clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

This Mazatlán-Style Chorreada Is a Beacon for Late Night Carne Asada Fans

Taquería Mazatlán has Sinaloan food fans driving to the Inland Empire city of Colton

Chorreada and vampiro
Chorreada and vampiro

As part of Mexico’s greater northern region, Sinaloan cuisine is most famous for its fresh and creative barra fria (cold bar), its buttery and spicy seafood guisados from the barra caliente (hot bar), and beach grill classic, pescado zarandeado (whole butterflied “shaken” fish). Local seafood products shine in various ceviches and cocktails, with the state produces an abundance of agricultural products as well.

But at night, when all the seafood vendors are resting at home, the chorreada, a carne asada specialty from Mazatlán, is the star. A chorreada is a carne asada taco mounted on a sope (thick tortilla) slathered with asiento (unrefined lard), melted cheese, then covered with pico de gallo, grated cabbage, avocado salsa, and a mild red salsa. The name almost certainly comes from the runny, streaking mess of messy lard and gooey cheese that’s trapped on the masa boat by a low, crimped up wall of masa. “Everyone in Sinaloa knows the chorreada, and for those from other parts [of Mexico], the name gets their attention,” said Joshi Coronel, who opened his first physical restaurant, Taquería Mazatlán, in Colton a couple of months ago.

Coronel has been working in restaurants most of his life. In Mazatlán, he worked at a tourist trap called Guadalajara Grill (which is now closed) as well as the trendy Zona Dorada restaurant, Mango’s Bar. In Inland Empire, he worked at Sinaloan sushi chain Culichitown, where he held just about every position in the kitchen and front of house. Then in May 2019, he opened Taquería Mazatlán as a street stand that quickly gained popularity among the sizable Sinaloan community in and around Colton. Taquería Mazatlán is sandwiched in between Culichitown and Beer and Tortas Sinaloa, with Rialto’s branch of Culichi Town and Fontana’s Culichi’s VIP a bit farther away.

Taquería Mazatlán menu in Colton.
Taquería Mazatlán menu

There are a handful of Mazatlán-style carne asada vendors that have emerged in the last five years in the LA area, all based around Compton stands —Tacos La Carreta, Tacos El Palomas, and Tacos Al Carbon. El Palomas once had LA’s best weekend, backyard taco party until the city shut them down. But only Taquería Maztlán goes all the way with their chorreadas, using chopped top sirloin and real sopes — not just a pair of corn tortillas.

Typical of the numerous late night carne asada stands found in every Mazatlán neighborhood, Coronel’s restaurant serves carne asada tacos, quesadillas with carne asada, chorreadas, and vampiros, which are corn tortillas toasted on the plancha until blackened and crispy, then topped with melted cheese, carne asada, and all the fixings. Of course, no trip to Taquería Mazatlán would be complete with ordering the papa loca, a baked potato, that’s roughly scooped out then baked again with cheese. It’s topped with carne asada then dressed with salsas and other taquería condiments. It’s a perfect marriage between the classic steakhouse-style baked potato and a carne asada taco — nothing crazy at all. 1497 N Mt. Vernon, Colton, (909) 222-4449

Carne asada tacos at Taquería Mazatlán.
Carne asada tacos
Matthew Kang
Papa loca
Papa loca
Outside Taquería Mazatlán
Outside Taquería Mazatlán

Taqueria Mazatlan

1497 North Mount Vernon Avenue, , CA 92324 (909) 222-4449