywhere that says "fried with pork lard" is fantastic.  That shows that they care enough about you to give you a delicious, natural product.  It is the kind of thing that you say thank you for.  You want to appreciate the finer things in life, just so you know, this is one of those finer things.  Pork lard will provide your palate with flavors beyond your wildest dreams.

Back to the ambiance.  So this is in eye shot.  Fiesta sa Barrio, Filipino Restaurant?  Yeah, the name is kind of confusing and intriguing.  Raises a ton of questions.  What do they really serve?  What is the draw?  I'm not sure what the draw is, but it has me sold.  After I get to the other two taco places, I'm going.

Back again to the food.  This place smells so ridiculous good when you get there.  We got there just before they opened and man was the smell a huge tease.  I was spinning in circles, jumping up and down, just so excited to have this place open up.  Brandon and my excitement was shared with a lot of people.  There was a line of people there before the truck opened and it stayed so steady while we were there.  Let me tell you why:
RATINGS:
TRIPAS: 2, I think for most people, this would be a 3 or more.  I just thought it was cooked too much.  It is fried, in that delicious pork lard, but I think it should be crispy, just not this dark.
LENGUA: 4, tender as could be.  It will melt in your mouth like an M&M on a hot summer day.  Flavor was good, worth it!
PASTOR: 4, this is unique and good.  It rivals some of the greats, but is not there.  I could not place the flavor.  It is a spice and seasoning that I know, but could not place it.  I recommend that pastor enthusiasts go and try this and let me know what you think.
CARNITAS: 3, solid, sweet, tender.  It didn't make me get overly excited because nothing set it apart, but it was good and I would not mind eating it again.
ASADA: 5, yeah, they own it.  It was really good.  Really nice because it was not overcooked, it was well flavored well and it was paired nicely with the sauce.
CABEZA: 5, this very well could have been my favorite thing there, which is rare.  I like cabeza, but it is not something I'm normally looking for.  This was so tender.  It was so juicy.  It had great flavor.  Salt without being salty, pepper without being too hot, cumin without being too smoky.  Yeah, I really love this, it was just sweet, spicy, tasty goodness.  Best cabeza I've had, go try it.

Hecho en Mexico.  I did not order anything to drink, until I realized that the Fanta was the Fanta from Mexico, yeah, it is that better.  The food was a bit spicy, if you don't want your food that spicy, ask for the sauce on the side.  These guys do it right.  They are nice, they are awesome.  I do think that you should check it out without a doubt.

It has been a while since I wrote a blog.  Longest gap I think since I started this July 5 of last year.  It has been a great year and I'm looking at continuing to grow this blog, the merchandising and the great experiences.  Thank you so much for the support for the last year.  Thank you so much for reading.  Please keep telling people, keep re-tweeting, re-posting and reading!

Today's goodbye gratuitous photo is of a beautiful man.  Brandon.  Brandon is not just sporting a shirt of the Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings, but he is checking in on Yelp.  I am going to start checking in on Yelp.  When you go, I have attached the link to Yelp to make it easier for you: http://www.yelp.com/biz/rambos-tacos-los-angeles

Stay Excellent!