Finally made it out to this market! Pardon the terrible picture, I literally had to take it while stopped at a light:
I got the pollo y papas fritas (fried chicken and fries). As described in the article, the fries are flavored with some kind of seasoning salt that was very reminiscent of Lawrys or something paprika-heavy over which they sluice on a green salsa (no heat to speak of), mayo and ketchup. The fries and chicken were freshly fried and generously portioned but not particularly crisp. Even so, at $7 it’s really hard to complain and the crowds of people certainly mean they’ll have no shortage of customers.
A couple of caveats: the market is Spanish-speaking only, cash only but that was expected and totally fine. However, at 6:30PM on a Monday the parking was absolute murder. I think if I were to go again it would be either around 7PM (since some of the parking restrictions open up around then) or after 9PM.
Next time I visit I think I’ll check out some of the other dishes mentioned in the article like the dobladas, churrasco or recados.
I love this place. All the fried chicken people are clustered on Bonnie brae just north of 6th.
For parking I recommend the giant Home Depot parking lot. It’s always easier for me than street parking.
It’s more north and west, but wanted to give a quick shoutout to my favorite Guatemalan street food people over in Beverly and Edgemont.
They sell tamales and garnachas. The tamales are some of my favorite, a more moist and greasy mass than traditional Mexican tamales. It gives it a more custard like texture. They don’t skimp on the meat in the filling, last time I got a whole drumstick inside
Thanks for the food and parking recommendations! I was thinking about the Home Depot parking lot- it’s not like they were towing and they were central to the follow up article so they must be somewhat used to it.
I park in the lower lot and walk up the stairs just to confuse anyone watching
Newest piece from Tejal Rao!
Not a bad write up but I think Bill Esparza’s Eater article from the original post is a little more informative (and no paywall).
Fun fact: Sixth and Bonnie Brae was a famous heroin market drive-through in the nineties.
Chow mein tostadas?
I need to make a return visit!
At least when I was in Panama there were a lot of people of Chinese ancestry with plenty of markets and restaurants. Don’t know if Guatemala is the same could be something there of the sort