Tacos Árabes, One of LA’s Best Street Vendors, Gains a Shiny New Truck in Boyle Heights

After seven years working out of a plain trailer, Los Originales Tacos Árabes de Puebla held a big opening party of their new food truck last night, complete with a gorgeous wrap decorated with home state motifs of agaves, hummingbirds, Popocatépetl volcano, and the trompo (vertical spit). Alfredo Villegas and his wife Mercaed Villegas, were joined by their children Yesica, Arely, Cristian and Alfredo Jr., and around 100 family and friends who braved an exceptional chilly Los Angeles evening. The opening ceremony that included a blessing by a priest, mariachis, an outstanding mole poblano prepared by Mercaed Villegas. Oh, and a pretty awesome decorated cake.

Originally from San Pedro Zacachimalpa, Puebla, Merced and Alfredo have been known for their serving traditional tacos árabes (roasted pork tacos on a special flour tortilla) on Boyle Heights’ celebrity taco row (East Olympic Boulevard) and at food events. Last year they appeared on chef David Chang’s Ugly Delicious on Netflix with LA Times writer and Taco USA author, Gustavo Arellano, as well as the late Pulitzer prize-winning writer and LA Times food critic, Jonathan Gold. In addition to their new set of wheels, Los Originales Tacos Árabes de Puebla has expanded their menu of Pueblan cuisine.

The truck will offer a bigger menu of cemitas poblanas (Pueblan sandwiches served on a sesame seed bun), traditional Pueblan quesadillas filled with squash blossoms and huitlacoche (corn smut), Pueblan-style molotes (fried stuffed corn masa turnovers), tostadas (pickled pork trotters, beans, or chicken), and chalupas (thick tortillas fried with salsa). But, no visit to one of LA’s finest street vendors would be complete without a taco árabe, their especial (taco árabe with Oaxaca cheese), or a taco oriental (roasted pork taco on a corn tortilla).

The truck will be open this weekend and by next month they plan to set up somewhere near Downtown LA during the week. They’ll continue to serve in Boyle Heights on the evenings and weekends while operating in Downtown during the day on weekdays.

Los Originales Tacos Árabes de Puebla
3600 E Olympic Blvd, Boyle Heights, (213) 453-0193

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