Taqueando with Bill Esparza

All hell has broken loose at LA TACO. Following the firing of longtime reporter Memo Torres, the departure of Izzy Ramirez, and a series of increasingly contentious public statements, one of Los Angeles' most beloved independent publications finds itself at the center of an extraordinary controversy.

Bill Esparza and Rob break down the entire saga, from the ethical questions surrounding Torres' relationship with a California state senator to LA TACO's handling of the fallout, its ownership structure, and allegations of newsroom dysfunction. Bill also opens up about his own complicated history with editor-in-chief Javier Cabral, including a little-known story about how he landed the book deal for L.A. Mexicano.

Then, in a stunning late-night twist, Torres publishes his side of the story while Bill and Rob are recording, prompting an emergency addendum and a whole new set of questions about LA TACO's future.

Plus, the guys recap the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants celebration, the growing influence of Latino chefs on LA's dining scene, and some of the list's biggest surprises.

It's an unusually explosive episode of Taqueando, and nobody is holding back.

Los Angeles, we have a wet trompo problem. And Bill Esparza has had enough.

This week on Taqueando, Bill and Robert Haleblian get to the bottom of why so much of LA's beloved al pastor is drowning in adobo. From Angel's Tijuana Tacos to the legendary trompos of Mexico City, they break down what separates a truly great taco from a soggy imitation, why the traditional taco brigade matters, and where to find the best al pastor and adobada in Los Angeles.

But first, Bill has some words for Danny Trejo. Following news of the actor's involvement in a controversial film depicting an ICE agent, Bill reflects on his own history with the Hollywood icon, the disappointing tacos he once gave a pass, and why he's now calling for a boycott of Trejo's restaurants.

Plus, an unforgettable seafood takeover at Sāntō, a Holbox collaboration at Paseo, and plenty more from Bill's latest adventures across LA's dining scene.

On this episode:

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Why LA has a wet trompo problem

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Angel's Tijuana Tacos and the economics of street tacos

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The secrets of Mexico City's greatest al pastor

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Bill's favorite al pastor and adobada spots in LA

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Danny Trejo, ICE, and a Hollywood icon's controversial career decision

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Seafood, chef collaborations, and the latest Antojitos Rundown

This is Taqueando, where Mexican food, culture, and the people behind it always come first.

Part of the Acquired Taste Media network.

Taqueando has a new home! Search “Acquired Taste” on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and follow the feed for new episodes of Taqueando with Bill Esparza, alongside The LA Food Podcast and Compliments to the Chef.

This week: are Mexico City’s most viral tacos worth the hype? Bill and producer Robert Haleblian dig into Michelin-starred taquerías, La Once Mil, and the influencers steering tourists toward luxury tacos. What happens when premium ingredients get more attention than the traditions, family recipes and neighborhoods that make Mexican street food special?

Plus, Bill shares favorite Mexico City taco stops and reports back from LA’s Chef’s Conference.

Follow Acquired Taste now so you don’t miss what’s next.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

This week's Taqueando is available on the Acquired Taste podcast feed! Bill Esparza sits down with Heritage Barbecue's Danny Castillo to uncover California BBQ's Mexican roots, celebrate forgotten barbecue pioneers, and discuss the future of Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano. Plus, Bill shares his latest LA restaurant adventures and revisits the controversy surrounding Asadero Los Ángeles.

To hear the full episode, head to the Acquired Taste podcast feed and subscribe! That's where you'll find all new episodes of Taqueando, alongside more great food conversations from across Los Angeles.

Bill Esparza is back answering your questions, your DMs and, yes, your hate. Bill and Rob tackle the backlash over their LA mariscos guide, what makes great ceviche and aguachile, oyster red flags, King Taco’s place in taco truck history, the best pozole and chile en nogada in Los Angeles, Coyoacán recommendations and Bill’s perfect day of eating in LA.

Plus, the Antojitos Rundown covers Loreto, Broken Spanish Comedor, Holbox, Disciples of the Corn and Mariscos El Tambo.

Important: Taqueando is moving to the Acquired Taste feed.The transition will happen gradually throughout October, but all new Taqueando episodes will ultimately live on Acquired Taste. Follow or subscribe to the Acquired Taste feed now so you don’t miss an episode. This feed will remain available as the Taqueando archive.

