In a leaked audio tape, former City Council President Nury Martinez disparaged several cultures, including one of the largest Oaxacan communities outside of Mexico. In support of the 200,000 Oaxacans in Southern California, the LA Times compiled a list of local restaurants we can stand behind and help heal. LA Times food editor Daniel Hernandez joined Lisa McRee on “LA Times Today” to highlight a few of them.  

Poncho’s Tlayuda is located in historical South Central LA.

“Alfonso Poncho Martinez makes tlayuda, which is a very thin toasted tortilla. It’s much larger than the tortillas that we’re used to. That is toasted over mesquite coals or wood, and then it is put down with beans, cabbage, cheese, avocado, and usually a nice hearty protein like what Oaxacan chorizo and cuts of meat... He makes, in my opinion, the tlayuda in LA,” Hernandez said.  

Oaxacan culture is also known for its delicious mole. Guelaguetza in Koreatown has arguably the best mole around. 

“Guelaguetza was the winner of the Jonathan Gold Award a couple of years back. [It’s] run by the Lopez family, siblings from Oaxaca. And they really do have, I think, the standard bearer of Oaxacan cuisine in Los Angeles. When Jonathan Gold, the late restaurant critic of the LA Times, first wrote about them, he really put Oaxacan cuisine on the mainstream map for the whole city of LA Guelaguetza has terrific moles of several colors, different kinds of chilies,” Hernandez said.  

Madre has a few locations, from Torrance to Palms to West Hollywood. 

“Chef Ivan Vasquez, started down there in Torrance, an indigenous Oaxacan immigrant himself, and he just kind of reached the sweet spot of making it slightly more upscale. There’s a lot of families, a lot of dates. It’s a beautifully crafted restaurant. He opened in Fairfax and West Hollywood, and in my opinion, I think he has the best mezcal selection in the city of LA He’s very intentional about making sure that we understand that mezcal is made by Indigenous people and should be represented by Indigenous people,” Hernandez shared.  

Hernandez spoke about how Oaxacan restaurants are open to all who want to experience the cuisine. 

“We have kind of on every corner and a lot of neighborhoods like Thai Town, East Hollywood, Koreatown is a neighborhood Oaxacan restaurant... We’re very lucky, again in this city to have these kinds of places. You really you could walk into one of them, even though you’ve never been there before and kind of not miss and have a terrific neighborhood meal,” he said. 

Watch the full interview above. 

Watch “LA Times Today” at 7 and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News app.