Los Chicanos

Making a great taco is the hardest discipline in the culinary handbook. Alex Stupak, of Empellón, explained it precisely when he wrote: “I thought tacos would be an easy entry point… a tortilla, some salsa, a filling. Simple enough, until the first night of service arrived and the complexity of a well-made taco became maddeningly clear.”
Tacos demand preparation, and planning, and Scott Holder of Los Chicanos understands those two core truths about the taco business. As Los Chicanos menu states boldly: “Tacos are carefully put together and ingredients can not be changed.” Amen to that. You don’t buy a Swiss watch, then ask them to customise it for you: perfect is perfect.
Los Chicanos tacos are fluent in the flavours of Mexico, and punky like the street food vibe of LA. Scott has a lot of experience working in top-end places, but his true character is revealed by the way in which he gets tacos: he understands the art, and the form, and the art form. Bite into that Baja fish negro taco, with white cabbage and avocado, and the world of tacos opens up to you. The experience is almost hallucinogenic: this simple thing, these simple ingredients, and yet the experience is utterly transporting.
It’s that magic moment, recalled by Rene Redzepi in his introduction to the book, Tacopedia, as he remembered his first taco eaten in Mexico: “That perfect bite made it a moment I’ll always remember, sitting on those plastic chairs in the tropical heat.”
So, when the handsomely adorned Los Chicanos truck pulls up at Elliot’s Cash & Carry, it’s time for a deep dive into Mexican culture. It’s time for salsa macha cauliflower with jalapeno crema, or lamb barbacoa with tomatillo mint sauce. It’s time for that perfect bite, that moment to always remember.