Best Quesadilla: Tacos 1986

With the  combination of their authentic Tijuana-style tacos and the infectious high energy of taquero Jorge Alvarez-Tostado,  it’s no wonder that Tacos 1986 has become the local darling for street food. What started out as a taco stand in Hollywood has grown into a regular spot at Smorgasburg L.A. with long lines of patient eaters waiting for their tacos, mulitas and vampiros stuffed with adobada, asada, chicken and spicy  mushrooms sautéed in a salsa of chilies and sesame seeds while being entertained in the process.

Which brings us to the best mushroom quesadilla in L.A. Tacos 1986 isn’t serving the heavy, pale frisbee version the size of your head that shows up on every other menu. A small hand-pressed corn tortilla is warmed on the grill and topped with a handful of jack cheese until it melts, then crowned with the silky spicy mushrooms, guacamole, onions and cilantro. TJ- style tacos aren’t served with cheese, which is what makes this version a manageable and sublime quesadilla.  Finish it off with generous scoops of more salsa and radishes. You won’t be able to go back to the standard gringo interpretation again. The friendly warm welcome extends to their first brick and mortar which recently opened downtown. —Michele Stueven

Tacos 1986, 609 S. Spring St., downtown; (213) 988-7202 and Smorgasburg on Sundays, 777 S. Alameda St., downtown; tacos1986.com.

A: Best Asian Bistro (Nomad); Best New Restaurant (Auburn)

B: Best Brewery (Imperial Western Beer Company); 

Best Brunch Bowl (Mar Vista Cranked Bowl)

C: Best Bakery Cafe (El Carrusel Bakery)

D: Best Donuts (Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts)

E: Best Eggs (Egg Tuck) 

F: Best Fried Chicken Sandwich (Preux & Proper)

G: Best Gelato (Gelateria Uli)

H: Best Hotel Bar (Poolside at the Hotel Figueroa’s Veranda)

I: Best Indian (India’s Tandoori)

J: Best Place to Get Japanese Whisky (Mrs. Fish)

K: Best Korean BBQ (Chosun Galbi)

L: Best Lasagna (Viale dei Romani)

M: Best Middle Eastern (Bavel);

Best Mexican Sushi (El Sushi Loco)

N: Best Latin Market (Northgate Gonzalez)

O: Best Oysters (Water Grill)

P: Best Pork Chop (Yours Truly); Best Plant-Based Cuisine (The Butcher’s Daughter)

Q: Best Quesadilla (Tacos 1986)

R: Best Rooftop (Margot)

S: Best Sunday Supper (Lucques); Best Seafood (Michael Cimarusti)

T: Best Tortilla (Sonoratown)

U: Best Udon (Marugame Monzo)

V: Best Vietnamese Experience (Crustacean); Best Breakfast Burrito in the Valley (Sloane’s Valley Village)

W: Best Chicken Wings (Ord & Broadway)

Y: Best Yakitori Bar (Hatch Yakitori + Bar)

Z: Best Peruvian Chef (Ricardo Zarate)

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