LA’s annual Taste of Mexico event is like Christmas come early. One ticket, over 30 of Southern California’s best Mexican restaurants, many plates, stretchy pants (that last part is optional).
Conceived in 2010 by some of LA’s most respected Mexican restaurateurs, the Taste of Mexico Association began as a way to enhance and promote the authentic ingredients, flavors and traditions of Mexico’s regional cuisine. Not so long ago, regional dishes were a tough sell for patrons used to eating Americanized versions of Mexican food. But these days, people flock to the Association’s four founding restaurants — La Casita Mexicana, Guelaguetza, La Monarca Bakery and Frida Mexican Cuisine — to get a taste of the regional plates that put them on the map.
The association works kind of like a comadre circle — member restaurants share experiences, industry contacts, and promotional opportunities, in an attempt to elevate and support one another and Mexican cuisine in the U.S. overall. At the heart of the endeavor, is a concern with authenticity and tradition. In an interview with the LA Times last year, La Monarca owner Ricardo Cervantes explained “We had all been in the business for quite a while, and as native Mexicans, we noticed there wasn’t an association like the French and Italian restaurateurs had. There were very few Mexicans judging the authenticity of the food.”
This September 27th, Taste of Mexico boasts it’s biggest and best Mexican restaurant line-up to date:
In addition to all the eaaaaats, there will be plenty to drink at a Tequila Bar, Mezcaleria and Michelada Beer Garden — after all, La Guelaguetza’s Bricia Lopez has an appreciation for tequila and mezcal so well-known Los Angeles bars have named drinks after her. (A woman after my own heart).
To make sure you don’t keel over into a deep food coma from whence you shall never awaken, there will also be music from local band A Poco No!, mariachis and a live art installation from Ernesto Yerena (who you may remember from the Alto Arizona campaign).
For more details, check out the event listing here — the first 50 readers to use the discount code “Remezcla” will get $10 off their tickets!