Acquired Taste Food Podcasts

Los Angeles, we have a wet trompo problem. And Bill Esparza has had enough. This week on Taqueando , Bill and Robert Haleblian get to the bottom of why so much of LA's beloved al pastor is drowning in adobo. From Angel's Tijuana Tacos to the legendary trompos of Mexico City, they break down what separates a truly great taco from a soggy imitation, why the traditional taco brigade matters, and where to find the best al pastor and adobada in Los Angeles. But first, Bill has some words for Danny Trejo. Following news of the actor's involvement in a controversial film depicting an ICE agent, Bill reflects on his own history with the Hollywood icon, the disappointing tacos he once gave a pass, and why he's now calling for a boycott of Trejo's restaurants. Plus, an unforgettable seafood takeover at Sāntō, a Holbox collaboration at Paseo, and plenty more from Bill's latest adventures across LA's dining scene. On this episode: Why LA has a wet trompo problem Angel's Tijuana Tacos and the economics of street tacos The secrets of Mexico City's greatest al pastor Bill's favorite al pastor and adobada spots in LA Danny Trejo, ICE, and a Hollywood icon's controversial career decision Seafood, chef collaborations, and the latest Antojitos Rundown This is Taqueando , where Mexican food, culture, and the people behind it always come first. Part of the Acquired Taste Media network. Producd by Robert Haleblian.

Was this the worst Bread Week in Great British Bake Off history? Nancy and Bits return to the tent for Season 17, Episode 4, where the garlic bread desperately needs more garlic, the dough desperately needs more time, and Paul Hollywood’s grape-and-blue-cheese flatbread technical needs to answer for its crimes. We’re getting into Mo’s three-TikTok preparation strategy, a technical challenge that nobody could pull off, and the eternal question: can you ask for cake-like bread and then complain that it tastes like cake? Plus, festive bread showstoppers, Tom’s growing frontrunner status, a plea for restaurants to put food on actual plates, and Nancy’s potentially explosive allegation that saffron is a scam. Come for the Bake Off recap. Leave craving garlic knots. Compliments to the Chef is part of the Acquired Taste podcast network. Subscribe for weekly recaps of The Great British Baking Show, Top Chef, and more. FOLLOW & EXPLORE Follow Acquired Taste on Instagram Watch on YouTube Read our Substack Explore the Acquired Taste network

Why do restaurants have lines before anyone’s tasted the food? When did restaurant merch become streetwear? And why does getting dinner sometimes feel like homework? This week, Luca sits down with Kelly Dobkin, the food writer behind Of All Places and a former editor at Eater, Zagat, and Thrillist, to unpack the forces shaping LA restaurant culture. We get into Eater’s wild early days, the awkward relationship between food writers and chefs, and why Kelly is betting on Substack after years in traditional media. Then, we talk restaurants becoming brands before they even open, the power of a really good sign, and the dining inconveniences Kelly would happily leave behind. Plus: millennial restaurant nostalgia, au poivre everything, toast-flavored ice cream, and the LA restaurants she’s loving right now. Read and follow Kelly: • Of All Places LA • Of All Places NYC • Kelly on Instagram Stories discussed: • Meet the Designer Behind Some of LA’s Coolest Cafe Branding, A-Frames, and Interiors • LA’s Coolest New Ice Cream Brand Is Turning Toast, Burnt Rice, and Tomatoes Into Dessert

