It's Free Lunch Thursday! Thank you for watching another edition of our guest critic series, where you're the Reviewer.
This week we treated kcet.org commenter and screenwriter David Vernon—aka Dav725—to Cacao Mexicatessen in Eagle Rock. David lives in the neighborhood and loves the local food scene and the choices his neighborhood offers. He's a regular at The Oinkster, but had not tried Cacao yet. The small place can be easy to overlook.
David started out with an Azteca Mocha Latte which gave him his first insight into what Cacao is all about. He then tried one of Cacao's signature tacos, carnitas de pato, or duck confit, as well as the chile rellenos al fresco which are vegetarian. Aside from the Mexican cheese, one of the poblano chiles is filled with roasted corn and the other with portobello mushroom. The dish is accompanied with a cheese-filled, fried squash blossom, a side of rice, pinto beans and tortillas.
Like David said, Cacao must be doing something right because the place was full the entire time we were there. If you're confounded by their use of the term "Mexicatessen," Cacao uses it because they're purveyors of fine foods, like imported Mexican chocolate, as well as a store. Not quite a deli, not quite a store, not entirely a restaurant ... but somehow, all of the above.
Have you been to Cacao Mexicatessen?
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CaCao Mexicatessen
1576 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 478-2791
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JP says :
This sounds outrageously wonderful.
I appreciate the menus so that our wallets know what to expect.