As always, Bill Esparza has his ear to the far-away ground, this time breaking details on the upcoming brick and mortar from El Cristalazo, a Sinaloa-leaning underground dining operation that he previously covered for LA Mag.
Now, according to his latest post, El Cristalazo is going legit (following a run-in with the authorities, apparently) with their own La Puente storefront. The popular unlicensed mariscos spot is a current darling of the semi-legal dining scene, having amassed 11,000 followers on Instagram while showing off their unique cuisine from Escuinapa, Sinaloa.
The plan is to open this weekend under the same El Cristalazo name, selling an expanded version of their popular seafood menu. That means lots of raw shrimp, lime marinades and ceviches to go along with their popular shell-on shrimp tamales. Look for an unveiling in the coming days.
El Cristalazo
1665 N. Hacienda Blvd.
La Puente, CA