The good people at Pinches Tacos, a family-owned mini-chain with locations in Southern California and Nevada, say that their mission is simple: “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. We hope you agree.”
That unrelenting desire to ensure that there are no compromises when it comes to the quality of the ingredients, that pride in the family recipes and keeping things simple, shines through in both the food, the service, and the surroundings.
“We pride ourselves in making every location unique but giving every location the same feel,” they say. “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 Culver location really does have a homey, warm feel, and the staff are tremendously friendly. But, as ever, all of that would mean very little if the food isn’t great. Noise staff and pleasing decor could quickly feel superficial without the eats to back them up. No such worries here.
In the interests of keeping things simple, to fall in line with their mission statement, we decided to give the Gringo Tacos a try. That’s, “Hardshell corn tortilla, shredded beef, cheese, onions, chipotle cream, lettuce, tomatoes.”
It’s the attention to detail that puts the dish off the charts. The lettuce and tomatoes taste like they were picked yesterday; crisp, vibrant, and full of color and flavor, the salad really brings the tacos to life. The cheese and onions add the necessary depth and tang, while the chipotle cream adds some spice. Meanwhile, the shredded beef is cooked and seasoned beautifully. Even the hardshell taco is great–no boxed, stale shell here.
We also got a side of guacamole and chips, and that too was wonderful. The guac is fresh and zingy, with a nice chili bite. Like the taco shell, the chips taste home-cooked and have the perfect crunch.
Nothing is left to chance here.
Pinches Tacos is located at 8665 Washington Blvd., Culver City 90232. Contact 310-837-5000 or visit pinchestacos.com.