La Troca Catracha

🇭🇳 HONDURAS
📍 Wilshire Blvd. & S. Ardmore Avenue, Koreatown, Central Los Angeles
🅿️ Street Parking
💲 Cash and Zelle only
🥤 No Alcohol

It was not so long ago that El Troca Catracha was a nondescript shade of dull green that might be called pistachio, a color that was easier to miss than see and drew no attention. Nowadays the street-facing side of the truck is an unmissable bright yellow and adorned with a large blue and white flag of Honduras that covers more than half the length of this kitchen on wheels.

While Koreatown and further east have no shortage of Honduran and Central American restaurants, the reason for this specific location is of course the Consulate General of Honduras located just a block away. In addition to Hondurans taking care of passport and visa business, these blocks are busy with the consulates of Ecuador, Kenya, Indonesia, Philippines, and Paraguay with others a few blocks farther down the boulevard. It is always a fascinating mix of humanity coming together around the high rises of Wilshire Center.

While waiting for an order, you are likely to see Hondurans come over after exiting the consular building; smiles returning to their faces as breakfast or lunch starts to heal the awfulness of dealing with paperwork and immigration bureaucracy. On the back of the truck the flags of four other Central American nations are joined by the waving Honduran flags, a beacon to any of the nation's neighbors. Hondurans at home eat pupusas just as much as they do here in Los Angeles, so the truck has always offered these to provide a broader base.

You are just as likely to see faces light up coming from the opposite direction from the adjacent Wilshire/Normandie D Line station as many riders get off the train to do business here on the boulevard. The truck keeps hours that generally mimic those of the consulates, getting going mid-morning and gone by mid-afternoon.

Baleada "La Especial" con carne molida.

A baleada is probably the standard bearer of Honduran cuisine, and from the outside looks pretty harmless. In its most simple form it is a thick and chewy handmade flour tortilla with thin layers of beans and cream, and a dusting of crumbled cheese. This truck's baleada "La Especial" ($6.50, above) adds to those three ingredients with avocado, scrambled egg, and your choice of ground beef, carne asada, chicken, chorizo, or pork chop.

It is big enough to fill most bellies on its own, and the special version allows the tastes of the truck's delicious meats to shine through as most ingredients of a baleada are decidedly subtle. The ground beef is spiced thoroughly and wonderful, going back to the simple version might be difficult for meat eaters. Next time the bold chorizo will probably be chosen.

Since they are sitting in sauce, the taquitos dorados de pollo (above) are a good option for those that want to eat immediately at the truck. While still crisp, the fried tortilla rolls shatter loudly with each bite, giving way to the shredded chicken stuffed inside. Make sure to get that sauce, plenty of the cabbage garnish, and mayonnaise in each bite to round out the flavors and moisture.

After baleadas and depending on your mood for breakfast or lunch, the truck offers two platos tipicos (typical plates) which each offer a wide selection of items that are common on Honduran plates during any meal. The desayuno tipico (below) centers around two eggs cooked any way you prefer and two thick corn tortillas that are made to order.

Along with most plates, there will also be beans, a square of cheese, and a slice of avocado. The breakfast includes fried sweet plantains and sweet cream to dip them in, and despite not looking like much is about the perfect combination of tastes. The upgrade to these tasty tortillas from boring toast might be an adjustment for those that grew up on American-style diners, but it is hard to go back once you get hooked.

The almuerzo (below) is also a plato tipico and is designed to get much more meaty during lunch and replace those eggs. You can choose a pork chop or pan-fried chicken, but the move here is the carne asada. Whatever your choice, it will be joined by a small link of chorizo, beans, cheese, rice, and a pepper and onion that have been blistered by the grill.

The cut of carne asada will surprise you coming from a truck, perfectly marinated and generous. White rice is cooked in Honduran style, oily and full-flavored with butter and a pinch of salt. This is definitely easier to eat at home with a real knife, and thankfully travels pretty well as long as the tortillas are still warm when you get back.

Round out any meal here with a bag of Zambos (below), plantain chips that can come with or without various types of flavoring. The zesty ceviche option is perfect with lime and chili flavors. After a bag of these at the end of a meal you will start feeling the "Soy 504" that the truck emblazons on its side. Just like people from various parts of Southern California use the 818, 626, and other area codes to take pride in their home, Honduras's country code is used just the same.

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