Mole Roja
Guelaguetza is definitely one of LA’s finest Mexican restaurants and most certainly MY favorite. It’s just so SO good.
They specialize in two things. Mole and Mezcal. Mole is a decadent sauce often made with chilies, nuts and chocolate that goes excellently over chicken. It’s one of my favorite things in life.
Mezcal is an alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant (similar to Tequila’s agave plant) and it has this crazy smoky flavor that is sort of an acquired taste.
As you are seated, you are presented with a basket of chips, covered in red mole and cojita cheese. Not a bad way to start!
After tasting several of their mezcal margaritas, we ordered the Festival de Moles, a mole sampling platter that is perfect to feed a group of four if you maybe order a few sides.
Their moles are pretty amazing, it’s one of the few places where I prefer the red mole to the black. It’s just liquid perfection.
Drinks are really great too, not so strong that you can’t have two and not feel guilty about drinking on a school night.
One side I do not suggest, is the fried quesadilla. I’ve ordered this on two occasions and both have had me disappointed. The cheese inside is solid, not oozy like it should be. It always comes out like it had been frozen for a year and then deep fried for half the time it should have been. Pretend this item doesn’t even exist so that you don’t sully your opinion of the restaurant.
Guelaguetza is a very large establishment (perfect for large groups) with live music in the evenings. A really fun, friendly place with absolutely incredible food that is a must-visit if you live anywhere within 1000 miles of LA.
3014 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(213) 427-0608
ilovemole.com
Mezcal Margarita
Pasión de Oaxaca –
Aged mezcal, Silver Sauza, passion fruit, grapefruit juice, tajin
Garra de Tigre – Reposado mezcal, house syrup, freshly squeezed lime, Oaxacan spicy salt
Flor de Piña –
Aged mezcal, pineapple and coconut juice, honey
Tamale – Corn dough stuffed with fresh chiles, onions with chicken
Tamales de Dulce –
Corn husk-wrapped tamale. Sweetened corn dough with raisins or Corn dough stuffed with fresh chiles, onions with chicken
Quesadillas Fritas –
Fried quesadillas
Someone else’s meal.
Festival de Moles –
Mole tasting plate includes black mole, red mole, estofado and coloradito, served with sliced chicken breast, a side of rice and a hand-made tortilla
Mole Negro
Horchata
Aside from a couple of moles, I’m not aware of chocolate being a main ingredienet in moles, or that being part of the definition. I’d hate to point you to the Wikipedia page, but that may be necessary. It’s important for a food critic to know what they’re talking about.