Get ready for the SPICIEST Mexican food tour! In this episode of Heat Eaters, Esther Choi teams up with acclaimed taco scholar Bill Esparza for a tongue-sizzling journey in Los Angeles, unearthing the vibrant, chili-infused cuisines of Sinaloa, Oaxaca, and the Yucatan regions of Mexico.
First stop is Del Mar Ostioneria, an unassuming food truck that serves incredible chili-laced aguachiles and ceviche from Sinaloa, with top-quality marsicos that you'd expect to find at Nobu. Next, they meet up with the Oaxacan Queen herself, Bricia Lopez, to try a rare, hyper-regional spicy mole from Candelaria Lopez, who drove from Santa Maria Valley to whip up a special feast. To cap it all off, Esther and Bill head to a backyard taco pop-up, Ek Balam, to sample spicy cochinita pibil tacos and as is customary in the Yucatan chase them down with raw habaneros!
Mexican cuisine has over 60 varieties of fresh and dried chilies, and Bill's deep-dive into the history will make you appreciat