Asadero Chikali Keeps the Mexicali-Style Magic Alive
There is magic in a sidewalk taco stand — ephemerality, serendipity, synergy — that can be hard to replicate in a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
What to order
- I have loved these tacos for almost a decade, but to be honest I visited the brick-and-mortar with some trepidation: would they hold up? The answer is a resounding yes — in particular, a carne asada taco on a flour tortilla, at once juicy, salty, and laced with smoky char. Get it Chikali style with beans and guacamole, and add fixings like pickled onions, lime, and salsas from the many little ramekins provided with your order.
- Crispy vampiros are a lovely change of pace and a good match for silkier meats like barbacoa or carne desebrada. The textural juxtaposition feels thoroughly satisfying, even if the braising liquid introduces some structural instability.
- A guisado sampler remains a shrewd choice: Pick half of the dozen or so stews and build your own tacos with the included tortillas. I particularly like the carne con chile, bistec con papa, and chorizo con huevo.
Insider tip
If you prefer plastic folding chairs and limited hours, or if you live east of Western, the Asadero Chikali stand still sets up in East Los Angeles, but only for breakfast and lunch.
Best for
This permanent location is far from Asadero Chikali’s East Los Angeles roots, and distressingly far from me personally, but it is extremely convenient to the glitzy new arenas in Inglewood. It’s an ideal stop before SoFi Stadium for the World Cup, the Intuit Dome for a basketball game, or Cosm, Hollywood Park, the Forum, or wherever else. And if you’re the kind of saint who picks friends up from the airport, a carne asada taco is a better first meal in Los Angeles than a Double-Double.
