Before Rosa Rojas came to operate the little Taqueria La Guera food stand behind the Circle K on Valencia Road, she spent 22 years cooking it up in the suburbs of L.A. Now she's making some of the softest, most wonderful chicharron tacos in human comprehension.
To obtain a silky, melt-on-your-tongue texture that's the polar opposite of your regular crunchy pork skin, she simmers it in a pot with homemade chile de arbol salsa. It comes out fatty and gelatinous and beautiful, the perfect foil for the raw crunchy cabbage and onions on top. It's a little out there and I'm not sure I'm doing it justice with my description, so let me say this: I was worried when I saw it, but it really was the best taco I had all week.
Weird fact: I had a bit of a zen moment, eating this phenomenal taco in the blowing wind and staring at the gorgeous hill across the street. The closest I come to actually enjoying nature ... Also, props to the very cool old Winnebago parked next to the stand.
Location: Turn at the $1 tacos sign on West Valencia Road and South Camino de Oeste.
Phone: 520-272-6575
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays
Payment: cash only
