Most Latinos chuckle when they hear the truck’s name, a modismo used to say, “Don’t f* with me!” The PG version – “Don’t mess with me!”

Their most popular sandwich, El Cubano, laden with slow-roasted pulled pork, ham, grilled onions, mustard, pickles, and drizzled with their famous secret sauce oozed melted Swiss cheese when I took a bite.  The crunch of the hot-pressed Cuban bread and yellow mustard took me back to the sandwich my Grandpa used to make (minus the pork).

To compliment El Cubano, Manager Will Guerrero recommended the Maduros, sweet soft plantains. If you feel like venturing outside your plantain comfort zone, ¡No Jodas! Kitchen also fries up Tostones, crunchy and salty plantains, and Mariquitas, plantain chips.

Although the most popular sandwich is the Cuban sandwich, Willy’s favorite is the Medianoche, literally meaning “midnight”. It derives it’s name from being served in Havana’s night clubs around or after midnight. The only difference between this and El Cubano is that the Medianoche has SWEET Cuban bread.  I typically like to keep my sweet and savory flavors separate, but this is a sandwich worth trying.

To catch ¡No Jodas! Kitchen, follow them on Twitter: @NoJodasKitchen

Discover more on Latin food trucks in L.A. with Takosher: http://www.latininla.com/takosher/

I first had the pleasure of tasting Taco Nazo at Tony Plana’s celebrity golf benefit two years ago.  Stationed at the 11^th hole, Taco Nazo fed ravenous golfers including Oscar De La Hoya who frequents the La Puente location.  Oscar proudly pointed at the Taco Nazo truck and told me, “these are MY favorite tacos.”

Keeping the business within the family, Thelma’s parents still own the location in La Puente, her brother owns the restaurant in Bellflower, and their compadres own the restaurant in Walnut.  Thelma and her husband own the locations in La Habra, Azusa and South El Monte.  On top of successfully maintaining the Taco Nazo legacy, they have raised three children who all love fish tacos just as much as them.  Although they get weekly calls from salivating parties interested in franchising Taco Nazo – have no fear.  It doesn’t sound like Taco Nazo will ever turn corporate.  Thelma’s 10-year-old son already takes ownership of the restaurant boasting to those who visit that he has helped make it the success that it is today.

At 10:00 AM on Sunday, the crowd started trickling in.  Most ordered the ever-so-popular fish taco – lightly fried and browned to perfection, topped with shredded cabbage and pico de gallo, then drizzled with their secret cream sauce.  The merry of flavors combined with the warmth of the tortilla and fish followed up with a bite of the chili guerito melted in my mouth.

For those of you who prefer non-fried foods, you can order a grilled fish taco, which is just as tasty, and a ceviche tostada.  The grilled fish taco is not on the menu but they are more than happy to make it for you.

If you like spicy foods, you will love the chilies gueritos that Taco Nazo serves on the side of every dish.  They are lightly fried (not battered), and rolled in a sweet and picante mix of spices.  I could eat a whole tray of them!

Thelma’s favorite dish is the shrimp burrito, which of course, we had to try as well.   The shrimp was breaded and fried like the fish, and rolled into a large flour tortilla with cabbage, pinto beans, pico de gallo and their signature cream sauce.  The contrast between the shrimp, beans, and cream sauce make it like no other burrito you’ve tried before.

The great thing about Taco Nazo is that everything is made-to-order.  That means, food isn’t pre-made and sitting around on warmers waiting to be served.  Instead, they batter the fish and fry it while you wait.  They even prepare each seafood cocktail with special loving care by mixing in the sauce, lime juice, and spoons of pico de gallo in each glass.

We aren’t the only ones who agree Taco Nazo serves the world’s best fish tacos.  Ryan Seacrest recently called Thelma, on behalf of KISS FM, to congratulate her on winning the title of Taco Madness Champion based on votes by fans.  Battling against 63 contenders, Taco Nazo received 55% of the votes!

