I regularly visit Boyle Heights because the businesses offer some of the best in Mexican cuisine. It could be a restaurant, a bakery, tortilleria, or a market. Because many Hispanic people live in the area, there is plenty of demand to keep these places in business. That day, I checked off one item on my Jonathan Gold bucket list, the chile relleno burrito at La Azteca.
If you live south of Boyle Heights, you already know that traffic is something to contend with. The key is to plan your weekend trips in the early morning. There are far fewer cars traveling the freeway during this time and you can keep your peace of mind and not ruin your day.
La Azteca is located on Cesar Chavez Ave in Boyle Heights about a few blocks east of the 710 freeway. This is one of the busiest areas of the city with many pedestrians wandering between the many businesses. Unfortunately, parking is scarce and limited to available street parking.
A young man took my order. I quickly realized that there were identical twin brothers working the counter; an interesting happenstance which I’m sure has resulted in some fascinating stories. He quickly repeated back my order and I felt confident about the experience.
Despite only having inside seating for 13 customers, the staff manages to keep up with the brisk business. Almost everyone is a regular customer, either they pick up their take-out order or they proceed directly to the counter and order without looking at the menu. As a result, the line moves quickly.
The Steak Quesadilla benefits greatly from their housemade flour tortilla. Unlike other quesadillas that are stiff and fall apart, their quesadilla is soft, fluffy and naturally folds without breaking. They pack in a generous amount of carne asada and one quesadilla is quite filling.
Tacos are available with steak, carnitas, chicken, chicharrón (fried pork rinds), chorizo and egg, and cactus. While they aren’t a taqueria, they offer a choice of corn or flour tortillas. The corn tortilla is also handmade and thick like Guisados. Best of all, the tortillas are pliable and don’t fall apart when you eat them.
La Azteca’s signature item is their Chile Relleno Burrito. The late Jonathan Gold deemed it to be one of the top 5 burritos in LA. They begin with their housemade flour tortilla, paste it with refried beans, add chopped tomatoes, insert a cheese-filled chile relleno and close the ends to form a burrito. The result is an incredible mix of flavors with melted cheese gushing out.
La Azteca can satisfy the most discriminating burrito fan. They begin with a delicious handmade flour tortilla, apply a paste of refried beans and provide a number of delicious meat and vegetarian options. Because the majority are regulars, everyone knows what they want and the line moves quickly. I will definitely return for another chile relleno burrito!
La Azteca, 4538 East Cesar E Chavez Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90022; 323.262.5977
laaztecatortilleria.com