[beep] [sounds of subway] [music] Hi, I'm Rosey Alvero.

And today on SoCal Wanderer, we're going to meet Dora Herrera of Yuca's Tacos.

Yuca's is a small, but mighty taco shack, located right here in Los Feliz.

Founded in 1976, its quintessential style and flavor has established this restaurant as an award-winning women-owned culinary institution.

Vamos amigos.

Let's get some tacos.

[music] I have never been to Yuca's, which is crazy, because it's been around a long time, right?

-45 years.

-Only 45 years.

-Only 45 years!

-No big feats.

And this was started by... -Mama.

-Mama.

-Mama is here.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Hello.

[speaking Spanish] Rosey.

Rosey and?

Dora [speaking Spanish] [laughter] Nice to meet you.

Don't be fooled by her antics.

This here is Mama Socorro, Dora's mom, and the founder of Yuca's tacos.

My dream to start Yuca's tacos came out of pure luck.

I found this little place that was on sale, and nobody wanted to buy it.

Nobody liked it.

But I said, "You know what, I'm going to make my burgers and tacos here, all by myself."

I thought I was going to work alone in this place.

This is it.

-The menu is small.

-The menu is very simple.

The first taco, I make it here out of carnitas.

Carnitas.

45 years ago, people were like, "What is this?"

They were looking for the crunchy and then got some cheese.

Mom was like, "We don't do that."

My brother started standing on the sidewalk out here, and he waved cars over and he's like, "We just opened.

Come in, try the food, and if you don't like it, I'll give you double your money back" They all pulled in, they tried it.

Everyone liked it.

We didn't have to give any money back.

Then we got an article in The Times, The Center Fold of the Food Section.

It took about a week and then people started coming, and she's like, "Help."

Now she has a whole family behind her cooking up a storm.

Just peeking over the counter, you can smell, see, and hear the simmering carnitas cooking in their achiote sauce, and tasty burgers patties sizzling over a grill.

It's a tiny space, but it's got mighty flavor.

Dora ordered the works for me.

Okay, what should I start with?

What do we have?

We have one of each: carnitas, pollo, machaca, cochinita pibil, and carne asada I think let's start with the cochinita pibil.

That's the one that got us the James Beard nomination.

Wow, this is a James Beard-nominated taco right here.

We won it, too, which was like, "Yes!"

This wasn't just a James Beard award-winning taco, it's a taco that made LA history.

[music] -This one is special.

-The cochinita, yes.

How is it cooked?

It's like in this red sauce?

It's slow-roasted.

We put a bed of banana leaves, the pork, achiote spices, and we import our spice from the Yucatan still.

Wow!

That's incredible!

Then you cover it with more banana leaves and some foil you throw it in for 12 to 14 hours.

I mean, you can really tell that there's something special about this.

All about this.

I'm going to eat all of it.

My five-course tasting menu did not disappoint.

A carne asada with fresh hand-sliced beef, a machaca with a savory kick, and their new specialty: pollo.

Make more.

[chuckles] Of course, Mama's own take on the classic American burger.

It's not like I eat a burger all the time, but it is my favorite food -- and tacos.

So, basically, I am in heaven right now.

It's lunchtime now and the locals are lining up.

I've been coming here my whole life.

We drove an hour -- about an hour in traffic on the 405 and the 101, and we were so hungry and it is still so good.

It was like my saving place because I miss Mexico so much.

I've been bringing everybody then my family throughout the years, and they're going to bring their kids probably soon.

But, it was Mama's idea, or is Mama the chef?

-Was it her?

-It was her dream, her idea, her recipes.

Well, I kinda love that though, because I can only imagine 40 years ago as a woman, it being very difficult to open a business.

Thank God.

Everybody's nice to me.

Everybody... That's awesome.

It's why everything goes easy.

So now you are running it?

Yes, with my sister, Margarita.

With your sister.

Mama just comes in for the hugs and kisses.

The easy job.

Easy job!

(laughs) The hugs and kisses may be the easy job, but they keep everyone coming back.

To see Dora take leadership in her family restaurant is truly inspiring.

I'm grateful to be able to sit with Dora and Mama, two pioneers in Los Angeles food culture.

The impact Yuca's, Dora and Mama Socorro have made can be felt all over Los Feliz.

I can't wait for people to come together at this little shack on Hillhurst, for many more years to come.

[music] SoCal Wanderer is made possible by the Wurwand Foundation's key initiative to support local entrepreneurs, FOUND/LA.