La Otra Taqueria Escuela | Los Angeles

Steven Arroyo's projects have jumped cuisines too many times to count.

There was Neal Fraser's southern French cooking at Boxer, and steakhouse cooking at The Hillmont. Then came tapas at Cobras & Matadors, followed later by bistro fare at Church & State.

Arroyo opened Malo in 2003 in the midst of all those swerves, and the restaurant's Mexican-American dishes were an ode to his mother's cooking. After selling his stake in the restaurant in 2008, Arroyo went back to wandering.

Recently, however, with Escuela Taqueria and the newly opened La Otra Taqueria Escuela, his attentions have again turned to Bea's El Burrito, the East L.A. restaurant his mother ran.

The scope of La Otra's Southland-style Mexican cooking goes beyond tacos. Now you can dine on pork-rib tacos (pictured; $8 for two), or opt for an extravagant platter of lobster with rice and beans (market price). The pork-and-green-chile stew ($13) is as delicious as it is unattractive. Served on a vintage tin platter, that stew embodies the restaurant's aesthetic: hip and homey.

Ordering the Butcher's Plate ($28) may be tempting, but we preferred its varied meats prepared as tacos. Additionally, the deep-fried OG Hardshell tacos, filled with crunchy lettuce, cheddar and tender beef shank, are not to be missed ($7 for two).

La Otra Taqueria Escuela, 7615 Beverly Blvd., Mid-City; 323-932-6178