If you cannot make it down to one of Taco Nazo’s six locations, they do cater large and small events.  For more information call 1-866-333-TACO (8226) or call your nearest location: http://www.taconazo.com/.

Last week we posted a blog describing our visit to Homeboy Industries located in Chinatown. At the end of our tour, my mom and I popped into the Homegirl Café, a division of Homeboy Industries. The café also assists at-risk and formerly gang-involved young women and men get back on their feet through employment by training them in restaurant service and the culinary arts. Homegirl Café features an innovative menu of contemporary Latina fare.

Chef Pati Zarate from Guadalajara, Mexico first worked with Father Greg Boyle at Dolores Mission where she prepared meals for those in the community and catered events. Realizing the power among those sharing a meal, she opened a restaurant in Boyle Heights, which eventually turned into Homegirl Café.

We arrived at Homegirl Café at 11:30 and therefore, beat the lunch rush. Our waitress introduced herself with a smile and quiet confidence that showed her comfort with herself and her job. You could tell she enjoyed her job – it was home.

While my mom and I scanned the menu, another homegirl brought us chips and salsa. On a side note, both are available at Ralphs! Homeboy Industries is trying to strike a partnership with Albertsons and Trader Joe’s as well. To support their effort, don’t forget to tell your local grocery store manager you would LOVE for them to sell Homeboy’s chips and salsa too.

We ordered lentil soup to start. ¡Qué delicioso y fresca! When I was little, my Grandpa used to always make lentil soup. It was his specialty. Homegirl Café’s lentil soup tasted just as fresh and brought me back home.

Lentil soup

Carne asada, green chicken mole, and pork carnitas tacos

Homegirl Café offers a unique selection of tacos and the best part is that you can pick any assortment. For $8 you get three, or you can order a la carte for $3 each. My mom ordered the carne asada, green chicken mole, and pork carnitas. Our favorite was the green chicken mole with serrano peppers, roasted pumpkin seeds, and cilantro. It boasted more flavor than the other two tacos with a nice balance of sweet and spicy.

Red chicken mole on a cactus leaf and white fish taco

I ordered two tacos – the red chicken mole on a cactus leaf and the fish taco on a corn tortilla. You can substitute a cactus leaf for a tortilla with any taco for $1 more. This was the first time I had seen cactus leaf served as an alternative to a tortilla. I was pleasantly surprised! The substance of the leaf was durable and provided a mild taste that complimented the mole sauce. Please keep in mind that I am a health nut and love any food that is healthy and different. My second taco was safer and equally flavorful with white fish, cabbage, jicama slaw, a nice light crema fresca, morita salsa, and cilantro on a corn tortilla.

Martha's Salad

To get our share of greens, we split Martha’s Salad full of farm fresh produce – zucchini, cucumbers, jicama, apple, mango, carrots, green beans, green peas, onions, bell peppers, and roasted pumpkin seeds accompanied by citrus vinaigrette. I ordered the dressing on the side, as I normally do, in fear of it being too heavy. The vinaigrette was actually light and had a nice lemony flavor.

Homeboy Bakery cakes

Unfortunately, we were too stuffed to order dessert. I recommend saving room! They bake all their goodies at the Homeboy Bakery and they looked delicious.

Overall, we loved the café for its innovative dishes, fresh ingredients and its use of local produce, and friendly service. The portions are small given the price but well worth it in order to support Homeboy Industries’ cause. I will go again.

Homegirl Café: 130 W. Bruno Street, Los Angeles, CA; (213) 617-0380 www.homgirlcafe.org

Read our previous blog about Father Greg Boyle’s lecture on gang rehab and our tour of Homeboy Industries by clicking HERE.

For over 23 years, Father Greg Boyle and his team at Homeboy Industries have been helping former gang-involved youth and those at-risk clean up their lives by providing them with the resources needed to obtain jobs, training and an education. Homeboy Industries advocates “Jobs not Jails.”

