If you’re in the mood for Mexican food or a refreshing and charming environment, Olvera Street will not disappoint. Located in downtown Los Angeles, Olvera Street is a narrow cobbled pedestrian pathway full of lovely restaurants, street vendors, and gift shops.
Whether you only have 10 minutes or an hour to spend on Olvera street, here are five things that won’t break your bank while satisfying your craving for authentic Mexican food:
Chicken Burrito ($7)
Photo by Sara Levy-Lambert
Hands down, one of the simplest yet best burrito I have ever tasted. Made with warm homemade flour tortillas, this burrito is served with grilled chicken, succulent refried beans, soft Mexican rice, a hint of cilantro, and sprinkled with diced onions.
Torta de Asada ($7)
If you are a meat-lover and complain about the unnecessary ingredients put in sandwiches, you will love this Mexican-style beef sandwich. Served on white sandwich bread glazed with olive oil, this sandwich’s highlight is the abundant amount of asada inside of it.
Asada, which is thinly marinated steak, gives the sandwich a rich and juicy taste. With a scoop of refried beans and queso fresco (traditional Mexican cheese made from raw cow milk), this sandwich will satisfy your craving for Mexican food.
Horchata ($2 for a small and $3 for a large)
Photo courtesy of carolineclunk.com
This traditional Mexican beverage, made of rice and/or almonds soaked in water over an extended period of time, has a sweet cinnamon taste with the consistency of milk. Its refreshing taste is great to keep you cool on a hot summer day, or to simply to quench your thirst.
Churro ($2.50 plain or $3.50 filled)
Photo by Sara Levy-Lambert
Although this fried-dough pastry is traditionally eaten without any fillings, Mr. Churro serves warm, fresh churros with the choice of seven different fillings. Although the caramel filled churro is by far their most popular churro, the lechera (condensed milk) filled churro is definitely worth a try, and it tastes great with their horchata.
Any churro aficionado must make the trip downtown for these extraordinary churros.
Raspado ($4)
Photo by Sara Levy-Lambert
Raspado closely resembles Hawaiian shaved ice and is also sold in many different flavors. The consistency of raspado is heavier and creamier than regular shaved ice and is thus more flavorful and satisfying. For anyone who loves vanilla ice cream, the vanilla flavored raspado is a must have.
More about your favorite Mexican foods: