Most trucks have a defining trait, a characteristic which separates each from the pack and can typically be discerned after a few visits. Garcia Bros., which operates a few taco trucks, including one located most nights at the corner of Venice and La Cienega, stands out for its salsas – a sweet, thick dark red and a thinner, lime-accented onion-y green.

When you order a quesadilla ($5), ideally a corn mushroom or flor de calabaza number, the salsas come splattered over the top, as if Ushio Shinohara has punched them over the quesadilla's griddled surface. When you opt for the latter choice, the interior is full of diced summer squash along with softened blossoms that disappear into a luxurious ooze of cheese.
]
The tacos are fine too ($1.50 apiece) – particularly the carnitas and al pastor. The latter's  thin, slightly chewy slices of chile-rubbed pork are not clearly shaved from a spit-roasted hunk of meat; they make up for being less supple than some with ample salt and a sneaky jolt of slow-building heat. The radish slices draped over the top add crunch and a little relief. 

See also: Why a Taco Joint or Cafe Can Rate Higher Than a White-Tablecloth Restaurant

In general, stick to basics and most of the specials advertised on the truck windows. (Don't get a cheeseburger; don't order a burrito that comes with a spine of limp fries twisting through its middle.) You might find a richer carne asada and better tortillas elsewhere, because the maxim that the best taco truck in town is the best one within a five minute drive of your home is mostly true. But if you're hankering for lip-peeling salsas and toasty quesadillas, this outpost delivers.

See also: 10 Best Taco Trucks in Los Angeles

Want more Squid Ink? Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.