Fr. Greg Boyle speaking at Los Angeles Religious Education Congress

You may best associate his name with being an alumni of Loyola Marymount University, author of Tattoos on the Heart, former pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, founder of Homeboy Industries, and/or Father and mentor to many…among a multitude of others acts of service.

“You are the Mother Teresa of Los Angeles,” said one woman after hearing Fr. Greg speak at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. And, she is exactly right. His story compelled me to visit Homeboy Industries.

“The homies are experts in humbling me,” said Fr. Greg. One homie came to his office eager to tell him about his night prior. This young homie had been walking home late at night from King Taco and passing a homeless person sleeping on a park bench he stopped, took off his sweater and laid it on the homeless man. After a thoughtful pause, he continued, “I’ve been on that bench.”

I love that Fr. Greg always brings a homeboy or girl to assist when possible. He’s taken hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them; many who have never been on a plane. He gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership; gets them acquainted with socializing in mainstream society, and as a result strengthens their presentation skills.

Fr. Greg shared, “Our hope is to offer homies containment, we hold them and then you watch through love saturated with kindness. Neurons get rewired by this secure attachment…Our task is to infuse them with hope because hope is foreign.”

Homeboy and tour guide Erick

Last week, my mom and I scheduled a tour of Homeboy Industries situated between the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail and Chinatown to see this life saving non-profit in action. A homeboy greeted us kindly and asked us to sign in and take a seat while he found us a tour guide. The lobby was bright – natural light spewed in through the large windows – and bustling with energy. Homeboys and homegirls were engaged in conversation with one another, laughing, and taking care of business. There were chairs set up in rows similar to how you would see them at the DMV, on which homeboys sat awaiting their names to be called (for one of homeboy’s multiple services) as they watched the news on a large HD TV hanging high in the corner.

We were introduced to homeboy Erick – our tour guide. He was kind, well spoken and patient allowing me to shoot video of him on my phone. From employment services and mental health therapy to G.E.D. classes and free tattoo removals, Homeboy Industries offers a multitude of programs to help homeboys and girls get back on their feet and re-enter into society.

“Homeboy Industries’ mission statement is “Nothing stops a bullet like a job.” On-site businesses are run by homeboys and girls including: Homeboy Bakery, Homegirl Café & Catering, Homeboy Merchandise, Homeboy Silkscreen and Embroidery, and Homeboy Farmers Market.

What can we as individuals do to help? Father Greg encouraged that we ask our parish to reach out to detention facilities and see how we can provide support. You may also donate to some of their programs via their website: www.homeboy-industries.org.

If you’re interested in taking a tour of Homeboy Industries, call: (323) 526-1254. They do tours Monday-Friday from 9AM – 2PM. 130 W. Bruno St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

To read our blog on Homegirl Café, a division of Homeboy Industries, click HERE.

This is your last weekend to visit In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women of Mexico and the United States at LACMA.  As the first exhibit devoted to women surrealists who worked in Mexico and the U.S., it is definitely worth seeing.  With nearly 50 female artists from around the world, we focused on the Latina women including Frida Kahlo, Rosa Rolanda, and Doris Lindo Lewis.

Los Dos Fridas (The Two Fridas) - Frida Kahlo

As women yearned to identify themselves as independent, creative thinkers and escape from the sterile, conventional institutions of church and family, they sought expression through exploitation of their dreams and subconscious.  Surrealism led the way to feminism.

Autorretrato (Self-Portrait) - Rosa Rolonda

In November, we covered the Miguel Covarrubias exhibit at the California African American Museum in which we saw this highly influential, forward thinking Mexican artist bring his love of the Afro culture inspired by the Harlem Renaissance to life.  In 1930 Miguel married Rosa Rolanda, dancer, choreographer and later surrealist artist.  They traveled the world together including Mexico and Africa.  In later years, Rosa learned of Miguel’s involvement with another woman – younger and a dancer like herself – and the two divorced.  This self-portrait, done in 1952, screams off the canvas with the emotional turmoil that overcame her with the thoughts of losing her husband and her youth.  Like many of Miguel Covarrubias’ paintings, we see a collision of cultures within her portrait – bright colors, movement, and images of dancing – characteristic of the Afro culture, combined with Mexican influences in her clothing and images of skeletons.