Bill Esparza is joined by longtime food writer and Eater LA contributor Matt Kang to unpack the hype around Asadero, one of Los Angeles’ buzziest new taco stands. They debate whether it’s really Sonora-style, how LA diners and influencers can reshape a taqueria, why salsa and tortilla matter as much as the meat, and what separates a viral taco from a truly great one.

Plus, Bill and Matt get into LA’s carne asada evolution, the pressure to please customers, and whether Asadero can turn its early momentum into a more focused, lasting concept.

Produced by Robert Haleblian

This week on Taqueando, Bill Esparza sits down with Chef Alex Garcia of Evil Cooks to talk about the restaurant’s evolution from a backyard pop-up into one of Los Angeles’ most distinctive Mexican restaurants, and the return of Disciples of the Corn, an ambitious dinner celebrating the food of all 32 states of Mexico. Alex shares the story behind the event, the chaos of pulling it off, and this year’s lineup of chefs including Ray Garcia and Tomás Ortega, while opening up about his partnership with Elvia, his heavy-metal ethos and the life experiences that shaped Evil Cooks.

Plus, in this week’s Antojitos, Bill recaps a Los Angeles food crawl with Nithya Raman through Evil Cooks, Distrito Catorce and Casa Gish Bac; makes the case for where to find truly great caldo, pozole and menudo in LA; visits the Guatemalan night market; and breaks down the ultimate Hollywood Bowl food experience. Somehow, there’s also room for Sheila E., the Commodores, Kenny G., smooth jazz slander and some very strong opinions about aging rock stars.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

What happens when a former employee leaves one of LA’s most acclaimed restaurants and opens a place that looks… remarkably familiar? Bill Esparza and Robert Haleblian dig into Goldfish Seafood in Orange County, the restaurant they argue borrows heavily from Michelin-starred Holbox, from the menu and plating to the logo and overall aesthetic, and debate where inspiration ends and straight-up copying begins. Plus, Bill recaps Taqueando After Dark, one of the best fine-dining fish tacos he’s ever had, and a star-studded This Is About Humanity fundraiser.

Bill Esparza spent more than a year helping The New York Times build its list of the 41 greatest Mexican restaurants in America. This week, Rob flips the script and interviews Bill about how the list came together, why so many “best Mexican restaurant” lists get the country wrong, and what he found crisscrossing America in search of regional Mexican cooking, from al pastor in Charlotte and gorditas in Chicago to an unexpected Aguascalientes community in Oklahoma City. Plus, Bill breaks down why Mariscos Jalisco, Valle, Mercado La Paloma and other California standouts made the cut, what makes a restaurant “great” rather than simply famous, and why some of the most exciting Mexican food in America is happening far outside the cities people usually look.

Produced (and co-hosted!) by Robert Haleblian.

On Episode 69 of Taqueando, Bill Esparza returns from Barcelona with a challenge to the way Americans talk about Spanish food: Michelin-starred temples may dazzle, but they’re only part of the story, and the country’s simplest dishes lose something essential when removed from their context. He moves from a spectacular tasting menu at Esperit Roca in Girona to bocadillos, tortillas, croquetas, conservas, rice dishes, vermouth and the no-nonsense neighborhood bars most food tourists overlook, asking whether great food can ever be separated from the place and people that give it meaning.

Then Bill sits down with Coco Montes, chef of Michelin-starred PABÚin Madrid, after watching him discover California’s extraordinary produce at the Santa Barbara farmers market. Montes brings French technique shaped by Alain Passard’s L’Arpège to a produce-first, microseasonal restaurant that changes its menu daily and is run alongside his mother, Rita González. It’s an episode about destination dining versus everyday eating, technical ambition versus simplicity, and what it really means to taste Spain.

