La Casita Mexicana

Time Out says

Mon Feb 25 2013

Thanks to chefs Jaime Martin del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu, Bell has become a dining destination. The Jalisco natives opened their upscale La Casita Mexicana in the South LA nabe in 1999 and have since become TV personalities, more famously defeating Bobby Flay in a chile relleno Throwdown. Try the duo’s meat-filled version: Chile en nogada ($15.95)—roasted Poblano packed with ground beef, dried fruits, walnuts and candied cactus, topped with pecan cream sauce and pomegranate seeds—is a colorful display of the Mexican flag. Housemade corn tortillas are similarly patriotic with red (guajillo chile), green (cactus paddle) and white (corn), the perfect accompaniment to a plate of Tres Moles ($14.95) that features three types of mole: traditional poblano and two types of pipián, creamy pumpkin-seen based, sauce. Start the meal with chia seed-laced lemonade ($2.75) and to end, stop by the adjacent tiendita to pick up South of the Border pantry items. Yes, the culinary duo encourage home cooking, but it’s hard to compete with flavors this good.

By Joshua Lurie