Monday, January 08, 2007

Casa Diaz and the 2007 LA List

Casa Diaz carnitas tacos. Photo courtesy of The Great Taco Hunt.

A few days ago, I asked y'all to help me get outta my dining rut. Between your comments and a perusual of my fellow LA foodbloggers, I've got a list of low-end, east-ish, new-to-me joints to get me started. The goal? Trying at least one of these every couple weeks until the list runs out. I'll keep ya updated on the progress, and if you have places for me to add, please list them in the comments.

The striver that I am, I've already crossed one of the list: Casa Diaz, a taco spot down the street. While the James Beard awarded two-blocks-away Yuca's is my standby, the Great Taco Hunt has convinced me to expand my horizons. Like Yuca's, Casa Diaz has a jolly matron to take your orders. Unlike Yuca's, the menu here includes fried bananas with black beans and sour cream--a dish I can't refuse--as well as agua frescas like tamarindo. A generous plate of the fried fruits, plus two carnitas tacos, only $1.25 each, drizzled with a spicy red salsa and thin avocado sauce, made my Saturday afternoon quite sunny.

The 2007 Erin's Kitchen Cheap To-Eat List (in no particular order)

Angeli Caffe (thx, Gastronomy 101)
Annapurna (thx, Kalyn's Kitchen--it's not east, but she's not a local, so it counts)
Casa Diaz (via Taco Hunt)
China Islamic (thx, Chez Shoes)
El Huarache Azteca (thx, Chez Shoes)
Golden Deli (thx, Anon)
Gueleguetza (via myself)
Halal Tandoori (via Eating LA)
La Curva (via Foodie Universe)
Los Balcones de Peru (via All Kinds of Yum)
Noshi Sushi (thx, Rachael)
Paris Baguette (via LA Ritz)
Soot Bull Jeep (via Colleen Cuisine)
Zeke's Smokehouse (via Best of LA)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I recommend J&J, which I blogged about recently and Dona Rosa and Porto's.

And although both chains, Hurry Curry and Curry House are worth a try as well.

And also Saladang/Saladang Song in Pasadena for Thai.

Rachael Narins said...

You will love Noshi...maybe we'll see eachother there!

xoxo
Rachael

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmmmm .... fried bananas.

***heart***

Anita (Married... with dinner) said...

oh, those carnitas look quite worthy.... (drool)

Anonymous said...

My car keys were lost for 28 hours. I could not eat a morsel that whole time. I found them 1 hour ago. This said, when I saw those carnitas tacos and heard about that agua de Tamarindo, my hunger level shot through the roof. Boy, could I use some of that right now...And every mexicans medicine, salsa. Too bad my grandma's house is too far away.....Yumm. I wil be having taquitos today for sure!!Thanks.

Anonymous said...

aah... i still haven't made it to los balcones to make good on the recommendations i posted! here's to 2007 being the year it happens =)

also, i must second h.c.'s recommendation of Porto's. it was love at first sight for me and that place.

Erin S. said...

fanciful twist--oh no! Sorry to hear about your keys. Hope you got your tacos.

H.C.--thanks for the recs. Will definitely add J&J to the list--I've already tried the rest (all good!).

Tannaz--perhaps we should make a date to meet up at los balcones?!?!

Anonymous said...

What a delicious adventure!

Anonymous said...

how about a really good seafood buffet ? One that offers live lobsters, boston oysters in black bean sauce, scallops on the half shell, peking duck with double folded buns, hibachi grill, sushis, sashimis, throw in some polish sausage, smoked ham, and much more ? *grins* Know any that fits that selection ? Take a guess ! :)

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