THE JOURNAL

Tacos at Empellón Al Pastor. Photograph by Mr Evan Sung, courtesy of Empellón Al Pastor
MR PORTER settles the big debate – is Mexican food better on the east or west coast?.
There is a classic scene in season one of Mr Aziz Ansari’s Netflix comedy series Master Of None in which avowed food enthusiast Dev spends forever researching the best tacos in New York, paralysed by the paradox of choice.

“Pah, what choice?” snorts every Los Angeleno ever. The East Coast/West Coast rivalry isn’t just limited to hip-hop, you know. There’s also beef (aka carne asada) when it comes to which city does the best tacos. LA claims there is no contest, but New York is biting back.
Here, New Yorker Mr Dan Rookwood and Los Angeleno Ms Cynthia Dea spit lyrical about their favourite taco hot spots. It’s a teeny two-ply tortilla wrap battle. Who wins? You decide.

Tacos Morelos, NYC

Al pastor tacos from Tacos Morelos. Photograph by That Food Cray !!!
After all that research, this is the place that Master Of None’s Dev finally settles on and it exists in real life: a 24-hour taco truck on the corner of North 7th Street and Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. It’s no frills, no fuss, dirt cheap and all made to order, the way tacos should be. I walk past this truck every night on my way home and I’ve tried pretty much the whole menu (never let it be said MR PORTER does not do its research), but my favourite is the spicy chorizo. Thanks for the recommendation, Dev. DR
Guerrilla Tacos, LA

Left: photograph by Mr Peter Cheng (@offalo), courtesy of Guerrilla Tacos. Right: photograph by City Foodsters
Mr Wes Avila’s formal culinary training might make him stand out from LA’s pack of taqueros, but, ultimately, he’s just cooking the food he knows and loves best. His taco truck menu changes with whatever seasonal ingredients are on offer, yielding surprising flavour combinations and textures. Mr Avila’s use of non-traditional ingredients such as sea urchin, ahi tuna poké, and even seared foie gras gives the taco-eating experience a high-end, yet completely accessible, edge. CD
Empellón Al Pastor, NYC

Al pastor taco from Empellón Al Pastor. Photographs by Mr Evan Sung, courtesy of Empellón Al Pastor
Those who frequent kebab shops en route home after a night’s carousing will be familiar with the “elephant leg” of indiscriminate meat on the vertical rotisserie. This divey spot on St Mark’s Place has its own Mexican version: al pastor – charred, fatty, marinated pork twirling suggestively, sliced from the spit and doused in red and green salsa. It’s the house speciality and comes on a paper plate for proper authenticity. DR
Guisados, LA

Photograph courtesy of Guisados
While tacos de guisado (stewed and braised meat tacos) can be found throughout Mexico, each taco at LA’s own Guisados restaurants seems out of the ordinary compared with the city’s ubiquitous carne asada and al pastor. The menu features spectacular items such as tinga de pollo (shredded chicken slowly cooked in tomatoes, chorizo and smoky chipotle) or chicharron (pork rind cooked down in a chilli verde sauce), all served on warm, freshly hand-made corn tortillas. CD
Los Tacos No.1, NYC

Photographs courtesy of Los Tacos No.1
The three friends (two from California and one from Tijuana) who run this grab-and-go taqueria stand in Chelsea Market make their own corn or flour tortillas – always a good sign – which are griddled to order. Go for the adobada (marinated pork) and then trick it out yourself with any of the free sides at the bar. DR
Ricky’s Fish Tacos, LA

Ricky’s fish taco. Photograph by Mr Wesley Wong/EatsMeetsWes.com
Since 2009, just mentioning Ricky’s Fish Tacos can make an angling Angeleno swoon. Mr Ricky Piña fries flakey fish to perfection, garnishes it with cabbage and pico de gallo and leaves it to you to top with crema and salsa. The shrimp taco is also excellent, but why decide between the two when the special comes with both? Follow him on Twitter @RickysFishTacos to find the roaming taco truck and save yourself a trip to Ensenada. CD
NEW YORK
LOS ANGELES
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