Last week, we called out an Instagram account dedicated to leaving $0 tips at restaurants. The comments section promptly lost its collective mind. So this week, Luca and Father Sal are going all in on America's most emotionally charged restaurant debate: Is tipping culture completely broken? Why do we tip servers but not other minimum-wage workers? Has the iPad tipping screen gotten out of control? Would restaurants actually survive if everyone stopped tipping? And why is it so hard to get rid of a system that seemingly nobody likes? Plus, Bill Esparza and Matt Kang take a beloved LA taco stand to task, Sal discovers an incredible Thai burger, Luca finds some seriously underrated neighborhood gems, and the guys debate whether AI-generated food photos are an abomination or a lifeline for struggling restaurants. On Chef's Kiss / Big Miss: The heartbreaking closure of Sora Craft Kitchen, Souplantation's triumphant return, and whether any croissant on Earth is worth a 45-minute wait. THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SLANG AI Missed calls mean missed business. Slang AI helps restaurants answer every call, handle guest questions, and take reservations with AI-powered phone technology. Learn more: https://www.slang.ai/restaurants?utm_source=la_food_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=superhost_launch_oct_26&utm_content=ad_read STORIES MENTIONED Sora Craft Kitchen is closing: https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-10-14/sora-craft-kitchen-permanent-closure-downtown-los-angeles Why AI-generated restaurant menus are freaking everyone out: https://www.latimes.com/food/newsletter/2026-10-14/uncanny-valley-ai-generated-food-menu Souplantation is returning to Orange County: https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2026-10-08/souplantation-returns-orange-county-2027 Santa Monica's Matilda's Bakery is drawing 45-minute lines: https://la.eater.com/restaurant-openings/307595/matildas-bakery-opening-santa-monica FOLLOW ACQUIRED TASTE MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acquiredtastemedia/ LA Countdown: https://www.instagram.com/thelacountdown/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@acquiredtastemedia More from the network: https://acquiredtastemedia.com Love the show? Leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can say whatever you want about us. Just make it five stars.

Are Mexico City’s most viral tacos actually worth the hype? Bill Esparza and producer Robert Haleblian unpack what the Michelin Guide, TikTok influencers and tourists get wrong about Mexican taco culture, from El Califa de León’s Michelin star to the crowds at La Once Mil. Bill explains why premium beef and heirloom corn don’t automatically make a better taco, what gets lost when street food becomes a luxury experience, and why generations of taquero expertise deserve more attention. Planning a Mexico City food trip? He also shares favorite stops for tacos al pastor, chorizo verde and tacos de canasta, including El Huequito, El Vilsito and Ricos Tacos Toluca. Plus: a dispatch from LA’s Chef’s Conference, a lively discussion about the future of food media, and a reminder that Los Angeles dining still has plenty of life. Taqueando with Bill Esparza is part of Acquired Taste, alongside The LA Food Podcast and Compliments to the Chef. Produced by Robert Haleblian.

It's Audience Choice Week on The Great British Bake Off , and the viewers have officially lost their minds. This week on Compliments to the Chef , Nancy and Bits recap Season 17, Episode 3, aka “The Cheesecake Factory,” where family members invade the tent, bakers are forced to improvise with a mystery box, and the showstopper challenge turns into a full-blown edible fashion show. We're talking cheesecake chaos, the season's first Hollywood Handshake, Nigella and Paul's judging, and whether letting the audience run the show was actually a good idea. Compliments to the Chef is part of the Acquired Taste podcast network. Subscribe for weekly recaps of The Great British Baking Show and all your favorite food TV.

Are the Dodgers ruining baseball? LaSorted's Pizza founder Tommy Brockert has some thoughts. And as the man behind one of LA's most beloved Dodgers hangouts, he's got a pretty good seat for the drama. In this episode of The LA Food Podcast Interviews, Luca Servodio sits down with Tommy Brockert at LaSorted's Chinatown to talk Dodgers dominance, why he calls his restaurant "Dodger Disneyland," and how a former photographer who lost his livelihood during COVID wound up becoming one of Los Angeles' most recognizable pizza makers. Tommy takes us through his unlikely journey from making sourdough pizzas on his porch to opening two wildly popular LA pizzerias, explains why he refuses to call his pizza New York-style, and shares why authenticity matters more than chasing restaurant trends. We also get into his role in founding the LA Pizza Alliance following the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, his cross-country hot dog collaborations, and, naturally, his obsession with Real Housewives. It's a conversation about pizza, the Dodgers, betting on yourself, and what it really means to build something for Los Angeles. LINKS & MORE 🍕 LaSorted's Pizza: https://www.lasorteds.com/ 📸 LaSorted's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lasorteds/ 🎙️ Listen to Acquired Taste Food Podcasts on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/acquired-taste-food-podcasts/id1667175207 🌴 Explore the Acquired Taste podcast network: https://www.acquiredtastemedia.com/ ABOUT THE LA FOOD PODCAST Hosted by Luca Servodio and powered by Acquired Taste Media, The LA Food Podcast brings you conversations with LA's biggest chefs and restaurant personalities, the latest food news, strong opinions, and an unapologetic love for the greatest food city in America. Subscribe for more interviews, restaurant stories, food debates, and everything happening in the Los Angeles dining scene. #LaSorteds #TommyBrockert #Dodgers #LAFoodPodcast #LAPizza