Produced by Robert Haleblian

Buy your tickets to Taqueando After Dark

Chef Jonathan Zaragoza joins Bill Esparza to trace his journey from his family’s acclaimed Birrieria Zaragoza and Michelin-starred Chicago kitchens to Goatboy International, Salsa 101 and America’s Test Kitchen. They dig into the unwritten rules of Mexican salsa, salsa falsa, regional birria, fully loaded Ensenada fish tacos and Jonathan’s controversial belief that brioche buns don’t belong on burgers. Jonathan also shares why he spoke out against ICE, reflects on his family’s immigration story and previews his forthcoming cookbook and a possible return to Chicago restaurants, while Bill announces Taqueando After Dark at Level 8 in Downtown Los Angeles.Produced by Robert Haleblian

Los Angeles mayoral candidate and City Councilmember Nithya Raman joins Bill Esparza at Las Margaritas in Boyle Heights to explain how she would confront the crisis facing LA restaurants, street vendors and small businesses. Raman lays out plans to accelerate restaurant permitting, simplify outdoor dining and liquor approvals, protect immigrant communities during ICE raids, reduce homelessness and illegal dumping, preserve legacy restaurants, revive Hollywood production, and ensure the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics benefit local operators. Plus, she addresses the Lineage fire, housing affordability and City Hall accountability before sharing her favorite Los Angeles restaurants, including Saffy’s, Ruen Pair and Restaurante Tierra Caliente.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

Gabriela Cámara has brought the spirit of Mexico City’s legendary Contramar to the Las Vegas Strip. In this episode, Bill Esparza explores Cantina Contramar at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the acclaimed chef and restaurateur’s first U.S. expansion of Contramar.

Bill examines how the new restaurant translates Contramar’s seafood-driven cooking and lively cantina energy for Las Vegas, from its iconic tuna tostada and pescado a la talla to fresh tortillas and dishes created specifically for the Strip. Does Cantina Contramar preserve what made the Roma Norte original a global dining destination, or has Las Vegas turned it into something entirely its own?

Plus, Bill announces Taqueando After Dark, a two-night taco pop-up happening August 27 and 28 at Level 8 inside the Moxy in Downtown Los Angeles. Expect taqueros from Baja California and Los Angeles, seven to eight taquerías, and one ticket to taste every taco.

Taqueando is hosted by James Beard Award-winning food writer Bill Esparza and explores Mexican food, tacos, restaurants and the people shaping how we eat across Los Angeles, Mexico and beyond.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

Before Mexico City became one of the world’s most celebrated dining destinations, Daniel Ovadia was helping create its modern culinary identity. He opened the groundbreaking restaurant Paxia at just 21 years old, serving ambitious Mexican tasting menus, artisanal mezcal and even an all-taco menu years before those ideas became fashionable.

Daniel joins Bill Esparza to revisit the early days of Paxia and Pujol, the resistance he faced serving tacos and pozole in a fine-dining restaurant, and why an entire generation of Mexican chefs developed such distinct culinary voices. He also explains why he eventually walked away from the awards-driven fine-dining world, why he believes social media has made restaurants more repetitive, and how he found a new purpose building Peltre in Mexico City and the Michelin-recognized Punta Corcho in Puerto Morelos.

Plus, Daniel shares his essential Mexico City markets and restaurants, the traditional techniques that shaped Paxia, and why Puerto Morelos remains one of the Mexican Caribbean’s best-kept culinary secrets. Bill also announces the return of his taco festival with Taqueando After Dark, coming to Level 8 in downtown Los Angeles on August 27 and 28.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

Where can you find the best ceviche, aguachile and Mexican seafood in Los Angeles? Bill Esparza drops his definitive LA mariscos guide, explaining why great seafood requires more than an overflowing aluminum tray, a backyard location or a pile of lime and salsa.

Bill breaks down the three pillars of Mexican mariscos: the barra fría, barra caliente and parrilla. He explains why Mexican ceviche is driven by pristine seafood and regional product, how it differs from Peru’s technique-focused tradition, and which warning signs reveal bad shrimp, careless knife work and past-its-prime callo de hacha.

The guide covers Muelle Ocho, Mariscos El Faro, Mariscos Chiltepin, Cahuamanta Lao, Coni’Seafood and the essential shrimp taco at Mariscos Jalisco, along with modern destinations including Holbox, Ceviche Project, San Damián and Loreto. Plus, Bill calls out influencer misconceptions, reveals where to find LA’s best aguachiles and pescado zarandeado, and explains the proper way to build, sauce and edge a tostada.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

Somebody Feed Phil host Phil Rosenthal joins Bill Esparza at Max & Helen’s, his Los Angeles diner created with Nancy Silverton, for a wide-ranging conversation about food, travel and the value of remaining curious. Phil reveals why Somebody Feed Phil is leaving Netflix for YouTube, calls out the negativity and rage bait driving food-influencer culture, and finally learns why filming pirated DVDs during their legendary Tepito taco crawl nearly got the entire crew kicked out.

