TacoDude

I moved from Santa Monica to the Valley back in 2009. I really miss some of the great Mexican places on the Westside! I heard good things about Leo's, then they opened up a truck in North Hills. I thought it was pretty good, but honestly, I prefer griddled Al Pastor, if it's done right. More meat is exposed to the marinade, vs on the spit. Plus, Leo's doesn't make their own tortillas. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's good.

For me, there are a number of factors that add up to a GREAT taco. Meat has to be top notch, must have homemade fresh tortillas, and the salsa has to be transcendent. The closest I've had other than the ones we make at home(My wife is a former professional chef and makes the tortillas - I cook the meat and make the salsas) is at Tacomiendo. There's one in WLA, and one in Culver City. It meets the above criteria in my book. Their adobada (really, just another name for Al Pastor, just not cooked on the spit) is wonderful.

Anyway, great to meet a fellow Angeleno, (love your screenname) and congrats on 2 years! I'm on day 9 today, and feeling better than I have in a long time.

Shilla

Congrats on your day 7, I can't wait to hit that mile stone. Cheering you on.

MindfulMan

Keep it going, Taco Dude! One day at a time.

I was on the Westside for 29 years, 13 years in West LA, 16 years in Venice. Drove past Tacomiendo every day to work for years from Venice to Century City, but never stopped in. Over in the 'hood in South LA now, houses were relatively cheap 5 years ago when I bought. Food choices not so great, but it's catching up and the street tacos are da BOMB. They pop up all over the place. Plus there's a great regional place called Mexicana over at the Crenshaw Mall that I can walk to, and of course Guelaguetza for Oaxacan/Mole in K-town.

Agree on the homemade tortillas. I lived really close to La Cabana and Casablanca in Venice on Rose and Lincoln. Not the greatest food at either, but fantastic homemade flour tortillas made in front of you. Same with Pacos on Centinela just south of Washington.

Meraviglioso

Yep, awful. Most mortifying of all was standing at the bar at 9am. Here in Italy "bars" serve coffee and pastries in the morning and then aperitivo in the evenings. So the mornings they are full of people having an espresso. But the alcohol is there and you can order it any time. 9 am, glass of wine in front of me, coffees all around me, I just know getting the glass to my mouth steadily is going to be a challenge so I try and wait until the the people around me are looking the other way. I can't wait any longer and my hand shakes all the way to my mouth, spilling a little out as I sip. The barista definitely saw it, sadly, on more than one occasion. So glad to not be visiting bars at all any more, I make my coffee at home and enjoy my alcohol free morning.

noaddedsugar

I'm on day 10 and there are times I still feel a bit shaky. Can't remember what it was like to have a steady hand!!

For me it was getting embarrassing at work, passing people the card machine or having to hold it for them while taking payments with quivering hands. I'll never forget the day a client pointed out the fact that I had the shakes. I put it down to 'too much caffeine..' but I was mortified. Also relate to the coffee cup thing.

At one point after a heavy drinking binge where I hadn't ate for 7 days I was attempting to actually eat something and was shaking so much that I kept missing my mouth. Absolutely insane to cause ourselves to get into such a state.