Restaurant: Guelaguetza

Location: 3014 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90006. (213) 427-0608

Date: February 2, 2020 & February 17, 2023

Cuisine: Oaxacan Mexican

Rating: Best black mole I’ve ever had

My brother got a couple recommendations recently as to good Mexican places in the city and so me and the family decided to try out this famed Oazacan joint:

Guelaguetza first opened its doors in 1994 by immigrant husband and wife Fernando Lopez and Maria Monterrubio. Since then, our goal at Guelaguetza has been to showcase the best of our family recipes and stay true to authentic Oaxacan ingredients. Guelaguetza’s mission is for all of its patrons to live and experience Oaxaca through all of its dishes.

 Today, Mr. and Mrs. Lopez are retired and have paved the way for their children, Paulina, Fernando Jr, Elizabeth and Bricia Lopez.  This new generation of Oaxaqueños has taken upon themselves the responsibility of not only continuing their family’s restaurant success but also expanding its legacy.   Recently they launched their online retail store where fans can purchase Guelaguetza’s famous mole and signature Michelada mix. The Lopez’s have undoubtedly become ambassadors to Oaxacan cuisine in Los Angeles.

Their hard work, dedication and love for their culture have earned them features and mentions in publications such as Los Angeles Times, Jonathan Gold’s 101 essential restaurants, The New York Times, GQ Magazine, Esquire, Los Angeles Magazine, Oprah Magazine, The New Yorker, Travel and Leisure, Sunset Magazine and others.  Most recently, Guelaguetza was awarded The James Beard Award for the American Classics category, the most prestigious award in the culinary industry.

The interior is a mashup of modern (ductwork) and classic Mexican restaurant.

They have an extensive bar too.

The menu.

Cadillac margarita. Tasty!

Nachos with red mole and cheese. Delicious, sweet, a touch spicy and oh so heavy!

A selection of 5 moles.

VERDE.
QUESILLO FUNDIDO. Melted Oaxaca cheese, grilled chorizo, mushroom and a small side of guacamole served on a hot skillet. served with kernel of truth organic corn tortillas. Vegetarian option available — we didn’t get it. This was delicious, heavy, and very hard to get out of the pan (it stretched behind the spoon).

Vegetarian Quesillo Fundido. Melted Oaxaca cheese, vegetables, mushroom and a small side of guacamole served on a hot skillet. served with kernel of truth organic corn tortillas.

Chorizo.

Corn tortillas. Probably fried in lard.

Small side of guac. A bit creamier than I like my guac.

Ensalada de Nopalitos. Tossed cactus salad with cherry tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and roasted guajillo peppers. Very interesting and pleasant flavor.

TAMAL OAXAQUEÑO DE MOLE NEGRO CON POLLO. Black mole chicken tamale + black beans and rice. It’s hard to appreciate how large this is — above the size of a Roman brick. Just as heavy too. The mole is amazing. The sweet corn paste rich and tasty, the chicken very tender. It was great and sat in my stomach like the brick it was :-).

Small salad that comes with the dinners. They had squeeze bottles of zesty Italian and ranch dressing.

COSTILLA DE PUERCO ENCHILADA. Pork Ribs seasoned in a chile arbol, chlhuacle, morita, pasilla and guajillo paste. Served with rice, black beans and green salad, grilled jalapeños and grilled onion.

CARNITAS GUELAGUETZA. Our version of pork carnitas. Served with salad, guacamole, black beans and pico de gallo + Large handmade tortilla.

Assorted meat plate including grilled tasajo, cecina, chorizo and oaxaca cheese. Served with rice, black beans, cactus salad and green salad. The chorizo was a touch dry. The flat meats were well interesting, but mole (which I added on top) is so strong it hardly mattered what was under it.

Festival de Moles. 4 individiual servings of mole negro, mole rojo, coloradito and estofado. Served with Shredded chicken on the side, rice and a large handmade tortilla.

Beans.

Tortilla and rice for the moles.

Botana Oaxaqueña. Assorted tasting platter of the best of our grilled Oaxacan meats. Includes chorizo, tasajo, cecina, chile relleno, carnitas, Oaxaca cheese, grilled onions and cactus. Served with guacamole, frijoles de la olla with nopalitos, and 14 memelitas. Serves 4 (this is the half size, the “full” size serves 8!).

Large guac.

Beans.

Tortillas with cheese.

Quesadillas Fritas. Quesadillas made with queso Oaxaca , epazote and our house-made masa. Fried. Two per order. Served with guacamole or refried black bean sauce.

Giant vegetarian “pizza” with crispy shell, beans, veggies etc.

Gluten free something.

Yar! Ghostly skeletal praline pirates are marauding — Pecan Pirate Praline Gelato — An eggy Texas Pecan base layered with my creepy skull-shaped New Orleans style Vanilla Bourbon Pecan Pralines and Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Pumpkins — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #vanilla #bourbon #pecan #praline #candy #halloween #spooky

There is a little market at the front with moles, drinks, to-go desserts etc.

In the back was a huge mural of the Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo. I only recently discovered his work, but the late great man is recently deceased and left humanity an enormous body of fascinating, brilliant, and often disturbing works in every medium imaginable.

Overall, Guelaguetza was some of the best Oaxacan I’ve made. The mole in particular were stunning. Portions are large, prices are reasonable (considering the former), and it’s a fun place. It is heavy. The corn flour / fat combo sat in my gut for 36 hours like a giant ball. But worth it!

Hiss to anti-immigration orange authoritarians who bash on outsiders. Why would you eat overcooked steaks and burgers all day when you can have mole like this?

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