BBE Editor's Pick

Cacao Mexicatessen

1576 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles (Eagle Rock)

Cacao Mexicatessen stands out from the pack of Mexican restaurants in Eagle Rock for its commitment to tradition, especially in paying homage to the ancient chocolate drink concocted by Aztecs and Mayans. Andrew Lujan, along with his wife and his two sisters, opened the small café and deli last summer, next to the family’s flower shop, Eufloria. Christy Lujan (Andrew’s sister) makes all kinds of tacos, tortas, and burritos, but the hearty platillos are what really shine. And no dish is more fun than Tres Puercitos, a pig-shaped clay bowl loaded with crumbled house-made chorizo, pull-apart carnitas and Yucatán-style cochinita pibil (shredded pork topped with pickled onions), which, like all the plates, comes with a tiny pot of queso-dusted pinto beans and an Aztec pyramid of rice planted with a tiny Mexican flag.

menu musts*

Classic guacamole
Tres Puercitos (Three Little Pigs)
Chile relleno (two poblanos stuffed with seasonal ingredients)
Mole poblano (turkey or chicken in cacao chile sauce)
Coconut flan

sweet seats

Indoors, grab the corner table near the window, away from the line. The westernmost table on the plant-lined patio is the catbird seat for fresh air and bird-watching.

chew on this

Cacao’s happy hour (Tues.–Fri. 3 PM–5:30 PM) offers six options under $5, including chicken taquitos with mole poblano, squash blossom tostaditas and the Mojado Dog, a bacon-wrapped hot dog with grilled onion, jalapeño and mayo.

hours

Tues.–Sat. 8 AM–9 PM; Sun. 8 AM–8 PM
closed Monday; no reservations

price range

$7.50 (quesadilla suprema) to $20.95 (surf and turf fajitas)

1576 Colorado Blvd. (between Townsend Ave. and Dahlia Dr.), Los Angeles, CA 90041; 323-478-2791 www.cacaodeli.com