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Taqueando with Bill Esparza: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Acquired Taste Media
Taqueando with Bill Esparza is your front-row seat to the vibrant world of Mexican and Latino food culture. Hosted by James Beard Award-winning writer Bill Esparza, we go way beyond tacos, diving deep into street food, regional cuisines, travel adventures, chef interviews, and the real stories behind the food. From the mercados of Mexico to the kitchens of Los Angeles, Bill brings decades of expertise, insider access, and serious passion to each episode. Expect no-BS conversations, big personalities, and a whole lot of taco talk. Powered by Acquired Taste Media. New episodes every Wednesday.
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- 1 weeks ago49 min
What Most People Get Wrong About Mariscos: Bill Esparza’s Guide to the Best Ceviche in Los Angeles
Where can you find the best ceviche, aguachile and Mexican seafood in Los Angeles? Bill Esparza drops his definitive LA mariscos guide, explaining why great seafood requires more than an overflowing aluminum tray, a backyard location or a pile of lime and salsa.Bill breaks down the three pillars of Mexican mariscos: the barra fría, barra caliente and parrilla. He explains why Mexican ceviche is driven by pristine seafood and regional product, how it differs from Peru’s technique-focused tradition, and which warning signs reveal bad shrimp, careless knife work and past-its-prime callo de hacha.The guide covers Muelle Ocho, Mariscos El Faro, Mariscos Chiltepin, Cahuamanta Lao, Coni’Seafood and the essential shrimp taco at Mariscos Jalisco, along with modern destinations including Holbox, Ceviche Project, San Damián and Loreto. Plus, Bill calls out influencer misconceptions, reveals where to find LA’s best aguachiles and pescado zarandeado, and explains the proper way to build, sauce and edge a tostada.Produced by Robert Haleblian.
- 2 weeks ago54 min
Phil Rosenthal on Leaving Netflix, Bad Food Influencers, and the Ultimate Taco Crawl Faux Pas
Somebody Feed Phil host Phil Rosenthal joins Bill Esparza at Max & Helen’s, his Los Angeles diner created with Nancy Silverton, for a wide-ranging conversation about food, travel and the value of remaining curious. Phil reveals why Somebody Feed Phil is leaving Netflix for YouTube, calls out the negativity and rage bait driving food-influencer culture, and finally learns why filming pirated DVDs during their legendary Tepito taco crawl nearly got the entire crew kicked out.Bill also asks the legendary comedy writer to judge his official Dos Equis “legend line”: “When there’s no line at Max & Helen’s, people wait eight hours just out of respect.” Plus, Phil and Bill debate whether LA pizza has caught up with New York, explain why Los Angeles has America’s best Mexican food, revisit cow-udder and beef-lung tacos, and discuss the restaurants Phil believes are defining the city’s food scene, from Pizzana and Pizzeria Sei to Courage Bagels and Max & Helen’s.Produced by Robert Haleblian.
- 3 weeks ago1h 5m
Is Valle de Guadalupe in Trouble? Roberto Alcocer Reflects on the State of Baja Wine Country
In this episode of Taqueando, Bill Esparza sits down at Michelin-starred Valle in Oceanside with Chef Roberto Alcocer, the Ensenada-born chef behind Valle and the beloved Baja restaurant Malva. Roberto reflects on his early days cooking in France, Puebla, and Pujol, the once-intimate rise of Valle de Guadalupe, and how Baja’s seafood, wine, and farm-to-table culture helped shape modern Mexican fine dining.The conversation dives deep into the past, present, and future of Valle de Guadalupe, from the early days of Laja, Corazón de Tierra, Manzanilla, Malva, Vendimias, and true wine-country community to today’s challenges with overdevelopment, hotels, party tourism, rising prices, and the fight to protect the region’s identity. Roberto also discusses earning a Michelin star at Valle, why San Diego diners are still learning what Baja and contemporary Mexican cuisine can be, and why he believes Malva may soon return in a new form.Plus, Roberto shares where to stay, eat, and drink right now in Valle de Guadalupe, with recommendations for Mira Earth Studios, Adobe Guadalupe, Envero, Lunario, Damiana, Animalón, La Opah del Güero, Escama, and more.Produced by Robert Haleblian.
- 4 weeks ago1h 5m
Don’t Mess With the Empanada: Alto’s Chefs Bring Río de la Plata Fire to LA
At Alto in Studio City, chefs Juana Castellanos Lagemann and Esteban Klenzi are bringing the food and fire traditions of Argentina, Uruguay and the Río de la Plata to Los Angeles in a way the city has never experienced before. Bill Esparza joins the duo to discuss their journey from some of the world’s most demanding fine-dining kitchens to Ventura Boulevard, why asado should be cooked over glowing coals instead of open flames, and how they are elevating their culture without stripping away its soul.They also explain why you should never order short rib medium rare, what makes a truly great empanada, how the parrillero’s relationship with fire differs from that of a typical grill cook, and where to eat in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Plus, the chefs introduce Alto’s immersive Pampa Omakase, a communal feast inspired by the joyful, smoky ritual of a South American family asado.Produced by Robert Haleblian.
