Avenue 26: Affordable and Addicting

If you spent a lot of time out of the country, a sight you might be familiar with is that of street vendors selling cheap food. No matter where you’ve gone to, chances are you’ve seen these sellers before. However, back in America, the closest you get to street food are food trucks; which, while selling what is (by definition) street food, does not capture the essence of simplicity and humility you get from seeing those vendors manning their stalls. For some, like myself, the excitement of watching these people prepare their food in front of you takes me back to my roots (Malaysia, in this case), regardless of where the food actually came from.

That being said, Avenue 26 captures the essence of the excitement behind street food. There’s some theatrics, some vibrancy, and plenty of personality packed into that Los Angeles alleyway. For $12 (cash only), you can get a whole meal, from entree and drinks to dessert, and be reasonably filled by the end of it.

Source: Tiffanie C., Yelp — Source: Tiffanie C., *Yelp*

Walking down Avenue 26, you’re greeted with the sights and smells of the taco stand. In this taco stand, there is a plethora of meat laid out in front of you and prepared in different ways. In one segment, there is meat being cooked in its own juices. In another, pork hung up on a shawarma-styled spit. In the narrow corridor between the fence and the stall, you’re gripped but nothing but the smells of spices and the feeling of heat from the flames. Being called to take your order, you have to think on your feet. No room for indecision. Once one of the people manning the station asks you what you want for your order (in this case, I ordered one of everything, summing up to $5 - or $1 per taco), they will assemble your taco lightning quick. And I mean lightning quick. You see a storm of them throwing your taco and the meat onto the plate. A flurry of motions that I couldn’t keep up with. It’s indescribable. When done, you pay and walk over to the station where you can top your taco. Here, you’re introduced to a multitude of options - two to three types of sauce, limes, chopped onions.

Two of the three sauces were intensely spicy. One was a green sauce that had an avocado base. The other was a brownish sauce with a smoky chili flavor. Both, simply delectable, especially on the rich meat placed on the taco. When you order one of each, an array of different meats prepared in different ways assails you; from lengua, to intestine, to the classic al pastor. The quality of the meat was absolutely amazing. Beautifully tender, juicy, and clean. You could tell how much care was put into the preparation of the meat. Coupled with the acidity of the lime, the heat from both the different types of sauces… It was mesmerizing. Everything was balanced together beautifully, and washing everything down with horchata ($2) was immensely satisfying.

If you weren’t full after completing the tacos like I was, you could walk down a bit to the nearby churro stall, Churros El Bochito - unmissable due to the bright signage and (sometimes there) Dodgers blue VW Bug. For $5, you can get a bag of churro bites, prepared fresh right in front of you. These churros are beautifully golden-brown, not overwhelmingly sweet, and have a light crunch that doesn’t have that doughy finish.

Source: Timothy L., Yelp — Source: Timothy L., *Yelp*

All in all, this was a satisfying (and nostalgic, in a sense) experience for me. Coming back here took me back to the days where we were able to travel and take in the atmosphere of new places, absorbing those now-familiar, yet distinctly unknown and individual sights and sounds. This is definitely the place to visit if you wanna get out of your house and breathe a bit. It’s like traveling to another country, at your doorstep. You will enjoy it, and you will be coming back for more, that I can assure you.

Itadakimasu Score:

Value: 5/5. The quality of the meat is fantastic. Having a complete meal of this quality for only $12 in total is a total steal.
Portion Size: 5/5. It depends on your appetite. It’s more than likely that the tacos will fill you up, but there are other options if you come hungry, as I did.
Presentation: 5/5. The fact that it’s prepared in front of your face with lightning speed is something to behold. Though simple, it has color, especially when dressed with the sauces.
Service: 5/5. Very quick and responsive on all fronts.
Cleanliness: 4/5. This is more so due to the environment around the place. As this is on a public road, there may be some litter left unattended. Trash cans are a long walk away if you parked far. I recommend bringing your own trash bags.
Ambiance: 4/5. Loud, but exciting. Occasionally some loud cars drive by, but it’s not that big of an issue. I recommend bringing your own foldable chairs, especially if eating with other people.

Total Score: 28/30

Name: Avenue 26 Taco Stand + Churros El Bochito

Address: Ave 26 & Humboldt St. Los Angeles, CA 90031

Price Range: $

Order:

5 Tacos ($1 Each)

Horchata ($2)

Churro Bites ($5)

NOTE: CASH ONLY