It can easily be argued that from its tree-lined beginnings in Park Estates to its concrete crossing of the LA River, Anaheim Street is the most diverse path through Long Beach, an essential artery that cuts through just about every spectrum of city life. And so La Concha seems a perfect fit, a place where you’re just as likely to tear through tacos to Deep Purple as you are to catch a guy biking down the street with a snake wrapped around his neck. The restaurant initially came on a secondhand recommendation, but it was a good one—even La Concha’s chips and salsa stand out. But what I was pointed towards (and what you should set your eyes to as well) is La Concha’s enchiladas. At lesser restaurants, enchiladas sometimes seem like an afterthought, little more than a pair of old tortillas filled with some sort of textureless mash. But La Concha’s chicken enchiladas eat fresh—the chicken itself is turned tender with a quick shredding and the verde sauce only serves to compliment, not overpower. Best of all is that if you are looking for a sauce that’ll leave you tasteless, there’s always the tableside habañero, a near-nuclear mix that’ll make you force down a second or third horchata.

LA CONCHA 2612 E ANAHEIM ST | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.438.9499

Tags: enchiladas, Food, la concha, Long Beach, mexican, Restaurants, SIDES