El Flamin Taco
Location: 505 S Vermont Ave, Koreatown
Hours: T-Th 6 – 3 a.m.; Fr-Sun 6 – 4 a.m.
To Try: Pollo Torta and Al Pastor
Looking for a taco joint in Koreatown seems counterintuitive, but El Flamin Taco seems to strikes the perfect balance between two neighboring cultures. The neon sign (한국어 사람 or Korean people) above the truck is a meager attempt to attract that untapped niche of Koreans, while a muted Mexican soap opera plays on a television in the front. But, despite the decor of cultural tropes, El Flamin can put out quality plates. For pastor fanatics, an outdoor spit roasts plancha piping hot waiting to be carved for your order AND comes with a pineapple slice). The texture of al pastor was perfect — just between crispy and tender — but, with some of their in-house avocado sauce or salsa roja completing the method of construction and alleviating that unwanted dryness. The asada was slightly above average. It was at the threshold of chewiness before it’d get confused with rubber. The real surprise, however, was with the pollo torta; the seasoning occupying the chicken was so flavorful, nostalgically reminding me of those days in Santa Ana . The moistness of it sat heartily against a slab of tomato, bed of lettuce and my unabashed drizzling of salsa from endlessly flowing panoply of sides at the salsa bar (completely decked out with anything a taco eater would want). Finally, I think I have found a reliable nocturnal taco truck to satiate those midnight cravings in Ktown.
