Update 16:
Catching up on some food reports from a few months ago.
Tacos El Pastorcito
Thanks to a post from @tailbacku, we found this surprise Taco stand on the corner of Hyperion Avenue and Rowena Avenue (in front of a 7-11), Tacos El Pastorcito has a nice, clean setup, with pristine condiments and a nice variety of Salsas and a blazing Al Pastor spit turning all evening.
Al Pastor Taco:
Taking a bite, there’s a nice marinade and deep flavor in the Al Pastor. We all agreed with @tailbacku that this was definitely better than Leo’s Tacos (current version). However, there was a bitterness in each bite as well. Looking closely, I noticed that the Al Pastor meat was burnt (black char) on many edges. But outside of that, for those that like char, this was very good. 
Suadero (Stewed Beef Brisket) Taco:
Their Suadero (Beef Brisket) Taco was excellent! 
Super tender, moist and full of savory flavor. Wow! Definitely a must order.
(Cash Only)
Tacos El Pastorcito
(in front of the 7-11)
2900 Hyperion Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
https://www.instagram.com/tacos_el_pastorcito/
Leo’s Tacos (Pico & La Brea) (O.G.)
It had been at least a year since we’ve been back to the O.G. Leo’s Tacos on the corner of La Brea & Pico Blvd. Walking up to the location, there’s no other way to put it:
- It’s a circus.
They now have 2 Taco Trucks (both Leo’s) with Al Pastor spits firing away at both trucks. They added neon signs that are flashing their menu, and it was just massive crowds.
In addition, their cash registers are fully computerized with computer-printed receipts and order #'s, and they’ll notify you which Taco Truck to wait for. And of course, with all these upgrades, it’s still Cash Only.
We wanted to see how Tacos El Pastorcito compared with Leo’s for an immediate back-to-back taste test.
Al Pastor Taco:
Just look at how pallid and weak the Tacos look. 
Taking a bite:
Soft, gummy, moist, but almost no flavor(!). 
Seeing at how furiously the Taquero was carving the Al Pastor and how many people were there with 2 Taco Trucks running, it was clear that Leo’s Tacos was cutting up Al Pastor as fast as humanly possible, as soon as the Marinated Pork meat was just cooked to a safe temperature. There was no searing, let alone any char on the Al Pastor meat.
How the mighty have fallen. Leo’s Tacos’ Al Pastor, at the O.G. location no less, was simply mediocre now. 
Avoid.
(Cash Only)
Leo’s Tacos #1 (O.G.)
1515 South La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
https://www.leostacostruck.com/
Tacos La Guera (Pico) (Revisit)
There seems to be multiple Taco stands called “La Guera” but the one to seek out is on the corner of Pico Blvd. and Hobart Blvd., in front of a Smart & Final. Here you’ll find a brightly lit Taco stand, an excellent assortment of condiments, and we wanted to see how their previously great Al Pastor stood up for a bang x bang x bang taste test. 
Cachete (Stewed Beef Cheeks) Taco:
Luscious, fatty, tender, nice marinade. Delicious!
Suadero (Stewed Beef Brisket) Taco:
Their Suadero was not as good as Tacos El Pastorcito. It was a bit chewier, drier, even though it was stewed.
Al Pastor Taco:
And then we got to Tacos La Guera’s Al Pastor (Spit-Grilled Pork) Taco. It was beautifully cooked, nice sear and crisped edges, lightly sweet, but a great savory flavor as well.
Outstanding! 
This was everyone’s favorite between El Pastorcito, Leo’s and Tacos La Guera. So good!
6th Visit:
It was so good, that we had a craving to go back and try them again to make sure it wasn’t a fluke.
Al Pastor Tacos:
Yup, no fluke. On our 6th visit, it was even better than our previous 5 visits. Look at how perfectly crisped and seared the edges of the Marinated Pork slices are. The Taquero was masterfully cooking and cutting the Al Pastor slices, wonderfully balanced in flavor, a nice bit of Pineapple, and at this point, Tacos La Guera is easily our favorite Al Pastor in town.
Buche (Pork Stomach) Taco:
Their Buche (Pork Stomach) Taco was a very good rendition, seared on the flattop before serving, it’s gelatinous, light chew, fatty and tasty.
(Cash Only)
Tacos La Guera
(in front of Smart & Final)
Pico Blvd. & Hobart Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90006
http://tacoslagueralosangeles.cafecityguide.website/
Tacos El Viejon
Thanks to a tip from @Srsly, we’re always glad to seek out a new Tijuana-style Carne Asada Taco specialist. Walking up, it’s definitely much shorter than Tire Shop Taqueria, but one weakness we noticed was how slow the cooking and Taco construction was by the Taquero. We got our order in, but still ended up waiting about ~20 - 25 minutes total for food.
