I Love Lucy’s

Three weeks ago I told Victor about this idea I had for a three-part review of the three taco shacks within walking distance of my apartment in the La Brea/Olympic area. Victor was thrilled. “Perhaps, we could include topographical maps of the neighborhood, with markers noting the various taco bazaars you frequent near your manse,” Victor said. “In fact, I am envisioning a sort of triptych, where readers will be able lucy’sto learn about El Burrito Jr., Lucy’s Drive-In, and [redacted] Taco Truck with a combination of text and imagery,” I replied. Fast forward 21 days and I’ve not yet been to El Burrito Jr. (too busy, too challenging of a name) And the excellent taco truck disappeared into the mist (like a phantom) two weeks ago, only to reappear yesterday. Last night I spoke with the truck’s owners, who said an emergency in Guadalajara had kept them away from their spot in a car repair shop’s parking lot at the corner of La Brea and Olympic. The tacos and burritos from the truck, which serves Jalisco region fare, are superb. The owners of the truck were wary of me, what with my notepad, and little journalist’s visor. They don’t want me printing the name of the truck until they’ve talked it over. Once they have agreed to grant me access, I will write about their savory al pastor burritos, spiced with cumin and chiles. Until then, here are some thoughts about Lucy’s…

Lucy’s (1373 S. La Brea Ave., on the corner of La Brea and Pico) is an interesting deal – a drive-thru Mexican joint that isn’t a chain eatery. When I first moved to the neighborhood in September I stopped by the place and ordered a few crispy meat-based tacos. They were a little too cheesy. The tacos came covered in a white/melted/molten mass of foul-tasting cheese that disagreed with me. Then, my buddy told me his parents once saw someone get shot in the head while in line for some taquitos. Would I ever visit Lucy’s again? Of course, and I was awarded for my patience. Subsequent journeys there have indicated that the nasty cheese was an aberration; in fact, the crispy treats are pretty good. But, the thing to order is a burrito. I prefer the carne asada concoction with rice and beans. The meat is flavorful and the pinto beans are quite good. One thing I truly enjoy about Lucy’s is its breakfast menu. The Spanish omelet comes filled with (good, moderately applied) cheese and is smothered in a red sauce. It’s a heavy breakfast – perfect for a hungover Sunday morning. Oh, it turns out no one got shot in the head at Lucy’s – my friends’ parents merely saw a drunken patron pull out a gun and wave it around before stuffing the piece back in his pants. Soon to come: a review of [redacted] Taco Truck.