Two hundred episodes in, Father Sal returns to help Luca celebrate the only way they know how: eating well and talking shit. They dig into Alta Adams, Cuernavaca’s Grill and the best bites from LA ChefCon, where conversations about restaurant economics and the future of food media raise a bigger question: who’s paying for any of this? Then it’s Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss: an anonymous LA influencer turns refusing to tip into content, Superiority Burger’s Brooks Headley plots a mysterious Los Angeles restaurant, and breakfast burritos get the astrology treatment. Plus, Luca’s roller-coaster regrets and an airplane cookie theft that deserves its own investigation. In Part 2, Chloe Makhani, CMO of Casaléna and Avondale Hospitality, joins Luca to discuss building a Woodland Hills destination for everything from date nights to weddings, growing a restaurant business with her siblings, and preserving the human touch as hospitality expands. They explore how Slang AI helps Casaléna handle restaurant calls while giving staff more time to focus on the guests in front of them. This episode is sponsored by Slang AI , the AI phone concierge built specifically for restaurants. Its newly launched Superhost makes calls feel more natural, responding to a caller’s mood and following along as guests interrupt, change their minds or switch languages mid-conversation. Run a restaurant? Learn more about Slang AI and Superhost . Joun us for the Echo Park Pizza Crawl! Discussed in this episode: The Daily: “The Restaurant Industry Is Broken” (transcript) No Bad Days: Brooks Headley interview Los Angeles Times: Jenn Harris on Masa y Taza’s breakfast burrito

Heritage Barbecue chef Danny Castillo joins Bill Esparza to explore the forgotten Mexican and Indigenous roots of California barbecue, the legacy of pioneering pitmaster Joe Romero, and how Latino chefs are reshaping American BBQ. Danny also reveals what's next for Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano, from a historic barn restoration to a new dinner service, and names his three favorite Texas barbecue joints. Plus, Bill recaps some of LA's biggest food events, including Eater Off Menu and Manhattan Beach Food & Wine, and weighs in on Asadero Los Ángeles' decision to regroup following criticism on last week's episode. Produced by Robert Haleblian .

It’s Biscuit Week!!! Bits and Nancy are back to discuss American-style cookies, a deeply nostalgic technical, and some truly unhinged biscuit mosaics. Plus, Nigella continues to settle into the tent, the bakers start separating themselves from the pack, and we finally have to say goodbye to someone. Join us for our coverage of Great British Bake Off series 17!!!!!!!!!

Danny Meyer changed American dining with Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, and Shake Shack. But what happens when the hospitality guy gets it wrong? The legendary restaurateur joins Luca Servodio to discuss why his no-tipping experiment couldn’t make the math work, how listening to critics led Shake Shack astray, and why keeping Tabla open too long hurt the employees he thought he was protecting. Plus, why Los Angeles is one of the world’s most exciting food cities, the LA restaurants he loves, and whether a 27-year-old Danny Meyer could open Union Square Cafe today. Drawing from his new book, What Could Possibly Go Right? , Danny shares candid lessons on restaurant economics, scaling hospitality, and knowing when conviction has become denial.

Can you tell which LA restaurants have outside investors just by the vibes? Karen Palmer joins Luca Servodio for “Does It Taste Like Private Equity?”, a guessing game exposing the money behind favorites like RVR, Prime Pizza, HomeState, Kismet and more. With Gen Z calling out “PE slop,” we debate whether outside investment actually makes restaurants worse, and why some independent-looking spots have institutional backing while seemingly corporate chains don’t. (For this game, “private equity” is shorthand for a broader mix of private equity, venture capital and other outside investment.) Plus, Karen discovers standout omakase inside the Bicycle Casino , Luca revisits the reimagined Alta Adams, and we discuss Skywalker Grill and Folks Pizzeria. In Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss: Langer’s wins the 2026 LA Times Gold Award , backyard Peking duck , Sang Yoon’s customizable fast-food burgers , and Eric Ripert’s Buddhist approach to kitchen culture .

It’s another Taqueando Q&A, and Bill Esparza is answering everything. Bill and Rob get into the backlash over their LA mariscos guide, what separates great ceviche and aguachile from the rest, how to tell whether an oyster is worth eating, whether King Taco invented the taco truck, the best pozole and chile en nogada in Los Angeles, where to eat in Coyoacán, and Bill’s perfect day of eating in LA. Plus, the Antojitos Rundown hits Loreto’s Wednesday omakase, Broken Spanish Comedor, Holbox, Disciples of the Corn and Mariscos El Tambo. Taqueando is part of Acquired Taste, bringing you deep dives into tacos, Mexican food, Los Angeles restaurants and the people behind them. Produced by Robert Haleblian .