Autoretrrato con collar de espinas y colibrí (Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird) - Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

Rosa Rolanda was introduced to Miguel’s good friend Diego Rivera who married Frida Kahlo (his second wife).  Rosa and Frida became lifelong friends.  From polio at age six which left her with a crippled leg to a near death accident at the age of 18, which resulted in a broken collarbone, spinal column, leg, foot, ribs and pelvis; and pierced uterus, Kahlo was forever scarred with the inability to have children and haunted by physical pain.  Kahlo endured over 35 surgeries on top of surviving a tumultuous marriage to Rivera.

Balada para Frida Kahlo (Ballad for Frida Kahlo) - Alice Rahon

Alice Rahon from France and a good friend of Kahlo’s painted this portrait in memory of their joyous friendship and the festivities – ferris wheel, riding horses, etc. – that they shared in Paris.

Mamscape - Doris Lindo Lewis

We have covered only a small portion of all of all the beautiful masterpieces from the In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women of Mexico and the United States at LACMA.  The last two days to see this exhibit are today and tomorrow (Sunday) from 11 AM to 8 PM.

Jennifer Turnbull with Tara MacKenzie

For more information on the Los Angeles Museum County of Art visit: http://www.lacma.org.

5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90036, (323) 857-6000

As luck or talent would have it, Miguel found himself mingling in the circles of New York’s literary and cultural elite of the Harlem Renaissance.  This led him to illustrating for highly acclaimed magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Fortune.

Very innovative for his time, Miguel was the first artist to represent African Americans with dignity.  He instantly fell in love with the Harlem jazz scene, which allowed him to capture the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance.  His artwork pulsated with energy, passion, and glee as seen in his bright-colored painting Couple Dancing on the Beach With Three Percussionists in Background and his 1927 illustrated book Negro Drawings.

Taking frequent trips back to the south of the border, Miguel met and became confidante to Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.  His early exposure to diversity and close relationships that he formed with men and women of all ethnicities and color, infused his artwork from African to Afro-Mexican and Afro-Cuban to African American themes.

Miguel Covarrubias was commissioned to paint six murals that symbolized the theme of Pacific Unity for the 1939 Golden Gate Exposition.  One of these life-sized murals on display at the California African American Museum best represents his artwork in a greater context bridging the gap between people of all races.

You can see the African Diaspora in the Art of Miguel Covarubbias at the California African American Museum next to the Coliseum.  Curator Mar Hollingsworth shared the intricacies of Miguel Covarrubias’ work with us opening our eyes to another world.  The museum has the largest compilation of Miguel’s work ever seen in the U.S.  In fact, many of the pieces are on display for the very first time in the U.S.

This exhibit is a definite must-see.  Luckily, you have time.  The exhibit runs until February 26 and is always free.  During this time, there will be other activities you can participate in to further connect with Miguel Covarrubias’ work.

For more information visit: http://www.caamuseum.org.  California African American Museum: 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles 90037

Pancho Villa, the “Robin Hood” of the Mexican Revolution, mobilized the people in the north and Emiliano Zapata led the people in the south. Zapata would call the battle a war of “Tierra y Libertad” or “Land and Freedom”. His mantra that “la tierra es de quien la trabaja” or “the land belongs to he who works it” would resonate throughout the country.

