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The World Cup is here, and that means one thing to me: What are we eating?
I kid, but food is a big part of how and where we watch the game. It’s also a big part of how we first interact with other cultures. The truth is, I’m a big fan of the Mundial because, like food, it has the power to unite people from all over the globe.
And, with Los Angeles hosting eight official games, a lot of the world will be coming here.. Even if you can’t make it to a match, there are plenty of official fan watch parties across LA County — and even more chances to grab global grub.
So with so many people from all over the world descending upon this heavily Latino metropolis, the time is ripe to launch the first-ever LA Local “Mesoamerica Madness” food tournament.
To honor the great diasporas that make LA one of the best places to eat and live, we’ve launched our first-ever Mesoamerica Madness — you know? Like March Madness or Taco Madness — with 32 of the greatest meals you can find here. Which is the best? You decide.
Tournament Rules
- No tacos. No burritos. No tamales. We love them. They are legends. They are disqualified. If you want to vote on tacos, our friends at L.A. Taco got you covered.
- LA must do it well. Every dish in this bracket has a legitimate, excellent representative somewhere in Los Angeles County.
- Dishes were selected on: flavor complexity, cultural significance, how well the best LA spots do it and with input from a small select committee of immigrants and first generation LA residents from the various diasporas. They are divided by region.
- You are the ref. Voting is final. Upsets are encouraged. Heartbreak is part of the process.
- You can vote once a day! And check this space for results.
- The winner of each head-to-head match up will advance until each region has a winner. The winner of each region will make it to the final four.
And if you’re still wondering why Latin America? Here’s why.
Long before the Spanish arrived in the Americas, civilizations from the Aztec to the Inca had developed some of the most sophisticated food cultures in the world — drying, smoking and slow-cooking ingredients largely unknown in Europe.
The Columbian Exchange that followed sent ingredients such as chiles, tomatoes, potatoes and cacao around the globe, reshaping cuisines on every continent. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Indigenous, Spanish, African and later Japanese, Lebanese and South Asian influences combined into culinary traditions that are both deeply rooted and constantly evolving.
Los Angeles has become one of North America’s great capitals of these traditions.
With one of the largest Mexican populations outside of Mexico — and the largest of any U.S. county — along with sizable Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Peruvian, Colombian, Venezuelan and Caribbean communities, LA’s restaurant scene stretches from Boyle Heights taquerías to South LA cevicherías and Koreatown Jamaican and Trinidadian spots serving roti, oxtail and jerk.
Pick your favorites below and check back next week for the next round!
