Barbakush

Step inside Armando’s Bakery in Boyle Heights on a Sunday morning and you’ll find something far more exciting than pan dulce. Barbakush, a beloved family-run operation, has set up shop here since closing their original restaurant, bringing their legendary lamb barbacoa to the neighborhood in pop-up form. Watch as mom works the comal making fresh corn tortillas while her sons chop up lamb that spent the previous night roasting underground in the family’s backyard.

The star of the show is undoubtedly the barbacoa de borrego. This isn’t your everyday shredded meat—it’s impossibly tender lamb that falls apart with each strike of the cleaver. The flavor runs so deep and pure that you won’t need to reach for the lime wedges or the house-made salsas, though they’re certainly worth trying. Order it by the half-pound if you’re feeling generous, but the tacos with chile de arbol salsa are the way to go.

For the adventurous eaters, Barbakush’s menudo is a true test of culinary courage. When asked what’s in it, one of the owners simply gestured vaguely at his midsection—which means you’re getting the whole experience: liver, heart, stomach, and plenty of tripe swimming in a broth loaded with dried chiles. It’s spicy enough to make you break a sweat and definitely an acquired taste, but offal enthusiasts will be in heaven.

This is bare-bones, no-frills dining at its finest—just a few folding tables in a bakery—and it’s cash only. Come early on Sunday mornings before they sell out, and prepare yourself for some of the most authentic, soulful barbacoa in Los Angeles.