Casa Gish Bac - Review - Pico Union - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Gish Bac’s new home in Pico-Union was previously an event space, which you could probably guess by the look of the place. Tables are spaced out like a wedding reception, and there’s a stage but no band to take requests. Even in its slightly awkward new home, though, the traditional Oaxacan cooking at this family-owned operation is as fantastic as ever. Giant tlayudas act as serving platters for Gish Bac’s housemade tasajo and peppery chorizo links, and you can’t go wrong with any of the signature lamb barbacoa dishes, including the weekend-only barbacoa blanco that’s slow-roasted to peak tenderness with avocado leaves. Food Rundown Costillas en coloradito Our favorite mole here. Gish Bac manages to pack in as much punchy dried chile flavor into its coloradito as possible and the result is tangy, spicy, and sweet all at once. We also like how the fried pork ribs soften up in the warm sauce. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Plato de barbacoa Unlike the blanco, Gish Bac’s barbacao rojo is offered all week in several styles: as a taco, in soup, or (our favorite) shredded on a plate with tortillas, rice, and silky, mashed black beans. It’s the best way to appreciate the earthy spices in the barbacoa marinade, and we like dragging forkfuls of lamb meat through the salty frijoles. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Tlayuda Gish Bac There’s no such thing as a boring bite when tackling this giant tlayuda. Every inch is nicely seasoned, from the nutty rendered pork fat under the salty bean paste to the heavy layer of shredded quesillo and Gish Bac’s housemade tasajo and cecina that get a bit of char from the plancha. It’s a lot of food, so either come starving or plan to share with the table. photo credit: Sylvio Martins" - Sylvio Martins