- Jun 24, 20261h 4m
Marcela Valladolid Is Reclaiming the Mexican Pantry (Part 2)
In Part 2 of Bill Esparza’s intimate conversation with chef, author and television personality Marcela Valladolid, the two dig deeper into Matriarca, her growing Mexican pantry brand built around clean ingredients, traditional cooking and the belief that Mexican families deserve beautiful, high-quality products rooted in their own culture.Marcela breaks down Matriarca’s expanding lineup, from organic fideo, masa harina and salsa macha to heirloom beans, dried chiles and ingredients sourced directly from producers across Mexico. She also discusses making tortillas from scratch, the wellness industry’s failure to speak to Mexican women, the rising cost of dining in Valle de Guadalupe and why preserving language, recipes and culinary traditions still matters.Plus, Marcela and Bill debate tamal versus tamale, share their favorite Chula Vista and Tijuana food memories and reflect on nearly two decades of friendship. Taqueando is hosted by Bill Esparza and produced by Robert Haleblian.
- Jun 17, 20261h 5m
Marcela Valladolid Is Done Asking for Permission (Part 1 of 2)
In Part 1 of a two-part conversation, chef, author and television personality Marcela Valladolid welcomes Bill Esparza into her Chula Vista home for an intimate look back at her journey from Tijuana’s culinary world to becoming one of the Food Network’s most recognizable Mexican chefs.Over a pot of fideo seco, Marcela opens up about fighting for authentic Mexican representation on television, the pressure of being reduced to Cinco de Mayo segments and the lack of support she experienced as a working mother. She also reflects on leaving food television, rebuilding her career through wildly successful online cooking classes and creating Matriarca, her new Mexican pantry brand centered on clean, thoughtfully sourced versions of the foods she grew up eating.This is only the beginning. Part 2 of Bill and Marcela’s conversation continues next week.Taqueando is hosted by Bill Esparza and produced by Robert Haleblian.
- Jun 10, 20261h 6m
Don’t Bring That BS to Casa Vega: Christy Vega and Nayomie Mendoza on LA Mexican-American Food
This week on Taqueando with Bill Esparza, Bill sits down at one of Los Angeles’ most iconic Mexican American restaurants, Casa Vega, with owner Christy Vega and Nayomie Mendoza, owner of Cuernavaca’s Grill, for a conversation about legacy, survival, margaritas, wet burritos, taquitos, salsa, and what it really takes to preserve an LA institution.From Casa Vega’s 70-year history in Sherman Oaks to Cuernavaca’s rise as a community-driven Mexican American restaurant in the Fashion District, this episode digs into the food culture that shaped Los Angeles: chips and salsa, oven-style burritos, chile rellenos, crispy taquitos, big margaritas, celebrity regulars, family ownership, and the generational weight of keeping a restaurant alive.Bill, Christy, and Nayomie also talk about why Mexican American food deserves respect on its own terms, how LA’s classic restaurants survived COVID, fires, strikes, ICE raids, influencer backlash, and impossible operating conditions, and why places like Casa Vega and Cuernavaca’s Grill are not just restaurants. They are memory banks for the city.Plus: Casa Vega’s World Cup specials, Cuernavaca’s Grill joining the FIFA Fan Fest at the LA Coliseum, Casa Vega’s upcoming Baja patio takeover, and why the best way to experience these restaurants is simple: order the margarita, get the taquitos, add the salsa, and have a good time.Produced by Robert Haleblian
- Jun 3, 20261h 2m
Are Bagels Just Bread? Canter’s Deli and LA’s Bagel Debate
This week on Taqueando, Bill Esparza heads to Canter’s Deli to talk with Marc Canter about the deep history between Jewish delis, Boyle Heights, East LA, Fairfax, and Los Angeles’ Mexican American love affair with pastrami. From pastrami burritos and pastrami fries to the survival of old-school LA delis, the conversation traces how Canter’s helped shape one of the city’s most unexpected food connections: Jewish deli culture through a Chicano lens.Then Bill is joined by Lisa Wahl of Lisa Eats LA to unpack “Bagel Gate,” the viral Threads debate sparked by Bill’s claim that bagels are just bread. Together, they get into LA’s current bagel boom, New York food superiority complexes, Vietnamese and Mexican bread cultures, Courage Bagels, Canter’s old-school bagels, and why Los Angeles doesn’t need to become New York to have great food.Produced by Robert Haleblian
About Taqueando with Bill Esparza
Taqueando with Bill Esparza is your front-row seat to the vibrant world of Mexican and Latino food culture. Hosted by James Beard Award-winning writer Bill Esparza, we go way beyond tacos, diving deep into street food, regional cuisines, travel adventures, chef interviews, and the real stories behind the food. From the mercados of Mexico to the kitchens of Los Angeles, Bill brings decades of expertise, insider access, and serious passion to each episode. Expect no-BS conversations, big personalities, and a whole lot of taco talk. Powered by Acquired Taste Media. New episodes every Wednesday.
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