On Saturday, Latin in LA was invited by Abelardo de la Peña Jr., Director of the Mexican Cultural Institute at Olvera Street, to come down to celebrate the Mexican Revolution with Dr. Gloria Arjona, a professor at Caltech. Dr. Arjona took us back into history with an educational presentation mixed with her singing revolutionary ballads or “corridos” while she played the acoustic guitar. Her red, stylishly cut shoulder-length hair, bright smile and friendly face filled the room with tranquility and warmth. The quaint one-roomed gallery had black-and-white photos from the revolutionary days, hanging on its walls courtesy of the Mexican Consulate.

I sat in the back of the room listening intently and taking rigorous notes feeling the excitement of my college classes coming back. Halfway through the presentation, she shook me from my trance, asking that I come to the front of the room to show the audience my “soldadera” outfit. Yes, I had dressed up in the attire of a woman revolutionary soldier. I can never pass up an opportunity to dress up.  Little did I know I would be the only guest in costume!

Women had a huge role in the Mexican Revolution. In a fight for equality, they voluntarily enlisted – rich and poor, educated and uneducated. Some enlisted to avenge the death of a husband while others had no choice – they were raped and kidnapped, forced to join the battle. These “soldaderas” or women soldiers endured miserable living conditions scavenging for food and warmth. Many got pregnant and had to continue to march on with the other soldiers. They had their babies along the way, raising their children as they forged onward in battle.

The Mexican Revolution of 1910 was a success that resulted in the 1917 Mexican Constitution, land and education reforms, as well as workers’ rights as they were finally represented in government.

The Mexican Cultural Institute is celebrating the Mexican Revolution in L.A. until Sunday, November 27, 201l. For more information on the exhibit, please visit: http://mexicanculturalinstitute-la.org/ or http://www.facebook.com/MexicanCulturalInstitute

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently put a portion of a $15.9 million grant towards a revitalized nutrition program called “I’M IN”.  Through this grant, and over five years, LAUSD has committed $50 million to vegetarian school meal options.

We caught up with Latina Chef LaLa – classically trained chef, certified nutritionist and sought-after spokeswoman who runs her own high-end catering business, SAVOR!, in Los Angeles.  On August 29^th, she attended the unveiling of the “I’M IN” campaign at the new campus, Rancho Dominguez Preparatory School.

Latin in LA:  What is the “I’M IN” (or “ÚNETE” en español) movement about?

Chef LaLa:  The “I’M IN” program was launched by LAUSD and is meant to help students, teachers and the community at large.  The campaign is designed to raise awareness about new healthy meals to help fight childhood obesity as well as encourage attendance and dropout prevention.  Kids with better nutrition do better in school.

Latin in LA: You call this program a movement which is a very powerful word…Why?

Chef LaLa: Wellness and children being healthy IS a very powerful thing. When you do a lot of small changes, you get big results.  By providing healthy meals and encouraging exercise, children are more motivated to go to school and ultimately, have healthier lives. It’s a domino affect to success.

Latin in LA:  What’s your role in the program?

Chef LaLa: I thought he menus that were designed by the chef and LAUSD were great so I decided to become an advocate.  As a Mom myself, I worry about what my son eats during the day.  Is he getting the necessary nutrients that he needs in order to grow healthy and strong?  It’s great to know that your children are not only receiving meals that meet the FDA requirements, they are actually eat them.

Chef LaLa: Let me tell you, I went in there to taste the food because I wasn’t buying it.  I got those awful metal pan-type of lunches that I HATED.  So, I was one of the kids who used to bring my lunch.  I didn’t care if it was free, or reduced, or whatever.  And no, these are AMAZING.  I mean, I was sitting there eating my tamales, pozole, chilaquiles, quinoa – it’s awesome what they’ve done.  Not only are they providing great meals for kids, but they’re also introducing other cultures through food.

Latin in LA: What are some of the new dishes and what are they replacing?

Chef LaLa: They’re replacing corn dogs, sloppy joes, chicken nuggets…all the junk food…and replacing them with fresh fruits and veggies from local markets; foods with no added salt, color, animal fat, preservatives, sugar…no additives.  They are adding culturally relevant foods like Latin, Italian and Mediterranean.  There are a lot of vegetarian dishes now too since there are a lot of different needs now out there.

