03.11.08: Pinches Tacos w/guest, Los Angeles, CA

Her spicy pork, nopales, and pollo mole taco plate

Our dear, longtime pal Martin guided us safely to this smashing taqueria he described as 'humble but good'. Accurate, but let Us intensify that second bit: fresh, delicious, well-balanced, and very well-priced.

SHE SAYS: My combination plate of three tacos - nopales (cactus), spicy pork, and pollo mole (chicken) - accompanied by rice and tortilla chips plus pinto bnz, was by far the best Mexican fare of the trip. The firm, juicy cactus, well seasoned and slightly crispy pork chunks, and, above all, the deeply savoury chocolatey mole all had me wanting more, if only I wasn't pushing my waistband limit already. The mole esp showcased the chocolate as it should be in a mole sauce: not sweet, or vinegary, or overly tangy, just richly approaching bitter with a hint of cinnamon for flavour equilibrium. And no wonder, given that it's a family recipe unchanged for 114 years, according to the PR on their website.

The pinto bnz did their best to match all the other goodness going on with a rib-sticking creaminess and a satisfying measure of salt. We shared a Coke since it came in a bottle (seems nicer somehow). And the company of our Mexifood sherpa completed the feeling of good, lively nourishment and pleasure.

His shrimp burrito

HE SAYS: I felt like we redeemed our last Los Angeles Mexican experience with the meal we had this evening. I ordered the shrimp burrito first, which was packed with fresh big ones. The portion was not giant, but manageable. I espescially enjoyed the zestiness of the salsa, which I applied generously like hot sauce.

After scoffing the burrito I couldn't help but order my own mole chicken taco after tasting a little of Hers. The mole sauce was how it should be: a savoury base with subtle sweetness. The chicken was shredded and tender, and the salsa added fresh herby heat. It was great to have fantastic food while we caught up with an old friend before having a few drinks at a bar a few blocks away.

Martin's pork and pollo tacos

29.10.08: Jesse's El Conquistador, Los Angeles, CA

His 'no comment' bean soup and a deadly brew

Lazily following the rec of our B&B host, we headed to El Conquistador, a neighborhood Mexi-dive a few blocks down Sunset Blvd, drawn mainly by the prospect of 'their famous margaritas'. Indeed...

His mole enchiladas

HE SAYS: This was the worst Mexican I've had, including London Mexican wannabes. The mole sauce was very sweet and treacle-like, the cheese was tasteless, and the chicken squidgy and plain. My margarita was pure alcohol with not a hint of fresh limey goodness. This was definitely Mexi-can't.

Her spinach-mushroom enchiladas

SHE SAYS: My spinach-mushroom enchiladas in a 'tangy' tomatillo sauce, w/guacamole, sour cream, refried bnz and Spanish rice, were not really so bad...but they weren't so nice, either. Just a lot of gloop, really, and a bit bland. The salad was the best part, with very fresh mixed field leaves and basic vinegar and oil for dressing.

Her plain but very fresh salad

What made this all a huge thumbs-down for me was the bowl-o'-margarita full of incredibly proof alcohol masked by copious sugar so that 2/3 of the way thru my plate, I realised I was fully smashed. I didn't even get tipsy - went straight to faceplant drunk. He wasn't much less wobbly, and we stumbled back to the room with rocks in our stomachs, unable to head downtown as planned. Boo, hiss!