Handmade Tortillas:
Chorizo Taco:
Tacos El Viejon’s Chorizo (Sausage) Taco was just OK: Salty, seasoning was a bit basic, but it scratched that itch if you were in the mood for Chorizo. Tire Shop Taqueria’s Chorizo was much better.
Carne Asada (Grilled Steak) Taco:
The Carne Asada Taco was much better: Lightly smoky, a touch on the meatier-chewier side, but still solid. Tire Shop Taqueria is better, but if we were in the neighborhood, we’d be glad to grab some Carne Asada from El Viejon.
(Cash Only)
Tacos El Viejon
3452 E. Cesar E Chavez Ave.
East Los Angeles, CA 90063
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9amPPIhb_3/
Tacos El Pastorcito (Revisit)
Tacos El Pastorcito showed enough promise (and excellent Suadero) that we wanted to go back and see how its consistency was.
When we arrived, we noticed the problem that plagued our 1st visit - Burnt Al Pastor - was still prevalent. We noticed that the Taquero purposely let the huge fire sit on parts of the Al Pastor on the trompo, letting it burn before turning it:
Clearly it’s his signature style.
The condiments were still very fresh:
Cabeza (Stewed Beef Head) Taco:
Note: It seems Tacos El Pastorcito only serves their delicious Suadero (Stewed Beef Brisket) after 9 or 10 p.m. according to the server. (We were too early on this visit.)
Their Cabeza (Stewed Beef Head) Taco was very tender, slightly pungent (in an expected way), and savory. It just wasn’t as good as their Suadero.
Carne Asada (Stewed / Seared Steak) Taco:
We knew that Tacos El Pastorcito didn’t have a mesquite grill to cook up the Carne Asada. Instead the Steak is stewed / cooked along with the other meats, and then seared on the flattop before serving.
This was fine. For those craving a bit more of a meaty, Steak Taco (no smokiness, no grilling), it’ll work.
Al Pastor Taco:
As you can see from the pics, El Pastorcito’s “signature” is a burnt Al Pastor style, and to be fair, the burnt / black char does add flavor to the Taco, it’s just too burnt for my taste. But looking beyond that, the rest of the flavor in the Al Pastor and the non burnt parts is very good! Even with this burnt signature, it’s much better than Leo’s Tacos.
3rd Visit:
On this 3rd visit, the Taquero was still cooking & charring the Al Pastor the same way as our previous 2 visits.
Al Pastor Taco:
Same as the previous 2 visits: Good marinade and flavor, nice crisped edges, but there’s a burnt bitterness from the burnt char edges of the Spit-Grilled Pork.
Cabeza (Stewed Beef Head) Taco:
Today’s Cabeza Taco was much more stew-like, gelatinous, but still tasty. Even though we were there close to 10 p.m., their Suadero was still not ready yet.
Overall, we’d be glad to return to Tacos El Pastorcito if we were in the area. Their Al Pastor Taco is well-seasoned and tasty, but it’s a bit too burnt for my tastes. But even as is, we’d eat this over Leo’s Tacos any day of the week. If you stop by and their Suadero is ready, be sure to grab a taco or two.
(Cash Only)
Tacos El Pastorcito
(in front of the 7-11)
2900 Hyperion Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
https://www.instagram.com/tacos_el_pastorcito/
Leo’s Tacos #2 (Revisit)
We wanted to see if Leo’s Tacos decline was limited only to its OG location, or if other Leo’s Taco Trucks were also the same, so we headed to Leo’s Tacos #2 (near Temple & Glendale Blvd.).
Similar to the OG location, they had new neon signage flashing, as well as a computer cash register. There was also a sizable crowd at this 2nd location.
Al Pastor Taco:
As with the recent visit to the OG location, Leo’s Tacos is now just rushing through its orders, carving off pale, barely cooked Al Pastor that lacked any love or care. Not only were the Tortillas mediocre, but the Al Pastor Pork was soft, almost rubbery, gummy and just not good. Terrible.
In the chase for the almighty dollar, Leo’s Tacos is now resting on its laurels and hype, carving out bland, badly (rushed) cooked Al Pastor that feels like a ripoff at $1.25 per Taco.
