i always think glendora when fresh seafood comes to mind… either that or riverside.
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This space is now a Popeye’s.
Perhaps someone else already commented on this, but did this place move next door to the S. Pas Bristol Farms? Was driving by today and saw a place w/ this name next to Bristol Farms.
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Possibly; the first location was in South Pasadena, then the second location was opened on Rosemead.
I recall there was an issue between Mamma’s Brick Oven Pizza and another South Pasadena place called Nonna’s Pizza (something to do with naming and recipes, maybe) but the details now escape me.
Ah, that might explain why I was so confused today. I was like, “I remember there being a pizza place along this strip many yrs ago, but I don’t think it was here…” After reading your post, I think I was thinking of Nonna’s.
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The original owners of Mammas Brick Oven had a falling out and split up with some continuing to operate Mammas (and open up the second location on Rosemead which has since closed) and some others opening Nonnas farther south on Fair Oaks. After the split Nonnas was better in my opinion but it’s been a long time since I’ve had either.
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Yelp has Nonna’s listed as being closed:
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Anyone try Maquina on Lake & Washington yet?
i want to try the pork belly mole. but i first i want to find it - apparently it’s tucked away inside the mini-mart.
Not tucked away. Don’t know what that was all about on Yelp. That is not the location. 1274 N Lake is the correct address and it is a direct storefront. A jewel. Phenom even if not close by. The tortillas taste like, well, corn 
. Will post pics later. Triparron was my fave.
Hard for me to remember all of what was what. Our order was:
- Shrimp Ceviche - shrimp was a fresh but a little “firmer” than I like for ceviche, inflected with mint, the tortilla chip was excellent!
- Duck (a little overdone for my taste)
- Oxtail/Lengua - delicious
- Lamb with Mint - nice, fresh and definitely lamb)
- Cabeza - crispier than other versions I’ve had, excellent
- Pork Belly Mole - a favorite, pretty unctuous
- Triparron (tripe and chicharron) - top of our list for flavor and texture
- Rib Eye & Lobster - generous with the lobster, very good and worth $
The tortillas are absolutely delicious. Almost a flannel texture with the fresh flavor of corn. Not sure where they’re getting them, but would like to just have warm tortillas and butter some time.
Salsa all delicious, especially the salsa verde, fire roasted and the Carolina Reaper did not disappoint.
Churros are the real deal. Dense with just the right amount of chocolate drizzle.
Worth a visit. Can’t wait to return for more.
!
image|375x500
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I think that is an old location of Maquina. It is now a storefront on Lake just south of Washington on the east side of the street.
Street address is 1274 N. Lake Ave.
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Thanks. Making that correction.
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looks like Jones Coffee moving into former busters/mother moo in South Pasadena. Now Sopas parents can be well caffeinated with Jones or La Monorcha and Kaldi Coffee and keep kids happy with 2 boba spots also at that train track intersection.
yes. maquina originally soft opened inside a liquor store before moving to where it is just a couple of spots south of the BBQ joint south of washington on lake.
the owner greg (former owner of restaurant devon in monrovia - daughter #1 - and restaurant halie - daughter #2 - in pasadena, as well as the bull taco chain - proudly “non-authentic mexican” - he’s half polish, half nicaraguan.) and i chatted briefly -started as a dishwasher at shiro and worked his way up the ladder. he closed down the bull taco chain because he found it way too difficult to enforce quality across all the different locations.
he loves tacos and want to make tacos with quality ingredients - and go surfing. sources his tortillas from kernel of truth organics in boyle heights, i understand that all of his ingredients are locally sourced, even though that cuts into the profit margin. ceviche recipe is adapted from thomas keller’s version, but with more herbs in it. the business is entirely family run - father, daughter & brother help out when possible - wants to avoid hiring to help keep costs down. but on to the food.
i went with a pork belly mole burrito. the pork is reheated on the griddle along with some rice. a squirt of mole (i think more would be better) along with some minced cabbage rounded out the filling, which was nicely textured. i would have preferred a bit more mole, but the lack justified my experimenting with addition of salsa(s) to each mouthful. be careful - one of the salsas is “california reaper” made with some of the world’s hottest chiles.
personally, i have little affinity for the concept of the"gourmet taco", but there’s none of the associated vibe here. the benches, shelves & table tops are all unfinished plywood. the frills are spent on the ingredients, including the salsas at the self serve salsa bar. i typically describe salsa’s by color - i’d describe the ones there by flavor - the salsas with tomato distinctly tasted like tomato in a way i really hadn’t experienced yet. everybody working there is related. the chef likes to make good food with quality ingredients - but he’d rather be surfing. i like the guy - and not because he offered to donate food to my homeless ministry. though if he knew me better, he wouldn’t have asked if i have an instagram account…
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We tried it Friday. Had a fair number of items on the menu—asada tots, ceviche and as for tacos : tripe and chicherones, pork belly, grilled fish, octopus, lamb, and mushroom.
Immediately recognized the blue corn tortillas and thought of kernel of truth, but to be honest most customers will just think it’s a very good tortillas and not much more. He should def promote it. Appreciated the complimentary fried tortillas chips but sadly they were fried pretty uneven.
The ceviche was sadly the worst of what we ate—underseasoned.
As for the tacos, we liked it. There’s minor quibbles with each taco (lamb slightly dry and yes could have used more mole etc) but overall flavors there. Couldn’t stop eating the asada tots—the asada was very well marinated and cooked and also prob bc I haven’t had tots since jr high. 
A poor-man’s version of guerilla tacos.
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Agreed the tortillas were the best part about the tacos I got. I would have liked more salt in the fillings I ordered (lamb, pork mole, tripe + chicharron) but good start so far.
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Ha, I remember Greg from the early Shiro days. He always had a surfer 'tude then as well. I think his dad may have bankrolled his early restaurant ventures.
Tried this today. The cooking seems leisurely. Crepes are pretty good but rather expensive. The baguette sandwiches seem a better deal. But at any price the crepes can’t compare to grabbing a hot one on Boule Miche.
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