The good people at Pinches Tacos say that they pride themselves, “in making every location unique but giving every location the same feel. Not cookie-cutter like big chain restaurants. We blend into our neighborhoods and create a place you want to call your second home!! Our doors are always open to our neighbors from their culinary needs to request for donations. As a Family every location is a branch of us, it is our ‘First Home.’”
The Anaya Family, for it is they that are in charge, add that their mission is to “provide you the best taco experience by using high quality meats and seafood, fresh garden vegetables, hand made corn tortillas and high quality artisan breads. Our father, Miguel, hand picks those ingredients every morning. We could have made it complicated but choose not to, because we have found through experience, that keeping things simple is a good recipe for success and happiness. It’s also a good recipe for a pretty tasty Pinche Taco.”
That strong pride in their history, that sense of familial tradition and the love that they pour into their food stands out when tasting just about anything on the Pinches menu. The sights, smells and flavors that flood out of the door of any of their four California locations, but specifically the Culver City branch in this case, are near-overwhelming.
“Folklore has it that our great-uncles used to run with infamous Pancho Villa,” they say. “They were his cooks or Pinches. So the story has it that every time Pancho Villa would get hungry, he would scream out ‘Pinche traime unos tacos!’ — Cook, bring me some tacos — Hence the name ‘Pinches Tacos.’”
Despite the name of the place, we opted for a burrito when we visited, specifically the Vegetariano. The soft wrap is packed-to-bursting with seasoned rice, beans, and salad, including a generous portion of avocado.
The greater Los Angeles area has no shortage of Mexican eateries, and few of them are genuinely bad. Even so, the burritos at Pinches Tacos are great. All of the ingredients taste fresh and are beautifully seasoned. The beans, which can be stodgy and bland elsewhere, are full of life here.
The rice too is vibrant and delicious. The salad is crisp and tasty, and the avocado adds texture and wonderful flavor. The salsa that comes on the side is tangy and spicy, and the housemade chips are gloriously crunchy and tasty. It all ties together magnificently well, and we’ll be back.
Pinches Tacos is located at 8665 Washington Blvd., Culver City 90232. Call 310-837-5000 or visit pinchestacos.com.