(Cash Only)
Leo’s Taco Truck #2
415 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
https://www.leostacostruck.com/
Taquizas Gilberto’s
Taquizas Gilberto’s is a unique stand: 7 days a week, they have a Taco Truck offering Birria de Res (Stewed Beef) Tacos, but on Saturday and Sunday they have a 2nd Truck offering Barbacoa de Borrego (Slow Roasted Lamb in Maguey Leaves). (Huge thanks to @JeetKuneBao for the tip!)
As we walked up, we could see them frying up their signature “Tacos Dinamita” (or “Dynamite Tacos”), named for its resemblance to sticks of dynamite. 
Consome (Lamb Broth):
Not too salty, gamy, with a nice herbal kick.
Tacos Dinamita (Lamb “Dynamite Tacos”):
First off, while I’m not a munitions expert, these definitely resembled long sticks of dynamite in some ways. 
Plenty of food per Taco. They had a nice shattering crispy-crunch, fried in Lamb Fat, Consome and Oil. The inside Barbacoa de Borrego (Slow Roasted Lamb) was fresh, a bit gamy, and generally tender with some fried edges (on the ends).
By itself they were fine, with a sip of the Lamb Consome and some of their Salsa? Much better.
Barbacoa de Borrego (Slow Roasted Lamb in Maguey Leaves):
Unfortunately, their Barbacoa de Borrego was middling: Not bad, but rather bland (and I like less salty food), and many bites were dried out. It tasted fresh (cooked that day), but it lacked the finesse and excellence of a specialist like Barbacoa Y Birria Estilo Guerrero (near Downtown L.A.).
2nd Location - Birria Specialist:
Taquizas Gilberto’s 2nd location serves only Birria de Res (Stewed Beef), 7 Days a Week.
Birria de Res Consome (Stewed Beef Soup):
This was a bit smoother, not gamy at all (since it’s made with Beef), compared to the original location’s Lamb version. Thankfully not too salty, and a great warming starter to the day.
Taco de Birria de Res (Stewed Beef Taco):
Sufficiently tender, meaty, and balanced flavor. Definitely better than the over-hyped Teddy’s Red Tacos.
Tacos de Lengua (Beef Tongue Taco):
They didn’t remove the outer skin, so this was quite chewy. Definitely one of the weaker versions of Lengua (Beef Tongue) we’ve had in recent memory.
Tacos Dorado de Birria de Res (Hard Shell Stewed Beef Taco):
Their Tacos Dorados are fried to a crispy crunchy shell, coated with a layer of Cheese and then stuffed with their Stewed Beef. It’s really a matter of personal preference: This was a fun break from all of the soft Tacos we’ve been having, but most of us thought the regular soft Taco version was better.
Mulitas de Birria de Res:
Their Mulitas de Birria de Res (Stewed Beef stuffed between two Tortillas with melted Cheese) is another preference item: I prefer the soft Tacos and a single Tortilla, but this was pretty tasty for Mulitas fans.
(Cash Only)
Taquizas Gilberto’s
(For Barbacoa de Borrego & Dynamite Lamb Tacos)
(Saturdays & Sundays: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
15978 Francisquito Ave.
La Puente, CA 91744
(For Birria de Res (Stewed Beef))
(7 Days A Week: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
14214 Valley Blvd.
City of Industry, CA 91746
https://www.instagram.com/taquizasgilberto/?hl=en
Birrieria Estrada
Interestingly, right across the street from Gilberto’s 2nd location was an enticing-looking Taco Truck, Birreria Estrada, which also specializes in Birria de Res (Stewed Beef) in a Tijuana-style. It was perfect to add onto this Taco Journey.
Consome:
Birrieria Estrada’s Beef Consome was pretty close in taste compared to Gilberto’s. It was a touch saltier perhaps, but still quite sippable and tasty.
Tacos de Birria de Res:
Their OG Taco of Stewed Beef was better than Gilberto’s version. Nicely beefy, tender, slow-cooked, their Avocado Salsa was a nice touch compared to the one at Gilberto’s across the street.
Tacos de Birria de Res Con Queso (Stewed Beef Taco with Grilled Cheese):
Perhaps in a micro-movement seemingly popularized by La Unica, Birrieria Estrada offers their Tacos “Con Queso” (With Cheese), and when you add that option, they sear the Cheese onto the Tortilla, which looks sort of like their spin on La Unica’s Quesataco.
The result is an addictive seared, crusty Cheese layer to the Tortilla and the Stewed Beef. It’s more decadent, but I think both versions work just fine.
