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Los Dorados LA

RESTAURANT SUMMARY

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Where Mexico City's street food mastery meets Los Angeles' culinary passion, Los Dorados LA transforms the humble flauta into an art form through Steven Orozco Torres' mobile kitchen that has redefined authentic tacos dorados across the city's diverse neighborhoods.

Born from a family gathering revelation in 2019, Los Dorados LA emerged when Torres tasted his father-in-law's exceptional flautas and recognized a missing piece in Los Angeles' vast taco landscape. Starting as a humble tent operation in Boyle Heights, Torres has evolved his concept into "La Chona," a fully-equipped food trailer that serves as his culinary laboratory. This isn't merely street food—it's a dedicated pursuit of perfection, focusing exclusively on Distrito Federal-style flautas that honor Mexico City's street food traditions while satisfying LA's discerning palates.

The genius lies in Torres' obsessive attention to detail, beginning with custom-made, low-moisture corn tortillas specifically engineered for optimal frying. Each flauta achieves that coveted delicate crunch without excessive oil absorption, creating the perfect vessel for carefully curated fillings. The focused menu features five masterful variations: spiced potato, chicken tinga, lamb barbacoa, and chorizo with potato, each priced around $8 for two pieces. This deliberate simplicity allows Torres to perfect every element, from the corn tortilla's texture to the precise frying technique that delivers consistent excellence.

What elevates Los Dorados LA beyond typical street fare is the symphony of accompaniments crowning each flauta pair. Torres' signature green salsa, crafted from tomatillos and guacamole, provides creamy tanginess, while his secret-blend red salsa delivers carefully calibrated heat. Fresh crema adds cooling richness, and salty queso cotija provides the final textural contrast. This interplay of temperatures, textures, and flavors—crispy shells, savory fillings, bright salsas, smooth crema—creates a multi-sensory experience that captures Mexico City's street food essence.

The Los Dorados LA experience embraces authentic street food culture, with Torres personally cooking and engaging customers at various locations throughout Los Angeles, from their Alhambra Avenue home base to Smorgasburg markets and Brewjeria Pico Rivera. The atmosphere is deliberately casual and communal, encouraging immediate consumption while the flautas remain at peak crispness. This mobility allows Torres to bring his craft directly to different communities, maintaining the dynamic energy he describes as special about "being out in the street serving food."

For the ultimate Los Dorados LA experience, follow their social media @losdoradosla for location updates and arrive early—these perfectly crafted flautas often sell out. Weekend late-night service offers the authentic street food timing, while weekday appearances provide more relaxed tasting opportunities.

CHEF

Xabi Ibarboure

ACCOLADES

(2025) EP Club Recommended Restaurant

CONTACT

5373 Alhambra Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90032

+1 213-793-1444

FEATURED GUIDES

NEARBY RESTAURANTS

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