Latin in LA: What is your role in the program?

Chef LaLa: LAUSD approached me and told me what they were doing.  And, I said, ‘I’m in! I want to be in!’ Often times we hear all this drama on the news so we start to worry about our children.  I want to be able to tell the parents this is what is happening at your school district; this is what’s new; and this is what you can look forward to in the upcoming year.

Latin in LA:  Why is it important to offer a multicultural menu?

Chef LaLa: You feel a sense of pride that your culture is being recognized. There is a nostalgia for people at home.  Maybe you grew up 2^nd or 3^rd generation, let’s say for instance Latino or Indian; you might be able to reconnect and say ‘Oh wow!  This is my culture.’  It’s almost like a social study of food.  You get a little peak into each culture with every bite to see not only where you came from, but also where your friends came from.  A wide variety of foods provides a wide variety of nutrients which is what this program is all about.

Latin in LA:  What healthy habits can kids take home with them?

Chef LaLa: Everything is portioned out so kids learn what a good portion looks like.  And, they’re used to eating breakfast, lunch and dinner so their energy level is maintained.  When you start exploring with foods, it opens your eyes to a whole new world and you realize, ‘Hey, healthy food is good.’  I remember when I was growing up, healthy food meant rice cakes, yuck!  These are healthy versions of real dishes.  The tamales are REALLY tamales.  I remember when I went to the meeting, they must have thought ‘God, what a toughy!’  I said, ‘If it’s not good guys, I’m not eating it.  You can’t call them chilaquiles if they’re nasty.’  They were nice and crisp, they had fresh salsa on top; they were actually better than the chilaquiles I know because we have that salsa that is processed.  They were just yummy.

Latin in LA:  I have one final question for you Chef LaLa…Are You In?

Chef LaLa: I’m totally in, I’m totally in, 120%.

To connect with the “I’M IN” campaign on Facebook visit: www.facebook.com/ImInLAUSD.
To learn more about Chef LaLa, visit: http://cheflala.com.

You leave the clutter of concrete and traffic behind and enter a world of earthy woods and stone.  With bright murals, colorful hand-sewn table linens, and a little shop displaying native arts and crafts you feel welcomed into Ofelia’s home…Oaxaca.

From mole negro and goat tacos to empanadas and cactus fruit sorbet, Monte Alban offers a diverse, delectable cuisine carefully prepared with the freshest ingredients.  As the Chileans and Peruvians debate over who originated pisco, so debate three states in Mexico who claim to be the originators of mole – Oaxaca, Puebla, and Tlaxcala.  One thing we know is that Oaxaca is the home of mole negro (black mole).

Preparing mole is no easy feat.  From toasting five types of chilies to then air drying and crushing them, this is only the beginning of a 15-day process.  Ofelia’s recipe for mole negro is her Mother’s and has over 33 spices.  Over generations of trial-and-error, Ofelia and her Mother have perfected a balance of flavors.  The chilies and spices are married with avocado leaves, olives, capers, bread, banana, almonds, raisins, garlic, tomatoes, sugar, animal crackers (a discovery they found that gave it the ideal consistency), and last but not least…dark chocolate.

On the 15th day when ready to serve, the decadent sauce is mixed with chicken broth to simmer and served over either a juicy, boiled chicken breast or salmon.  The exquisite dark sauce compliments your food rather than overpowers it.

As I approach the last bites of my chicken, I have soaked up every last drop of mole.  I am always tempted to ask for an extra cup of sauce but instead control my impulse to overindulge and let my satisfaction settle in as I smile with content.

Monte Alban:  11929 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90025, (310) 444-7736
SUNDAY – THURSDAY 8:00 am to 11:00 pm and FRIDAY – SATURDAY 8:00 am to Midnight