Nancy DaSilva and Bits Nicholas are back in the Great British Bake Off tent and we are so excited to have them here!!! Lots to discuss on this first episode, most notably the departure of our dear Prue, the entrance of Nigella Lawson, and not one but TWO cakes on the floor. Join us for our coverage of GBBO series 17!!!!!!!!!

Big news for the feed: Compliments to the Chef is joining Acquired Taste Media. Hosts Bits Nicholas and Nancy DeSilva join Luca to talk about their friendship, their Top Chef obsession, what they know about the next season, and the Great British Bake Off coverage coming to this feed next week. First, they compare restaurant notes: Bits and Nancy return to Brooklyn’s reopened Ugly Baby, Luca falls hard for Little Mountain in Montecito, and somehow the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pizza place in Santa Monica earns a recommendation. Then it’s Chef’s Kiss, Big Miss on restaurant theft , Daniel Humm’s boxed pasta , a home café shut down by its HOA , and George Lucas’s surprisingly restrained Skywalker Grill . Join us at the next Pizza Run and Walk Club!

The New York Times named its 50 favorite restaurants in America, and somehow Komal is the first LA Mexican restaurant to make the list in six years. Luca and Sal break down LA selections Komal, Jacaranda and Yerord Mas Bakery & Deli, debate whether the list actually represents how America eats, and name the two Los Angeles restaurants they would have chosen instead. Plus: shrinking portions at Dune, Pawn Shop and Daisy Margarita Bar, the backlash against food influencers, “unreasonable hospitality,” and whether Crumbl even qualifies as a cookie . Sign up for Pizza Run Club!

Father Sal returns for a full Q3 listener Q&A, and things get weird quickly. We debate whether having a controversial guest on a podcast counts as “platforming,” try to decode an anonymous tip about Sqirl’s alleged lack of presence at the farmers market, ask whether West Hollywood is cursed for restaurants, and determine which LA spots best capture peak-millennial dining culture. Plus: which restaurants are worth suffering LA traffic for, where to send someone for their one meal in Los Angeles, whether LA is actually a sports-bar town, and plenty of recent eats, including Holy Basil, Ceviche Project and Pawn Shop. We also make a brief case for beer corkage fees, because apparently that is where we are as a society. And because it’s a listener Q&A: keep sending us your questions, comments and deranged food opinions on Instagram, Spotify and wherever you listen.

We’re reaching into the Taqueando with Bill Esparza archives for one of the only episodes Luca has ever joined Bill on, a deep dive into the glorious, deceptively complicated world of the real Ensenada-style fish taco. Bill breaks down what makes the Baja classic legit, why so many versions miss the mark, and everything Luca didn’t know about one of Southern California’s most iconic foods. There’s also a reason we’re bringing Taqueando to The LA Food Podcast feed today: big changes are coming to the Acquired Taste podcast universe. Plus, Pizza Run Club returns, worker-owned restaurants might not be quite as socialist as Luca initially assumed, and The New Gourmet becomes Buffet . Pizza Run Club tickets!

Food writer Karen Palmer returns to defend Hillstone, revisit the Hard Rock Cafe and examine whether Go Greek can become the Shake Shack of frozen yogurt. Luca shares recent meals at Doto, Sora Craft Kitchen and LA’s newest spots before they debate $40 sandwiches , protein maxxing , restaurant branding , Michelin’s Texas snub and the return of chicken as a marquee menu item. Plus, the best sandwiches in Los Angeles , the problem with restaurants that have nowhere to put your purse and an Aperol Spritz controversy nobody saw coming.

Does Tony capture the real Anthony Bourdain, or does it take one creative liberty too many? Luca is joined by Nancy DaSilva ( Compliments to the Chef ) and Father Sal for a spirited, spoiler-filled review of Matt Johnson’s Bourdain biopic, from Dominic Sessa’s occasionally uncanny performance to standout turns from Antonio Banderas and Leo Woodall. They debate whether the film needed Bourdain at all, why its romanticized portrait of a formative Provincetown summer works, and whether the backlash from Bourdain purists is justified.