Taco Death Match 2024 is upon us, Long Beach. Ten taqueros and chefs from Long Beach and L.A. battling in the ultimate competition focused on SoCal’s favorite food. They were asked to create special “ofrenda tacos” that honor dead loved ones in honor of Day of the Dead. Those tacos will then be paired with a beer from a local brewery. Each will be judged by both professionals in the field and the festival patrons—as in the very spirit of of ofrenda competitions found throughout Mexico.
In addition to the tacos, there will also be plenty of tequila tastings. Which also means some shopping. Which then, also accordingly, means some ultra-special VIP perks. And entertainment. Because this is all for the chance for a taquero to proclaim victory in the ultimate Taco Death Match.
Los Reyes del Taco Sabroso
What kind of Taco Death Match creation? The one created by and for Mexico City—with a touch of their abuelita’s legacy.
It is clear as to why Los Reyes del Taco Sabroso is participating in Taco Death Match 2024. And that is because the love they have for both Mexico City and Long Beach is unparalleled. The Montesinos family—led by father-and-mother, husband-and-wife Carlos and Patricia (or whom the family lovingly calls “Chef Patito”) with the heft of their two daughters, particularly Chef Karla—is also deeply connected to their family in Mexico City.
“Every year, many families place offerings and altars are decorated,” Karla said. “Cempasúchil flowers. Confetti. Sugar skulls. Bread of the dead. Adobo. Mole… Some dish that their relatives liked to whom the offering is dedicated, and just like in pre-Hispanic times, incense is placed to aromatize the place.”
In that spirit, the Montesinos will be honoring their late abuelita, who passed on Nov. 3 last year. While it is hard for each family member to speak about her—each well up when talking about how food was the epicenter of their grandmother’s home—she is well represented in this taco that uses a blue corn tortilla as its base. On top of that? An adobo sauce that melds morita, guajillo, and arbol chiles with the flowers of hibiscus and marigold to create a tangy, slighty spicy concoction that coats chunks of succulent pork perfectly.
Tacos La Carreta
What kind of Taco Death Match creation? The one that’s already taken home the gold at one of the most loved taco competitions in SoCal.
I first wrote about taquero José Manuel Morales Bernal Jr. back in 2020 when they first moved to Long Beach. And I discovered that much of what José learned he knows from his father, who was born in Mazatlán. The city’s love for carne asada is so pervasive that nearly every corner has the sweet smoke of carne grilling.
As first reported by Bill Esparza over at Eater LA, the pandemic is what caused Junior to shift toward tacos. He lost his nine-to-five position handling linen—and knew dependence on such jobs isn’t secure enough. With that, he decided to offer his (and his father’s) famed tacos in a more regular fashion. And that meant a food truck. Parked at 69th Street in North Long Beach, just across from the Paramount border.
The following years were nothing short of a stellar year for Morales and the whole Tacos La Carreta team: Not only did his truck land a coveted spot on Los Angeles Times critic Bill Addison’s 101 Best Restaurants list—joining Long Beach brethren Ammatolí and Selva— but it was also named Best in Show at the 2023 TACO MADNESS event hosted by LA TACO.
2024 is proving no different: Morales opened a 35-seat brick-and-mortar at a West Whittier strip mall location and now bounces between his truck in North Long Beach and his restaurant. For Taco Death Match, he’ll be offering the taco that won him the gold at TACO MADNESS and dedicating it ot the people of Sinaloa: the mighty “Torito,”
Asadero Chikali
What kind of Taco Death Match creation? The one from the abuelita Sonorense.
Mexicali-style tacos—carne asada wrapped in flour tortillas—have a rich history in SoCal. There’s the classic Mexicali Taco & Co. in DTLA, which taco lover and expert Bill Esparza said was likely what introduced Angelenos to the mighty Mexicali-style taco. But before that, there was Tacos El Coty, a food truck founded in the early 2000s by José Luis and Rosa Pérez.
That pair happens to be the parents of José Pérez Jr., the owner of Asadero Chikali, the Mexicali-style food truck legend launched on Atlantic Boulevard in East L.A. in 2018 before opening its formal brick-and-mortar in Inglewood. Inspired by his parents own truck, Chikali has built up a rightful cult-like following with José (and Rosa)’s takes on guisados ranging from beef barbacoa to their famed chicharrón en salsa roja.
“For Taco Death Match 2024, we’re doing costillas con nopales,” José said. “This dish was passed down from grandma’s side to my father. When my mother moved in with my Dad, they moved into his parents’ house—so she learned a lot from my grandma in terms of cooking. When special occasions came around, because money was tight, that’s when this would be made. So when you asked me to make a taco that reminded me of my ancestors, this is what immediately came to mind.”
Unlike the traditional salsa roja or verde that is usually slathering the ribs, José has opted for a chile blend—guajillo, pasilla, and California—that is reminiscent of barbacoa or birria. Simmered for hours, a bit of potato and cactus are then added. The result? A bit of magic.
Los Dorados L.A.
What kind of Taco Death Match creation? The one made of gold.
In the words of Los Angeles Times critic Bill Addison, the “flautas from Los Dorados are mind-shatteringly crunchy.”
Starting off in Highland Park as a sidewalk popup in July of 2019, owner Estevin Orozco Torres came to define tacos dorados with Los Dorados L.A. A gift from his father-in-law Adolfo Martinez, the art of the flauta is mastered at Los Dorados by two things: A corn tortilla whose moisture ratio is controlled to provide the consummate crunch and a handful of fillings that don’t overwhelm the patron. Papas. Shredded chicken. Shredded beef. Papas con chorizo.
The result? An upgrade to a wee chapparita, whose food truck presence on the streets blew them up even more. That landed them an actual storefront in East L.A. on Alhambra, where their crema-y-salsa slathered tacos dorados are served up on the daily. While the space long ditched their classic lamb barbacoa in favor of its shredded beef cousin—something Estevin calls “somewhere between a barbacoa and birria”—the fact that Los Dorados has survived by keeping it traditional, simple, and consistent makes it one of L.A.’s most charming taco stories.
