Mexico City Twitterocracy Takes Down Lady PROFECO at Chef Eduardo Garcia's Maximo Bistrot

Chef Eduaro Garcia of Colonia Roma Norte's Maximo Bistrot

Tolucan Chef Pablo Salas of Amaranta


This past Saturday night in Mexico City's colonia Roma Norte, the arrogant daughter of the Mexican capitol's consumer protection agency, or PROFECO, Andrea Benitez Gonzalez, drew a maelstrom of international condemnation on twitter for closing the popular Maximo Bistrot because she didn't like the table they offered her during a busy time at the restaurant.


When Andy--her nickname--showed up to a packed house at Maximo Bistrot without a  reservation and had to wait for a table, the privileged brat of Humberto Benitez Treviño became increasingly agitated. Restaurant staff offered her a table inside as soon as some seats opened up, but she demanded a table on the patio; when they couldn't accommodate her, she threatened to get her dad's office to come pay them a visit.

The Munchies, People's Choice Food Awards: Voting Ends April 30th, Make Your Voice Count

Our leader in all things delicious, Andrew Zimmern, has hand picked a panel of 26 experts chosen from blogs, restaurants, blogs, books, pod-casts, and even TV for The Munchies, People's Choice Food Awards. These culinary celebs picked nominees in the categories of Terrific Taste makers, Best Bites, and  Delicious Destinations--hey--L.A.'s rep is a stake here, so you'd better get the vote out my fellow Angelenos!

The voting ends on April 30th, so there's still plenty of time to select your favorite taco, pizza joint, T.V. host, food truck, or craft brewery from all across the U.S. Local nominees include Roy Choi's legendary Kogi Truck, Sang Yoon's burger at Father's Office, Pizzeria Mozza, Pink's, and--Los Angeles itself.

Click here to vote from now until April 30th--the Munchies--where you are the taste maker!      

The First Annnual Tacolandia drops on 6/23 at the Hollywood Palladium. Come Join the LA Weekly and I for the Ultimate L.A. Taco Party

Well, let me say it has been a couple years of dedicated work behind the scenes to see this finally happen--I'm having my first big event on Sunday, June 23rd at the Hollywood Palladium called Tacolandia--with a little(not so little) help with my friends at the L.A. Weekly. A portion of the proceeds will go to Homeboy Industries, an organization that's been doing good in the hood, making L.A. tastier and safer.

It will feature over 30 vendors that have been hand picked by me, with the goal of putting together a unique event to celebrate one of the city's most beloved foods--the taco. You've been to events with fleets of "gourmet trucks"--I love them too--and you've been to fancy chef fests in which you paid a $100+ ticket where you've also had some great tacos, but on this day we will celebrate mom and pops, my personal relationship with Baja California, stands, traditional loncheros(catering trucks), and taquerias at what will be the tastiest and most approachable food event ever produced in L.A. Street food should be inexpensive in price and luxurious in flavor my friends.

Tacolandia is Los Angeles--we live in an urban sprawl covered in outlaw street stands and tables, old school taco trucks, taquerias, modern taco concepts; shiny,shrink wrapped gourmet trucks serving global tacos; chef driven taco carts, and hipster taco trailers. From the barrios of Boyle Heights to Huntington Park; from the after hours hits in Highland Park to Silver Lake; from the strings of dim white globes that are festooned above sizzling meats along the avenues and  boulevards of East L.A. to South Central; and from the West Side to the Oaxacan coffee scented block of Mateo St.--L.A. is a land of tacos.

There will be no two vendors alike--there will be friends from Baja (Chef Javier Plascencia, La Guerrerense, Tacos Kokopelli, and Mariscos El Mazateno will be there), and it's just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from the Hollywood/Vine metro station.

Tickets go on sale April 18 at 10am, and check the website for updates on confirmed vendors.        

Thanks for your support, and I hope to see old friends and make new ones at the first annual Tacolandia.

Tacolandia
Sunday, June 23rd
Hollywood Palladium
12pm-5pm       
$20 admission, for tacos only
$40 admission, for tacos, beer, and tequila!!
Follow Tacolandia's event page on Facebook
Follow LAWeeklyStreet on Twitter

Street Gourmet LA About Town: My Latest Street Food Tales in the Digest

Links, links, and more links!! Plus, stay tuned for a big announcement this week--I can't wait to share the news.

Los Angeles Magazine Digest  

Los Angeles is becoming a tortas ahogadas kind of town in Vitamina T: Tortas Ahogadas Guadalajara--these are the best traditional tortas being done in the United States.

Indian street food cleans up its act in On Street Food Cleanliness.

100% Authentic Zacatecas style birria de chivo at the best practitioners in L.A. serve a mean, young goat in Vitamina T: Birrieria Flor del Rio's Goat Birria Tacos.

How Peruvian is Paiche--the new restaurant by Chef Ricardo Zarate? Read all about it and find out why!

You haven't lived in L.A. until you've tried Guatemalan rice tamales in Vitamina T: Tamales de Arroz in MacArthur Park.

The first South American pope--a porteno--is truly a man of the people--it's Malbec, empanadas, and chinchulines for everyone in How to Eat Like the Pope.

Chefs Joshua Gil and Daniel Snukal are serving up the best tacos and tostadas on the west side in Vitamina T: Tacos Puntas Cabras Bay Scallop Taco.

Why pay high prices on Melrose and La Brea for spicy meat when you can get your tinga on at the Mercado Olympic in Vitamina T: Mexico City Style Tostadas at the Mercado Olympic.

The World Street Food Congress is happening in a couple of months and Chef Bryant Ng of L.A.'s Spice Table is representing L.A. for the event being held in Singapore.  

Chef Ray Garcia's tongue taco staycation is the best in the west, where brunch turns into a yuppie taquiza with a view, right next to the Pacific Ocean.

Well, that's a lot to digest, but make sure and let me know if you go, and let me know what you think.

Provecho!

Street Gourmet LA Love on NBC Latino

All things avocado at the Mercado Metepec near Toluca

My blogger profile in NBC Latino's Food Blogs We Love, by Nina Terrero. Check it out!