Los Angeles has its fair share of Cuban cuisine and a few Puerto Rican spots but the food of the Dominican Republic has been scarce — until now. Dominicans are the fastest growing Hispanic population in California. With new residents, comes new food. Writer and ever-curious eater Bill Esparza takes us to a restaurant, a truck, and a couple of pop-ups showcasing Dominican food. Stews, dishes mixing beans and rice, and potato salad distinguish Dominican food from Mexican and Central American flavors that may be more familiar to Angelenos.
At the Karribean Cuisine food truck, parked off of La Cienega Boulevard near the 10 freeway, chef Ilonka Garcia feeds her fellow New York transplants. Esparza recommends the guisado with sofrito, a blend of onions, peppers, spices, and cilantro. The bean and rice dishes rotate daily to accommodate regulars. Garcia also serves tres golpas, a traditional Dominican breakfast of fried cheese, eggs, mangú (mashed plantains), and fried salami.
For a while, her truck was the only game in town, Esparza says. These days, you can also visit El Bacano in North Hollywood. It's run by brother-and-sister duo Jonathan and Deany Santana, who rely on their grandmother's recipes. They came from Anchorage, Alaska specifically to open a restaurant. Whatever you order, Esparza suggests washing it down with their popular morir soñando (which means "to die dreaming"), which recalls an Orange Julius. El Bacano is also the only local place where you can find a chimi burger, a patty with slaw that's served at street stands throughout the Dominican Republic.
Pop-ups The Dominicans, in Downtown LA, and El Coro Café, which takes pre-orders for pick-up- in Glendale, round out Esparza's guide to LA's Dominican cuisine. At the latter, Esparza recommends New York comfort dishes like Dominican lasagna and Dominican spaghetti.
Ilonka Garcia parks her food truck off of La Cienega near the 10 freeway. Photo by Matthew Kang.