Tamales Elena y Antojitos

For close to three decades, Watts local Maria Elena Lorenzo has been vending tamales alongside her husband and five now-adult daughters. More recently, however, she made waves in the L.A. food scene once she began serving other specialties from Guerrero, a southern state known for its pozoles, moles, grilled fish and unique tamales delicately wrapped in banana leaves. Briefly, Tamales Elena y Antojitos operated as a full brick-and-mortar in Bell Gardens, but the Lorenzo family has since gone back to serving exclusively from their Watts food truck. While the truck is better known for its tamales, the just-barely-fried tacos ($3) stuffed with barbacoa are excellent as well, especially with a side of consommé. Just be sure to order at least a few tamales (as well as a sweet one, if you’re coming on the weekends), and order extra to take home with you. And if you see pescadillas—a type of deep-fried fish taco—on the specials menu, add a couple to your order.