I am perpetually searching for the best tacos in L.A., and I believe I have found another contender. To me, a taco should be simple. All I want is a corn tortilla, meat, cilantro and onions. Mexicali Taco is a small Mexican eatery in downtown L.A. off Figueroa, and that is just about what they deliver. The tacos arrive as single corn tortilla generously filled with the meat of your choosing and a green onion on the side. I went with carne asada (grilled beef), but options also include pollo (chicken), chorizo (spicy pork sausage), al pastor (pork cooked shawarma-style), or veggie.

While these tacos certainly are minimalistic to begin with, they are far from boring. To accompany their beautifully simplistic tacos, Mexicali Taco provides an extensive salsa bar. With 5 different salsas, as well as lime wedges and a variety of pickled veggies, there is significant room for customization.

The first salsa with its smoky, rich flavor and medium spice is my favorite. The second is a thin, lightly flavored tomatillo salsa with a lot of kick. The third is a thinner consistency, reading almost as a hot sauce with jalapeño seeds, VERY spicy. The fourth tastes like a thinned out guacamole, no spice. The fifth is a classic pico de gallo, which chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeños.

While at Mexicali Taco, I also tried a ‘Vampiro,’ which is a quesadilla with your choice of meat (same as taco choices) and a creamy garlic sauce. For me, it was a little too rich. The heavy cheeses paired with the cream-base garlic sauce made for a delicious quesadilla, but one I could only get about halfway through before my taste buds felt overpowered.

The restaurant itself is a small room, where you order at the counter and sit communally in one of five long benches or in one of the three smaller tables out front. On a weekday right around noon, the place is packed with a hodge-podge of professionals from the nearby city building and locals from the surrounding neighborhoods. While the line may look long, service is pretty fast once you order. Parking at Mexicali Taco is limited to paid street parking next to and in front of the building, so bring quarters. I parked on Bartlett St., which is a small residential street off Figueroa, close to the restaurant.

Next time I go, I’m trying the ‘Cachetada,’ they’re reinvention of a tostada.

702 N Figueroa St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

mexicalitaco.com