Mulitas de Birria de Res:
Their version of the Mulita was fine. GIlberto’s feels like the better executed version with more melty goodness, but they both are pretty close.
(Cash Only)
Birrieria Estrada
136 S. 5th Ave.
City of Industry, CA 91746
Burritos La Palma (Santa Ana)
Some of our FTC’ers were curious about how the vaunted Burritos La Palma’s newer Santa Ana location might compare with their OG location in El Monte, so we decided to do some research. (@attran99 @A5KOBE and others)
Tinga Burrito (Stewed Chicken, Chipotle Chilies with Potatoes):
Taking a bite: That amazing Handmade Flour Tortilla is thankfully still intact at this new location! It’s soft, smooth, adding an almost “creaminess” to each bite with the Stewed Chicken and Potatoes. Delicious.
Deshebrada Burrito (Stewed Beef with Potatoes):
But it’s Burritos La Palma’s Deshebrada (Stewed Beef with Potatoes) recipe from Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico that remains our favorite: There’s a deeply satisfying savoriness, a more complete, complex taste with every bite of this tender Stewed Beef and Potatoes recipe.
In the end, for those of us who’ve tried both Burritos La Palma locations, we all agreed that it was pretty darn close, it’d be hard to tell the difference. I think I’d give the edge (just barely) to the OG El Monte location, but I’d be glad to stop by this Santa Ana location next time we’re in the area, and I wish they’d open one up on the Westside. Their Handmade Flour Tortillas remain some of the best in L.A. / O.C.!
Burritos La Palma (Santa Ana)
410 N. Bristol St.
Santa Ana, CA 92703
Tel: (657) 266-0575
Also at:
5120 N. Peck Rd.
El Monte, CA 91732
Tel: (626) 350-8286
The Chori-Man (Revisit)
We had some friends who had never tried this Handmade Chorizo Specialist, so it was a perfect time to just add this to the journey.
Argentinian Pork Chorizo Taco (White Chorizo with Garlic, Fennel and White Wine):
As incredible as before! I love The Chori-Man’s Argentinian White Chorizo Taco: You can taste the Fennel and Garlic, and the usage of Moscato Wine helps add another layer for their Handmade Chorizo offering.
As before, I like how The Chori-Man offers their Handmade Chorizo in the colors of the Mexican flag (Green, White & Red).
Tolucan Green Chorizo Taco (A Southern Mexican-style Green Chorizo with Poblano Chile, Spinach, Garlic and other Spices):
I thought I loved the Argentinian White Chorizo the best, but their Tolucan Green Chorizo is equally compelling: It’s far more herbally, vegetal, but so porky and delicious as well!
Zacatecano Red Chorizo (Chicken) (A Traditional Style with a Guajillo Chile and Paprika Blend from the Raygoza Family Recipe in Zacatecas, Mexico):
Their family recipe, the Handmade Zacatecano Red Chicken Chorizo is the most “familiar” in flavor to what you might think of when you hear “Chorizo.” However, like the other offerings, The Chori-Man’s recipe even for the Zacatecano Red is standout: It’s very meaty and savory tasting, but the Escabeche blend, Guajillo Chilies and Paprika help to really make this shine.
5th Visit:
We thought we were done visiting The Chori-Man (well, with Chorizo this good, it’s a great stop regardless), but thanks to a report from @Dommy we found ourselves back to try this bonus item.
All 3 of their Handmade Chorizo Tacos were as fantastic as before:
The Chori-Man Breakfast Burrito (Russet Potatoes, 2 Eggs & Cheese and Choice of Chorizo (Zacatecano Red Chorizo)):
@Dommy was right! For all of you FTC’ers who love Breakfast Burritos, this is is a glorious, non-filler Burrito filled with The Chori-Man’s outstanding Handmade Chorizo (we chose the Zacatecano Red Chorizo (Chicken) on this visit), which instantly elevates this Breakfast Burrito to awesome!
You get some nice seared Potato chunks, and the Eggs are perfectly cooked, still fluffy, runny yolks, and it’s mainly filled with the incredible Handmade Chorizo (which is not overly salty like most offerings around town). So good!
The Chori-Man
2309 S. Alma St.
San Pedro, CA 90731
Tel: (424) 287-2414
Tacos De Canasta “El Abuelo”
On the way to Tacos Unica, we noticed a new Tacos de Canasta specialist and decided to stop by. Tacos de Canasta (or Tacos El Vapor) are Steamed Tacos, smaller than most offerings.
