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Pop-Up Of The Week: SOLRAD’s 'Mexican-Americana' Breakfast Burritos
Mexican Americana breakfast burritos are what's on the menu at SOLRAD in Whittier.
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Courtesy of SOLRAD
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Who: Chef Teo Montoya, along with his wife Melissa Montaya and partner Justin Graham, make up SOLRAD, a pop-up specializing in “Mexican-Americana” fare at Sala Coffee and Wine in Whittier, with a suitably Spanglish mashup name.
What: Breakfast burritos, a dish with roots in Mexican cooking, but has gained gargantuan U.S. popularity. SOLRAD’s options are small, but carry a lot of heart and soul. The Bullshead breakfast burrito ($16), is made with perfectly stewed beef barbacoa, hashbrowns, refried beans (lard-free) and Tecate braised onions which meld into each other with a heavenly consistency. Their housemade salsas provide enough kick to have you seeing stars.
The Bullshead breakfast burrito from SOLRAD melts in your mouth, not in your hand, with every bite.
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Courtesy of SOL RAD
)
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Once a month, SOLRAD hosts a Baja-style barbecue affectionally named SOLPICNIK (a nod to a Chicano Batman song). Chef Teo's family originates from the northern region of Baja California, Mexico, while Justin Graham grew up in Central California. Graham employs the Santa Maria grilling technique to serve a variety of hometown-style dishes, including tri-tip and grilled oysters.
It's Baja California meets Central California at the SOLPICNIK the second and fourth Saturday of every month in Whittier
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Courtesy of SOLRAD
)
Where: Sala Coffee & Wine, Address: 7701 Painter Ave., Whittier, CA, 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesday-Sunday. SOLPICNIK 3 to 7 p.m on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
Why: Breakfast burritos are SOLRAD’s bread and butter, and for good reason. According to Montoya, tacos are everywhere, and he didn’t want to position himself to compete with the already stellar taco market. "People know us as the breakfast burrito people. We love it," Montoya said.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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