Sopes at El Antojito

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — There is this great hole-in-the-wall kind of place on my block. Located on Broadway between 8th & 9th is El Antojito's. It is a very modest restaurant occupying a very narrow storefront. When you walk in, there's a long counter on the left where you order. There's a small seating area in the back. It is the kind of place you'd walk right by unless you wanted to grab a cold drink.

The reason to stop here is to enjoy a sope. Sopes are usually made on demand with fresh masa. Think of it as a thick torilla where they pinch the sides to make a small "cup". Once the masa is cooked on a hot pan, they smear the sope with refried beans. They then pile on some queso fresco (white mexican crumbled cheese) and chopped lettuce. They then top off the sope with a generous helping of chorizo. It is a bit of a mess, but so very tasty. And for two bucks, it can't be beat. We've gotten to know the owners, so we just call ahead and it is ready when we walk down to pick it up.

If you're hungry and are in the neighborhood, definitely stop by and try the sopes. Excellent food when you're on the go. You can park in the lot adjacent to the restaurant.

824 S. Broadway Unit 'B' 213-688-0885