Ah, Taco Bell, an OG knock-off of Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino.
3 Likes
So funny you should mention that! Saw “Donut King” a few wks ago (thanks, @ElsieDee and @WesSabi!) and then finally tried DK last Fri. The o-nut is pretty good, and the place is curiously an evening hot spot!
3 Likes
Donuts are great for late night munchies.
1 Like
Deleted because HTML is not my friend this morning.
1 Like
Mitla Cafe’s tacos provided the model for the first Taco Bell in 1962, but I don’t think you’d guess that if you compared the two today.
2 Likes
aka ‘tourist tacos.’ Though tbh eating at Taco Bell can be quite the gastrointestinal adventure.
@OCSteve
Me, explaining how the knockoffs go all the way to the TOP:
4 Likes
Yes, I have read about the family split before online. But Newport Seafood is by far the most successful with several JG mentions in LA times as the best Lobster in LA. Several of their trained chiefs have opened then own copy shops selling the exact menu around town.
I have complained before, but I am mentioning it again.
Several years ago. I ordered a 8lb lobster for a party of 10 but the lobster showed up with less than one lobster tail piece per person. But it did come with 24 legs. I called the manager over to explained that one lobster only has 8 legs. His response was the extra legs were bonuses, provided without charge. But where was the lobster meat? Our lobster naturally has less meat!
I assume that they realized that every table will place an order of their famous lobster. They mass proceeded instead of cook to order and put one lobster head and one lobster tail on each plate and scoop what appears sufficient to fill the order. My order was all legs without tail meat. Do I blame the chef or the owner?
Boston Lobster was started by former Newport Seafood chefs
Is that newport place in Beverly Hills?
I think you can definitely see the resemblance, besides Mitla’s tasting infinitely superior
1 Like
If you know which items to compare. I don’t think most things on Mitla’s menu have any counterpart at Taco Bell.
Oh yeah, I was thinking the main thing is the tacos with fried shell, ground meat, etc.
this has been going on at Newport Seafood Santa Ana since the 90’s
Does anyone claim Glenn Bell copied anything other than the tacos?
Used to be, but not anymore.
Replaced by Capitol Seafood.
Not that I know of. Which is why I said:
There was a Tom’s Tacos in Anaheim for at least twenty years. It was identical in taste to Tito’s now. There was some sort of relationship a long, long time ago. I can’t recall now, maybe a long time cook or something. I grew up in Anaheim and eating at Tito’s is to feel 12 again.
3 Likes
When I worked in Culver city in 2011 . My nephew turned me on to tito’s. Straight to the point crunchy taco and salsa
1 Like
Not donut related but I saw Donut King as well and realized that the house the guy had (that he lost) was the huge house on that lake I’ve lived near for most of the past 40 years. I always wondered who owned that place.
5 Likes
Mozza’s butterscotch budino has got to be the most knocked-off LA dessert of all time, some giving credit where credit is due, but there’s also a million recipes on the internet without due credit or claiming it as a “traditional Italian dessert,” though I’m pretty sure it’s about as authentically Italian as Chicken Alfredo.
Gjelina’s caramel pot de creme.
North Italia’s Salted Caramel Budino
Barbuzzo’s (Philly) Caramel budino -claiming credit for it 
https://www.foodandwine.com/news/salted-caramel-budino-barbuzzo
Nostrana’s (Portland) Butterscotch Budino
The Drake’s (Laguna) Caramel Budino
Etc, etc… there’s just too many
2 Likes
I had no idea they were the first, interesting I thought it was always a traditional dessert.