Bill also asks the legendary comedy writer to judge his official Dos Equis “legend line”: “When there’s no line at Max & Helen’s, people wait eight hours just out of respect.” Plus, Phil and Bill debate whether LA pizza has caught up with New York, explain why Los Angeles has America’s best Mexican food, revisit cow-udder and beef-lung tacos, and discuss the restaurants Phil believes are defining the city’s food scene, from Pizzana and Pizzeria Sei to Courage Bagels and Max & Helen’s.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

In this episode of Taqueando, Bill Esparza sits down at Michelin-starred Valle in Oceanside with Chef Roberto Alcocer, the Ensenada-born chef behind Valleand the beloved Baja restaurant Malva. Roberto reflects on his early days cooking in France, Puebla, and Pujol, the once-intimate rise of Valle de Guadalupe, and how Baja’s seafood, wine, and farm-to-table culture helped shape modern Mexican fine dining.

The conversation dives deep into the past, present, and future of Valle de Guadalupe, from the early days of Laja, Corazón de Tierra, Manzanilla, Malva, Vendimias, and true wine-country community to today’s challenges with overdevelopment, hotels, party tourism, rising prices, and the fight to protect the region’s identity. Roberto also discusses earning a Michelin star at Valle, why San Diego diners are still learning what Baja and contemporary Mexican cuisine can be, and why he believes Malva may soon return in a new form.

Plus, Roberto shares where to stay, eat, and drink right now in Valle de Guadalupe, with recommendations for Mira Earth Studios, Adobe Guadalupe, Envero, Lunario, Damiana, Animalón, La Opah del Güero, Escama, and more.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

At Altoin Studio City, chefs Juana Castellanos Lagemann and Esteban Klenzi are bringing the food and fire traditions of Argentina, Uruguay and the Río de la Plata to Los Angeles in a way the city has never experienced before. Bill Esparza joins the duo to discuss their journey from some of the world’s most demanding fine-dining kitchens to Ventura Boulevard, why asado should be cooked over glowing coals instead of open flames, and how they are elevating their culture without stripping away its soul.

They also explain why you should never order short rib medium rare, what makes a truly great empanada, how the parrillero’s relationship with fire differs from that of a typical grill cook, and where to eat in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Plus, the chefs introduce Alto’s immersive Pampa Omakase, a communal feast inspired by the joyful, smoky ritual of a South American family asado.

Produced by Robert Haleblian.

In Part 2 of Bill Esparza’s intimate conversation with chef, author and television personality Marcela Valladolid, the two dig deeper into Matriarca, her growing Mexican pantry brand built around clean ingredients, traditional cooking and the belief that Mexican families deserve beautiful, high-quality products rooted in their own culture.

Marcela breaks down Matriarca’s expanding lineup, from organic fideo, masa harina and salsa macha to heirloom beans, dried chiles and ingredients sourced directly from producers across Mexico. She also discusses making tortillas from scratch, the wellness industry’s failure to speak to Mexican women, the rising cost of dining in Valle de Guadalupe and why preserving language, recipes and culinary traditions still matters.

Plus, Marcela and Bill debate tamal versus tamale, share their favorite Chula Vista and Tijuana food memories and reflect on nearly two decades of friendship. Taqueando is hosted by Bill Esparza and produced by Robert Haleblian.

In Part 1 of a two-part conversation, chef, author and television personality Marcela Valladolid welcomes Bill Esparza into her Chula Vista home for an intimate look back at her journey from Tijuana’s culinary world to becoming one of the Food Network’s most recognizable Mexican chefs.

Over a pot of fideo seco, Marcela opens up about fighting for authentic Mexican representation on television, the pressure of being reduced to Cinco de Mayo segments and the lack of support she experienced as a working mother. She also reflects on leaving food television, rebuilding her career through wildly successful online cooking classes and creating Matriarca, her new Mexican pantry brand centered on clean, thoughtfully sourced versions of the foods she grew up eating.

This is only the beginning. Part 2 of Bill and Marcela’s conversation continues next week.

Taqueando is hosted by Bill Esparza and produced by Robert Haleblian.