Musings on mole with Guelaguetza's Bricia Lopez. Plus Victor Heights gentrifies, legislators doom service fees, and LAist trolls Luca.

We’re joined today by the indomitable Bricia Lopez, a widely respected entrepreneur and author whose family restaurant, Guelaguetza, has been enchanting the palates of Angelenos with Oaxacan delicacies for nearly three decades. Bricia joins me to discuss the restaurant’s origin story, how she and her siblings helped save it from bankruptcy 10 years ago, and what it means to uphold Guelaguetza’s legacy while working to keep things fresh and exciting. We get into the ins and outs of mole and why you should never even THINK about calling it a chocolate sauce, and Bricia even gives us a run-down of how to spend the ideal weekend getaway to Oaxaca. It’s a treat of a conversation and I can’t wait for you to listen to it, dear listener. 

Father Sal also swings by to chop up some of the biggest headlines in the food world. We talk about a couple of fascinating new developments coming to a sleepy corner of Chinatown, a troubling new twist in California’s service fee saga, and the first signs of a potential Mario Batali comeback (please hold while I vomit). Most importantly, though, I get to vent about an LAist article that felt a bit like a personal insult, and if you think that sounds dramatic, just you wait, dear listener.

Helpful links:

Guelaguetza website https://www.ilovemole.com/

Mole and More by Bricia Lopez website https://moleandmore.com/bio

Asada Cookbook https://store.ilovemole.com/collections/home-and-kitchen/products/asada-the-art-of-mexican-style-grilling-signed-copy

Bricia Lopez on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bricialopez/?hl=en

Mario Batali comeback? https://www.eater.com/23929016/mario-batali-teases-comeback-instagram-virtual-events

Service fees in trouble https://sf.eater.com/2023/10/18/23922950/california-restaurant-service-fee-ban-junk-fee-law-confusion-rob-bonta?_gl=1*lb21tw*

Victor Heights LA Times article https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-10-24/victor-heights-alpine-street-perilla-chinatown-gentrification LAist article in question https://laist.com/news/food/this-guy-ate-100-la-burgers-over-8-years-in-a-quest-for-the-best