>> Taรญnos LA | Eat the World Los Angeles

Tuesday, 24 January 2023

Taรญnos LA

A full order opened and laid out on the table

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ท PUERTO RICO
๐Ÿ“ 9020 Owensmouth Avenue, Canoga Park, San Fernando Valley
๐Ÿ…ฟ️ Parking lot for pickup customers
๐Ÿฅค No Alcohol

EDITOR'S NOTE: This location is a shared commercial kitchen space (ghost kitchen). Orders are placed online for pickup or delivery.

The question of the husband and wife team that run the brand new Taรญnos LA ghost kitchen at the northern edge of Canoga Park is the question of many other relocated New Yorkers that have chosen a life in Southern California: "Where in the hell is the Puerto Rican food?" While there is one excellent choice in Cypress, and a couple other less excellent options sprinkled around town, there is far from an abundance of the cuisine from this distinct island.

At the beginning of December the new pickup and delivery kitchen quietly opened up in the same spot that Natureal Foods originally started, but word began spreading quickly through the city's small Puerto Rican community with videos on Instagram and TikTok showing very excited eaters. In this corner of the Valley there is really nothing like it, so anyone can really get behind the success of Taรญnos LA, created by a chef from Puerto Rico and her husband who came to Los Angeles about ten years ago after twenty years in New York City.

Empanadilla de pollo

Despite the name of the kitchen, which refers to the indigenous peoples that once flourished on the island and many surrounding neighbors in the Caribbean, the menu here is a representation of the modern pork, beef, rice, and plantain-heavy Puerto Rican diet, foods that were introduced after colonization. They first started showcasing their cooking to friends and other connections in the San Fernando Valley, and this business is the next step in the process of reaching more people with a food that remains quite rare in the region.

Each main entree is large and filling enough for two people, but Taรญnos LA also offers a good range of tasty fried goodies to supplement meals with here like empanadillas ($4 to $5 each, above) that can be stuffed with chicken (as seen above), beef, or even pizza, a kids favorite that you will see all over Puerto Rico. While you might be tempted to call this an empanada, that is a completely different dish on the island.

Alcapurria

The second fried starter that was sampled was the alcapurria ($5, above), a ground beef fritter that is unique because the dough surrounding the meat is made with yucca, plantain, and a bit of pepper. This can be enjoyed with the house mayo but is even better with a kick from their delicious pepper vinegar sauce that comes with any order.

For folks that have grown up and spent their entire lives in Los Angeles or other places without much Caribbean representation, the most unique dish to try from Taรญnos LA is probably their mofongo, which can be paired with shrimp, skirt steak, or roasted pork shoulder. The shrimp gives you the opportunity to enjoy their lovely garlic sauce and simultaneously ruin the day of anyone you have a conversation with after eating it.

Mofongo y camarones al ajillo

The mofongo y camarones al ajillo ($22.99, above) is pretty much a show-stopper, pounded green plantains are joined with more garlic, salt, olive oil, and stock and fried before being paired with the meat of your choice. In restaurants you will sometimes see this served in decorative wooden pilones, the vessel used to mash the plantains and other ingredients.

If you are in the mood for pork, like Puerto Ricans always seem to be, you can choose it with your mofongo or as a plate with an order of pernil con arroz y gandules ($15, below). Thick, fatty cuts of the pork shoulder are overlaid on arroz y gandules, rice that has been simmering with a tomato-y sofrito, more pork, and pigeon peas. If you do not order a dish that comes with this very Puerto Rican rice preparation, grab a side of it from the vendor with your order.

Pernil con arroz y gandules

Carne guisa

The beef stew known as carne guisa ($14, above) is the island's version of a hearty meat and potatoes meal, and comes with plenty of gravy and a side of white rice. Big, thick cubes of beef take most of the volume of the container, which holds a deceptively large amount of the stew. The potatoes and carrots are cooked perfectly, and the seasoning will take you straight back to wherever you enjoyed your first Puerto Rican home-cooked meals.

The same can be said about the asopao de pollo ($14, below), a chicken and rice soup full of the flavors of the island. Whether with chicken or shrimp, this soup might be found on the weekly specials section of their menu, so grab it if it is available. The liquid of the soup itself almost fully soaks into the rice, creating a thick flavor bomb in each bite, but even adding some water at home when warming it back up did not take away from the enjoyment.

Asopao de pollo

Tostones

You can and should make sure there are plantains in your order, and they have plenty of ways to make that happen. The simplest of these options are orders of tostones ($4, above) and amarillos ($3, below), savory and sweet versions respectively. As indicated by the price, these are on the small side, so order multiples if you desire a full plate of either.

With nothing in the order instilling any feelings of disappointment, Taรญnos LA is obviously a big upgrade for Los Angeles. It will be great to see if their business takes off enough that they can move into a full restaurant and become a permanent fixture in the city. Fingers are crossed.

Amarillos

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ท

I COULD USE YOUR HELP
Eat the World Los Angeles is and always has been free. It is a hobby born of passion and never solicits money or free food from restaurants. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better please tell your friends about us and if you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World Los Angeles is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

Thank you!
VENMO: @JAREDCOHEE
CASH APP: $JaredCohee
PAYPAL: (no account necessary, use link)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.