Gish Bac
Permanently Closed
Barbacoa master Maria Ramos's Oaxacan specialties
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Barbacoa master Maria Ramos's Oaxacan specialties
"Gish Bac’s new home in Pico-Union was previously an event space, which you could probably guess by the awkwardly spaced out tables and stage with no band to take our requests. It’s definitely not as homey as its predecessor, but the traditional Oaxacan cooking at this family-owned operation is as great as ever. The coloradito is packed with as much punchy dried chile flavor as possible, the tlayudas serve as platters for Gish Bac’s housemade tasajo and peppery chorizo, and the signature lamb barbacoa dishes, including the weekend-only barbacoa blanco, is slow-roasted to peak tenderness with avocado leaves." - sylvio martins
"Maria Ramos is a third-generation Oaxacan barbacoa master with deep roots in the Mercado de Tlacolula in Oaxaca on her father’s side of the family. Her barbacoa enchilada, or pit-roasted lamb in a chile-based marinade, is a smoky, spicy taste of pre-Hispanic tacos de barbacoa. Inspired by her mother’s side of family, exquisite mole negro, spicy mole coloradito, and silky enfrijoladas scented with avocado leaf are made to order just like back home in Valles Centrales de Oaxaca. In a city full of Oaxacan restaurants, Gish Bac is esteemed for its barbacoa and traditional Oaxacan cooking. The restaurant is open Monday thorough Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m." - Bill Esparza
"Oaxacan specialist Gish Bac has recently expanded to larger digs with Casa Gish Bac, with plans to close the original in the coming months. Both the daily goat barbacoa and weekend-only lamb barbacoa cement the restaurants as an essential stop on California’s barbacoa trail, which stretches the length of the Golden State. Other must-tries include the mole negro; tlayuda with tasajo, cecina, chorizo, grilled chicken, and grilled cactus; and a torta with chorizo, tasajo, and cecina. Wash it all down with a Mexican beer or a horchata." - Rebecca Roland
"Oaxacalifornia’s best restaurant, famous for its Valles Centrales barbacoa, is also your destination for artisanal moles. Steamed in banana leaves for two hours, the tamales de mole negro (black mole) with shredded chicken yields moist bites of palate-pleasing flavors: Mexican chocolate, dark and smoky notes of dried chiles, and a mélange of sweets, savories, and spices." - Bill Esparza
"Gish Bac is open seven days a week, but you should come here on the weekends because that’s when they fire up their lamb and goat barbacoa. The meat is cooked over avocado leaves, which gives it an earthy sweetness that you’ll be thinking about when you’re bored at work the next day. The mid-city spot is also very easy to find, with plentiful parking and a tented back patio with abundant shade, potted plants, and colorful fiesta banners." - brant cox
