Mo-Chica

3655  S. Grand
LA, CA 90007
213 747-2141
mo-chica.com

We visited Mo-Chica after reading about it in Los Angeles Magazine's article about the top ten new restaurants in Los Angeles. We figured since it was the closest of the top ten, we should give it a visit.

Mo-Chica is in Mercado la Paloma, an aggregation of eateries and shops on South Grand. Parking is abundant during dinner hours, since this seems to be mainly a lunch destination.

The menu is limited, and vegetarians will be disappointed. The only veg entree is a quinoa risotto, which had a good flavor, but was boring to eat an entire bowl of. It was pretty heavy, not sure what was in it, but it made me feel sluggish. The fish with rice dish was unremarkable.

What is often reported in the glowing restaurant reviews for this place is the ceviche, so we got an appetizer to give it a try. It was an abundant serving, with hominy and crunchy corn, along with seaweed salad. Though it was good, there was too much of it, and we found out when we got the bill that the appetizer portion is not available during dinner hours, so perhaps we had accidentally ordered an entree portion that was not on the menu? It was unclear and the error, along with most of the food, left a bad taste in our mouths.

If you like meat and can confirm prices before ordering, this place is worth a try. But if you're vegetarian and believe in accurate menus, stay home.