On Saturday, I had one of the best meals of my life – one of the biggest meals, but also one of the best. Evan and I traveled to Bell (yes, that Bell) to La Casita Mexicana for a lunch feast.
Evan has been teaming up with Street Gourmet LA’s Bill Esparza on a few street food pop up dinners. The night of Ricky’s Fish Tacos, I helped out by waitressing. Let me make one thing clear: I am not a waitress. I just don’t have the skills – I couldn’t keep the table numbers straight, I kept filling out the ticket incorrectly, it was bad. That night I served a large table of Mexican men from Bell. I spoke a little Spanish, served them Michiladas, and got their orders wrong. They were the loveliest people and I was thrilled to find out that they own a Mexican place in Bell, CA. As it turns out, Jaime and Ramiro, the owners, are like royalty. They’re on Univision frequently, are friends with El Piolin and continually churn out some of the best Mexican food in the Southland.
Since that day, I’ve been hounding Bill Esparza to take me to La Casita Mexicana and this past Saturday he did. Evan, Bill, my friend Lara and I headed down to this small restaurant for a huge feast. Jamie and Ramiro just kept bringing out food. Plates and plates of unbelievably flavorful chiles, fish, moles, cheese, tortillas, desserts, soups… After the meal, I headed next door to La Tiendita, their little storefront selling Mexican candies and delicacies. I picked up some coffee, sweets, and peanuts. I drove home so happy… and didn’t eat for the next 36 hours.