Guelaguetza (restaurant)

Guelaguetza
Map
Restaurant information
Established1994 (1994)
Food typeMexican
Street address3014 West Olympic Boulevard
CityLos Angeles
StateCalifornia
Postal/ZIP Code90006
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34°03′09″N 118°18′03″W / 34.0524°N 118.30076°W / 34.0524; -118.30076
Websiteilovemole.com

Guelaguetza is a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles, California.[1] Established by Fernando Lopez (father of restaurateur and author Bricia Lopez) in 1994, the business has been recognized as one of "America's Classics" in 2015 by the James Beard Foundation.[2][3] The restaurant is the winner of the 2021 Gold Award.[4]

Guelaguetza is one of the few places in Los Angeles (or even the United States) in which patrons can intentionally ingest insects, namely chapulines (fried grasshoppers), an Oaxacan delicacy.[5][6][7]

History

Fernando Lopez emigrate from his native Oaxaca to Los Angeles in 1993 and opened his original restaurant on Eighth Street the following year.[8] After outgrowing its original location, Guelaguetza was moved to its current location on Olympic Boulevard in 2000 that previously housed the VIP Palace Korean Restaurant.[8][9] In 2012, Fernando turned the business over to his four children after he decided to retire and return to Oaxaca.[10][11][12]

Reception

The reviewer from Condé Nast Traveler wrote, "This is a great meal to enjoy with family and friends, especially for a celebratory occasion where you don't want to spend your entire rent check."[13] While writing for the LA Weekly, food critic Jonathan Gold called the restaurant "one of the best Oaxacan restaurants in the country."[14] Time Out Magazine called "Guelaguetza a citywide institution, and the kind of place worth visiting over and over again."[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cox, Brant (2022-01-14). "Guelaguetza Review - Koreatown - Los Angeles". The Infatuation. Archived from the original on 2023-12-06. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  2. ^ "2015 America's Classics: Guelaguetza". James Beard Foundation. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  3. ^ Kuschner, Erin (2015-02-26). "Guelaguetza named a James Beard America's Classics Award honoree". Time Out Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  4. ^ Ochoa, Laurie (May 16, 2021). "And the winner of the 2021 Gold Award is ... Guelaguetza". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2024-04-22. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  5. ^ Artsy, Avishay (August 1, 2015). "Crickets: They're What's for Dinner". KQED. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Cabral, Javier (July 12, 2013). "Eat your crickets: Los Angeles is the chapulin capital of the U.S." Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  7. ^ Rylah, Juliet Bennett (May 3, 2015). "California Is Getting Its First Edible Cricket Farm In The Valley". LAist. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Palmer, Karen (September 18, 2023). "Why Oaxacan legend Guelaguetza is still a Los Angeles staple after 29 years". OpenTable. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Quinones, Sam (June 3, 2001). "The Koreatown that never was". Los Angeles Times.
  10. ^ Trinh, Jean (December 14, 2016). "The Family Story Behind Guelaguetza, The Restaurant Serving L.A.'s Best Mole". KCET. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  11. ^ Guzman-Lopez, Adolfo (June 3, 2013). "For founder of renowned Oaxacan restaurant, there's no place like home". KPCC.
  12. ^ Williams, Vonnie. "For Guelaguetza, family is the key to survival". Toast, Inc. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  13. ^ Simmons, Krista. "Guelaguetza". Condé Nast Traveler. Archived from the original on 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
  14. ^ Gold, Jonathan (June 24, 2010). "Guelaguetza". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Yeo, Patricia Kelly (February 17, 2023). "Guelaguetza". Time Out Magazine. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.