Rate-A-Restaurant #390: Pocha LA (Highland Park)

Restaurant: Pocha LA

Location: 6101 York Blvd. (Highland Park)

Type of restaurant: Mexican

We stipulated: I wanted to try Pocha LA for my birthday, but they were closed on Monday. Nonetheless, I've heard amazing things about their tacos, so we decided to order it for our movie night on Wednesday.

They stipulated: Take out only right now. Also interestingly, no chicken. Meats are beef, pork or turkey.

What we ordered: Pocha Guacamole with chips, 6 oz. (avocado, scallions, cilantro, white onion, citrus) $4.75; short rib/brisket tacos (beef short rib & brisket braised in New Mexico chile sauce) $4 each; al pastor tacos (grilled pork in our signature marinade) $4 each; recado puerco molido tacos (Yucatan-spiced ground pork sauteed with sweet peppers) $4 each; turkey mole tacos (Abuelito's mole poblano) $4.75 each; elote a la Pocha (grilled corn on the cob with habanero cream, cotija cheese and cilantro). 

High point:  The guacamole was fantastic, with the right amount of citrus. Also enjoyed the mole, and the kids seemed to like the puerco. Also, the salsas were great, with a nice dose of spice.

Low point:  The grilled pork and the short rib were a bit too dry.

Overall impression: Didn't quite live up to the hopes we had. It was fine.

Will we return:  Not immediately, and alas Guisado's is still our taco champ. But an ok alternative.