Papas Y Chorizo (Potatoes & Sausage) Taco:
Their Papas Y Chorizo (Potatoes & Sausage) Steamed Taco was decent. A soft outer exterior gave way to a salty, starchy filling. It didn’t help that we had just had the outstanding Handmade Chorizo Sausage offerings of Chori-Man, so the Chorizo here tasted like a mass-produced, generic, salty blend.
Frijoles (Beans) Taco:
Their Frijoles (Beans) Steamed Taco was better, but rather straightforward. Still for $1.25 each this was an economical way to fill up.
(Cash Only)
Tacos De Canasta “El Abuelo”
2810 E. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90023
Tel: (818) 665-6782
Pepe’s Red Tacos
Thanks to a report from @TheCookie, we decided to visit another Birria de Res (Stewed Beef) specialist that was near La Unica, to see how they compared back-to-back.
Their condiments were very fresh and had a clean layout:
Huesi-Taco (Bone Marrow and Beef Taco):
First, their Birria de Res (Stewed Beef) Taco was solid. Nicely seasoned, not overly salty, but perhaps a bit too meaty and firm for my tastes (compared to the previous 4 Birria de Res places we tried). But still this was a good version in comparison to many disappointing versions.
But the star of this Taco Truck would have to be the Roasted Bone Marrow that comes with the Taco(!). They give you a half of a large Beef Bone split open and there’s plenty of fatty, luscious Bone Marrow within.
If the Birria was more tender, I think the combination of both would be outstanding, but as is, the Bone Marrow was the star.
Quesi-Taco (Beef Brisket Crispy Taco with Cheese):
This was clearly Pepe’s attempt to copy La Unica (down the street): They served a crisped up Taco shell with Birria de Res and melted Cheese within. It was good, but we remembered La Unica’s version was better, but there was only one way to find out…
Consome:
Their Beef Consome was zesty, with a big punchy Beef Broth flavor.
Pepe’s Red Tacos
2720 E. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90023
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9444hBBpz-/
Tacos Y Birria La Unica (Revisit)
Just down the street from Pepe’s is probably one of the hottest Taco Trucks in L.A. right now given the line we faced: 30+ people deep(!), at first I thought there was some special hamster sneaker or t-shirt release and folks were lining up for that. 
But it seems thanks to @JeetKuneBao and others, La Unica’s popularity has exploded.
They have an excellent assortment of Handmade Salsas:
But our favorite is their Salsa de Aceite:
Tacos de Cachete (Beef Cheek Tacos):
Succulent, ultra tender, delicious!
Taco de Birria de Res (Stewed Beef Taco):
It is clear from the first bite that La Unica’s Birria de Res is superior to Gilberto’s, Pepe’s and Teddy’s. Tender, but still meaty, with a great Handmade Tortilla, it’s probably one of the best Birria de Res we’ve tried locally, but in general for personal preference, if we have Birria, it should be Birria de Chivo (Goat).
Birria de Chivo Consome (Goat Consome):
La Unica is truly unique amongst the L.A. Food Trucks in offering both Birria de Res and de Chivo (Beef and Goat Birria). They also offer both Beef and Goat Consome as well, every day(!). The Goat Consome is fantastic, a little gamy, fragrant, full of herbs and not overly salty.
Taco de Birria de Chivo (Stewed Goat Taco):
Their Birria de Chivo (Stewed Goat) Taco came next: One bite and it was clear why we loved it more than Birria de Res: It’s more tender, has a nice gaminess, has more flavor and better texture.
Quesataco de Birria de Chivo (Crunchy Taco with Cheese with Stewed Goat):
Probably their most popular item (we saw the vast majority of people get Quesatacos), La Unica griddles these Quesatacos with Cheese and the end result is like a cross between a Taco and a Quesadilla, with a crunchy outer shell. It’s cheesy, oozing goodness and stuffed with their very good Stewed Goat, and the outer shell absorbs the oil and a bit of the Consome flavor added in. Tasty!
One thing that is plaguing them (perhaps they are too popular), is that their consistency can be slightly off. On another visit (4th visit), their Quesataco had the Cheese starting to harden when we got it:
But generally it was still tasty.
Overall, Tacos Y Birria La Unica is a solid Taco stop to try their signature Quesataco. I like the uniqueness of the half Quesadilla, half Taco feel, but it does get a little greasy after a few bites. My favorite Taco might very well be their Cachete (Beef Cheek) Taco and some Chivo Consome to warm up a chilly morning.
Tacos Y Birria La Unica
2840 E. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90023
Tel: (323) 715-4025
(To be continued in next post, sorry hit Max Character count.)