Winning the Loteria - Studio City, California

Joe and I have lived in Studio City for about a year and a half now, and there are still lots of restaurants we’ve been meaning to get to (this “Jack in the Box” sounds amusing). But a few weeks ago we were pleasantly surprised to see a new neighbor, the brand spankin’ new Loteria Grill, a restaurant we’ve been to a few times in its Hollywood and Farmers Market locations. Why do we like Loteria?  Because if there’s one thing sure to please us, it’s a good sampler platter, and Loteria Grill has a doozy.

I (Molly) come from Dallas, and I was more or less raised on Tex Mex cuisine.  What exactly is Tex Mex, you ask?  I’m not really sure, but I think it’s based heavily on cheese and sour cream. I grew up expecting all Mexican food to involve heavy doses of cheese and various sauces, so imagine my surprise (and delight) when I moved to Los Angeles and found Mexican food that had a fresher, lighter feel to it.  An excellent example of this is Loteria’s Probaditas Sampler, which features two-bite versions of every single kind of taco offered on the menu (twelve of them, count ‘em twelve!).

And what are the twelve kinds of tacos? Too many to name here, but there are a few from each category of beef, chicken, pork, and vegetable. I should mention these are soft tacos in corn tortillas, whereas in Tex Mex vernacular all “tacos” are considered crunchy unless described otherwise. And these aren’t drowning in cheese or overflowing with iceberg lettuce shreds; you’re tasting all the main ingredients here: shredded beef, chicken mole, and cactus salad to name a few. Joe and I like to get this platter as an appetizer, both of us getting one delicious bite of each taco (don’t take a phone call or go to the bathroom during this appetizer, or else suffer the consequences).

 For our entrees, Joe ordered the chiles rellenos (of which there were two: ancho with black beans, chorizo, and goat cheese, and poblano with plantain and queso fresco), and I had one of that night’s specials, chipotle shrimp (hot!) with avocado and corn tortillas. With the addition to copious refills of chips and salsa, this was more than enough food for dinner…for three or four people.

Oh, did I mention Margaritas? Joe got a regular ol’ Margarita on the rocks, while I got a jalapeno one that was nice and spicy (but not too spicy).  They’re pretty standard, but the jalapeno one is a nice, spicy twist on tradition. We did, I’m ashamed to admit, skip dessert. I know, I know, it’s just not right. But Loteria had done us in (in the best way, of course), and we could even read the words “tres leches” without keeling over in (delicious) pain.

The Loteria grill in Studio City is a fairly large restaurant, but it has the feeling of a neighborhood joint. There were lots of families there with young kids (yes, as we’ve mentioned before, we enjoy eating dinner before the post office closes), and generally there was a very friendly vibe. There are still lots of other new places for us to try in Studio City, but I imagine we’ll be back for another taco sampler before too long.

Loteria Grill

12050 Ventura Blvd 
Studio City, CA 91604
P. (818) 508-5300

(Loteria's Hollywood location also participates in the Rewards Network dining programs.)

Molly and Joe are members of AAdvantage Dining^SM