Chicken and Potatoes at Tacos Villa Corona – LA

Bourdain is a fan of Tacos Villa Corona, and so were the Beastie Boys (R.I.P. Adam Yauch) when they had their studio across the street, but the place isn’t all hype, it’s totally legit, especially their chicken tacos and burritos.

At first, we ordered just three tacos to share.

The steak taco ($2), comprised of thinly sliced beef, onion, cilantro, and shredded Jack cheese was good, but a bit plain. It needed hot sauce. Fortunately, the smokey, garlicky hot sauce from Tacos Villa Corona did the trick. Important Tip: Don’t forget to ask for extra hot sauce before you leave the restaurant. The tiny spot doesn’t have seating, save for a random table in front of the building, and most likely you’ll have to eat in your car a block or two away.

I’m a huge fan of potatoes, so the potato taco ($1) — with shredded Jack cheese, cilantro, and onion — was right up my alley. David thought it was weird to be eating a taco with fried potatoes, but I found it highly tasty, especially with the hot sauce.

Now the chicken taco ($2) — with shredded Jack cheese, cilantro, and onion — didn’t need anything. The meat was juicy, peppery, and had tons of flavor. For some reason, it reminded me of dakdoritang (닭도리탕), a Korean spicy braised chicken dish with lots of potatoes. It probably had to do with the moist chicken, and the taste of fresh peppers and black pepper throughout. It was the unanimous favorite, and so delicious I went back for another.

However, I returned with a chicken and potato burrito ($4) with onion, cilantro, and salsa instead. I figured I’d get more chicken the burrito route, and as for the potatoes, again, I love those starchy, little b*tches. I thought it was a smart move on my part, and I was justly rewarded. And with the potatoes, it tasted even more like dakdoritang.

Stop hating and believe the hype. Eat a chicken taco and/or chicken burrito at Tacos Villa Corona. Also Happy Cinco de Mayo! If you’re in Los Angeles, you’re in luck because Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday when Tacos Villa Corona is open until 8 pm. Not too late, but better than weekdays when they close at 3 pm and even better than Mondays when they don’t open at all.

Tacos Villa Corona
3185 Glendale Blvd (b/n Edenhurst Ave & Glenfeliz Blvd; map)
Los Angeles, CA 90039
323-661-3458