Newsletter: Counter: A train beer crawl and an ode to the chimichanga

As you’re enjoying your weekend, whether it’s filled with Week 3 of the NFL or the last days of Vin Scully, too much pre-debate political coverage or the reboot of a classic western, maybe stop for some deep-fried burritos or a craft beer crawl.

This week, we drink our way down the Metro Red Line (safer, more eco-friendly, more fun), check in on the origin story of a crave-worthy taqueria dish and catch up with a new food truck from a pair of chefs who want to change the world, one “foldie” at a time.

– Amy Scattergood

Your Metro beer guide

L.A.’s vibrant craft beer scene begs a beer crawl, but this city is big and traffic is problematic, especially if you’re negotiating a few pints. Beer writer John Verive has a solution: Take the train. Specifically the Metro Red Line, which connects some pretty great beer bars along the way.

Bartender Kerry Vasquez pours a beer at Covell.

(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times )

How to fry a burrito

There are a zillion reasons to frequent taquerias, and often we take the various dishes on the menu somewhat for granted. So food writer Margy Rochlin considers the chimichanga, the Arizona-born fried burrito, and tracks down its origin story as well as a few places around L.A. to find some excellent iterations of the dish.

El Gran Burrito in Los Angeles serves chimichangas.

(Mariah Tauger / For The Times )

Locol hits the road

When chefs Roy Choi (Kogi, Chego, the world) and Daniel Patterson (Coi) opened Locol, their experiment in redefining fast food and community service in Watts, in January, it was with the promise of more iterations of the restaurant in the future. What we may or may not have expected was the addition of a Locol food truck. Of course, given that Choi almost single-handedly redefined the 21^st century food truck, this should have surprised no one.

Restaurant news

Deputy Food Editor Jenn Harris highlights the latest restaurant news: Clifton’s, the recently rebooted iconic DTLA cafeteria, is adding a tiki bar; Susan Feniger’s Mud Hen Tavern is closing; and there are more locations of Halal Guys, the restaurant version of the hugely popular New York City food carts, in the works.

Clifton’s cafeteria will open a tiki bar called Pacific Seas later this year.

(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants, the authoritative annual guide to local dining, is online for subscribers. And because you’re probably wondering, Gold’s 2016 Best Restaurants list will be out in late October, along with our annual Bite Nite celebration.

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