In L.A., top-notch burgers, tacos and hot dogs are as plentiful as freeway exits, but for the true sandwich connoisseur, there can be no better stop than downtown’s Grand Central Market. You can get whatever you want at the stands, be it chow mein or crawfish diablo, but what you must have is the classic Mexican deli sandwich called torta. Spanish for “cake,” a torta is a crusty roll that is prodigiously stuffed with fresh Mexican ingredients like carnitas, refritos, chilies, salsa and avocado. Decidedly not the fare found in Cali bistros, where model-actors look at bowls of Tofutti and sigh, “I just couldn’t,” the torta is L.A. without pretension. Completely inexpensive and absolutely delicious, the torta weighs about as much as a cantaloupe and will set even the hardiest appetite right and ready for another sunny day in paradise.

Tacos Tumbras A Tomas
Grand Central Market,
317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles,
213-620-0477

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Montreal writer, poet and musician David McGimpsey is the author of the acclaimed collection Hamburger Valley, California. E-mail him at dmcgimpsey@enroutemag.net.