Guelaguetza

Guelaguetza is a family-run Oaxacan restaurant on West Olympic Boulevard on the border of Koreatown and Mid-Wilshire in Los Angeles, California. It has served the city's large Oaxacan community for decades and has become a reference point for the cuisine of southern Mexico in the United States. The kitchen is best known for its moles, the complex sauces of Oaxaca that combine chiles, nuts, seeds, spices and chocolate, and the restaurant has long promoted a range of them, among them mole negro, coloradito, amarillo, verde, rojo and manchamanteles. Mole negro, dark and deeply layered, is the dish most visitors order, typically over chicken. The menu also covers tlayudas, the large crisp tortillas topped with beans, Oaxacan cheese and meat, along with memelas, tamales, enchiladas, tasajo and cecina, and traditional Oaxacan drinks. Chocolate Oaxaqueno, a hot chocolate made with cinnamon and ground almonds, is a house speciality, and the restaurant is also known for micheladas and a selection of mezcal, the agave spirit tied to Oaxaca. The dining room is large, colourful and casual, with Oaxacan decorative touches, and it often fills with families, large groups and visitors. Live music appears on some evenings, and the noise level is lively. Reservations are accepted by phone, which is advisable for groups or weekend dinners, while walk-ins are common on weekdays. Prices are moderate, with entrees and drinks typically totalling roughly 18 to 35 US dollars per person. The Koreatown location is accessible from the Metro and by car, and other Oaxacan and Mexican dining options can be found across the neighbourhoods nearby.