Atwater Village & Highland Park: A Tale of Two Nachos

Nachos are one of life’s little luxuries and maybe the guiltiest of food pleasures since some people won’t even admit to liking them. But these people are liars because tortilla chips and melted cheese are an undeniably delicious union—though not a perfect one. Bad nachos do exist (just go to the movies if you don’t believe me), yet the beauty of nacho nirvana is that there’s no exact formula to reach it. Some work with guacamole, some don’t; sour cream is essential for some but terrible on others. This food truth is proven by two recent nacho experiences, different as night and day, but both so so so good.

Hugo’s Tacos in Atwater Village (pictured left)
Hugo’s Nachos Grandes don’t go overboard with any one ingredient, allowing the warm, crispy chips to stand out. Mild white beans are used instead of pinto or black, and the salsa (pico de gallo here, but there are many choices) is fresh and plentiful. We chose smokey-sweet al pastor for our meat, but you can get anything from mixed veggies and soyrizo to grilled fish and carnitas. The cheese, melted to bubbling perfection, is a mixture of Oaxacan and Cotija, resulting in rather refined nachos. 3300 Glendale Boulevard

Tacos Savannah (pictured right)
A group of mothers at my Catholic grammar school used to make and sell nachos every Friday at morning recess. They took great care, mixing two types of cheese sauce to create the holy mother of all cheese sauces-I would push other kids out of the way to get in line for them. Since then, though, I’ve rarely enjoyed saucy nachos, which are generally flavorless and soggy. However, Tacos Savannah, a truck that parks at York Boulevard and Avenue 64 most nights, has won me over because somehow their cheese sauce-laden nachos work. It’s probably because the meat, carne asada in this case, is so flavorful. It also helps that they throw in pico de gallo, onions, and cilantro. These might get soggy, too, but you’ll probably eat them too fast for that to ever be an issue. 6305 York Boulevard (in front of Rite Aid).

-Valentina