Yes, I have an Asian last name, but I know good birria. Let me explain.
I am an honorary Mexican, having been ordained by my friend from Central Mexico, and have lived in Los Angeles for most of my life, and speak some Spanish. But there's more.
I teach special education, and not to toot my own horn, but...I totally bring it. I care greatly about my kids. The father of one of my students was so happy with how happy her daughter was in my class and how much she had progressed that he decided to make me birria. But this wasn't just any guy making birria. This was a chef from a nice restaurant in Mexico City, where they kinda know good birria from bad. This birria seca (chivo, of course) was *magnificent*. Piping hot and fresh, unbelievably tender succulent meat, amazing sauce...this was an absolute delight. Flattered that I liked it so much and grateful, he occasionally came over to cook for my staff even after his daughter had graduated. I've been lucky with my birria.
But after he moved many years ago, I was birria-less. Distraught, I searched frantically, looking for a birria that could match it, eating at restaurants, trying their birria, but always leaving disappointed. Too tough, not enough flavor, just really not made right, poor cuts of meat, gristly, boring. Disappointing.
Until today.
Now, I'm not going to lie. Birrieria Apatzingan #2 (#1 is apparently in Pacoima) is not as good as the birria I had years ago. That was beyond heavenly. But the birria here is bursting with flavor, and finally, also tender and succulent with excellent sauce. I got goat, but if you can't get past this, they also offer beef. I washed the birria down with jugo zanahoria (carrot juice). The plate comes with rice and beans, both good. And it came with four fresh handmade tortillas. And did I mention that the tortillas are freshly handmade? But truly, it's the birria that wins high praise and inspires this Yelp post.
Sounds good, right? It gets better. The people are super nice. The chef came out and asked if the food were good (she apparently speaks Spanish mostly since she kept talking to me, an Asian guy who was talking to the waiter in English, in Spanish). I said yes. I not only said that, but also said that she made my favorite birria in the city. She looked very happy, and came back with a little bowl of chile molcajete for me to try. This too was good, but I preferred the birria, which perhaps says more about me than the dish, I don't know.
Birrieria Apatzingan #2 is on Saticoy Street just west of Balboa Blvd. on the north side of the street. There is parking in the back. It's a decent-sized restaurant with high ceilings and orange and yellow walls. They serve beer and also have seafood, Apatzingan-style soups, tortas, gorditas, burritos, tacos, dishes with nopales, breakfast, juices, horchata, and more. And they have champurrado, which earns points with me. I didn't have champurrado because today was hot, but maybe later. The prices are definitely reasonable. My birria seca with chivo was $8.50, including the rice and beans. The menus that I saw are in Spanish, so if you don't bring Spanish, bring a little pocket dictionary with you or ask the waiter. They also take only cash.
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UPDATE: You know a place is freakin' delicious if I circle back to give it another rave review, almost exactly a year to the day later. Is six stars possible?
Just a few minutes ago, I had the birria again. My Spanish is okay, and I sometimes have trouble with regional specialties, but anyway, I ordered the birria de chivo. Some minutes after, the very kind lady brought out a glorious piping hot bowl of birria swimming in mouth-watering soup, with juicy flavorful chunks of meat, some on the bone, most not. You just don't want to waste a drop of this yummy concoction. I don't know if it's my imagination or what, but I think this dish may have even been better since the first time I came here.
Accompanying this was a plate of cilantro and diced onions, a salsa for the birria specifically, and four handmade corn tortillas. These are some of the best tortillas I've had in Los Angeles, tasty and substantial.
I drank this with agua de tamarindo, which was tasted fresh and delicious, and was surprisingly large for only $2.50.
I don't think I mentioned how good the chips are either. Tasty, with a nice lightness to them. I devoured these too.
I was happy to see that each time I come back, there's more people coming. I hope this place is around for a long time.
As I mentioned before, the people don't speak very much English. But please please please do not let this scare you off. They are so kind, and they do speak a bit of English and will help you. But more importantly than that, you want great food, don't you? Of course you do, or you wouldn't be reading this. This is not only a very specific regional specialty, but it's darned great food. read more