Moving to a new city is always a daunting task, teeming with questions: What do people here like to do on the weekends? Which is the best dry cleaner? And — certainly important in L.A. — where do I park?
We asked Julio Frenk to share his most important queries about his new home city, then went out to get the answers for him.
QUESTION 1: Where can I get the best Mexican food?
Answered by: Joey Martin, Senior Executive Chef, UCLA Dining Services
Restaurants:
La Casita Mexicana (Bell)
Founded 25 years ago by celebrity chefs Jaime Martín del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu, this restaurant blends regional Mexican specialties with modern twists and is known for its rich moles and authentic flavors. Their chile en nogada is a must-try, fusing sweet and savory elements in an unforgettable dish.
Guelaguetza (Koreatown)
One of Los Angeles’ most celebrated Mexican restaurants, this family-owned institution pioneered the introduction of authentic Oaxacan cuisine to the city in 1994. Standout dishes include a range of mole varieties, particularly the mole negro, hailed as one of the best by food critics. Guelaguetza also offers the “Festival de Moles,” a sampler of their signature moles, and their tlayudas and Oaxacan empanadas are highly recommended. Over the years, the restaurant has gained national recognition, earning honors like the America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation.
Javier’s (Century City)
Known for upscale Mexican dining with a focus on high-quality ingredients and polished presentation, Javier’s features a variety of dishes that include seafood specials like lobster enchiladas, and traditional favorites, such as carne asada and mole poblano done with premium twists.
Holbox (Downtown Arts District)
Considered one of the top Mexican spots in L.A., especially for seafood lovers, Holbox focuses on fresh, innovative dishes from Mexico’s coastal regions. The restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2024 and was recognized by the Los Angeles Times as Restaurant of the Year in 2023. The casual yet refined menu places Holbox among the best for both authenticity and creativity.
Coni’Seafood (Inglewood)
This family-run establishment specializes in seafood prepared in the style of the Mexican state of Nayarit, on the Pacific coast. The restaurant is known for its fresh mariscos and standout dishes like smoked marlin tacos and pescado zarandeado, the famous grilled whole snook. Coni’Seafood is a go-to destination for those who love authentic Mexican coastal flavors with a touch of innovation.
Food Trucks/Stands:
Teddy’s Red Tacos (Echo Park)
Known for its rich birria tacos, particularly the consomé-dipped versions.
Mariscos Jalisco (Boyle Heights)
Famous for its shrimp tacos dorados (fried tacos).
Leo’s Taco Truck (multiple locations)
A go-to for authentic al pastor tacos and beloved for trompo-style cooking, complete with shaved pineapple on top.
Angel’s Tijuana Tacos (multiple locations)
Features handmade corn tortillas and loaded baked potatoes.
QUESTION 2: Where is the best place for a walk or a hike in nature?
Answered by: Nurit Katz M.P.P. ’08, M.B.A. ’08, UCLA Chief Sustainability Officer
Many people hear “Los Angeles” and think of Hollywood or sprawling suburbs, but they don’t always realize how much nature is here. Having grown up in L.A., part of what I love the most is the diversity of ecology and landscape — in just a short drive, you can find — or lose — yourself in the mountains, desert or beaches. California is a global biodiversity hotspot, and L.A. County alone has over 4,000 species of animals and plants. Despite the recent wildfires that impacted so much of our beloved city, there are still many beautiful places and trails to walk, hike and explore.
South of campus, the views of downtown from the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area are also stunning, especially in winter, when the mountains in the distance are dusted with snow. To the east, Griffith Park has an abundance of both nature and culture, with over 4,000 acres to explore; you can hike from Fern Dell up to the famous observatory, and have an iced tea and then explore the universe!
Of course, you don’t need to leave UCLA to connect with nature. From the Mildred E. Matthias Botanical Garden to the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden, there are spots across campus for finding respite. Many are aware of UCLA’s beautiful landscape, but they might not know about the special habitat area on campus: Sage Hill, located in the northwest corner of campus, features 3.5 acres of native California habitat and is home to a wide diversity of native flora and fauna species, as highlighted by UCLA Magazine in its feature “Pockets of Paradise on Campus.” The area also serves as an outdoor learning space, providing hands-on, meaningful teaching and research opportunities for students of American Indian studies, design, ecology, English, environmental science, film, geography, sustainability, zooarcheology and many other fields.
Who is Julio Frenk? Read “A New Chancellor, A New Era” in the Winter 2025 edition of UCLA Magazine.
QUESTION 3: What’s the season programming for Opera UCLA and the Los Angeles Opera?
Answered by: Fiona Ruane, our intrepid editorial assistant
ADORATION
Feb. 19–23 | 8 p.m. | Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater
This contemporary chamber opera follows orphaned high school student Simon, who, at the urging of his writing teacher, falsely appropriates attributes of a historical terrorist attack to his deceased parents. Simon uses the resulting hysteria to challenge racism and intolerance while at the same time reaching an understanding of how prejudice led to his parents’ deaths.
OPERA SCENES
Feb. 22, 2025 | 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. | UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall
UCLA students perform a carefully curated slew of scenes from operas new and old, including an original Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht Weimar cabaret. A collaboration between the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and Opera UCLA, this is a free event celebrating the next generation of operatic voices.
COSÌ FAN TUTTE
March 8–30 | Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
In this sharp and quick-witted Mozart opera, two men make a bet that they can seduce each other’s fiancées. The performance is led by LA Opera favorites Ana María Martínez and Rod Gilfry.
AINADAMAR
April 26–May 18 | Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
In Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov’s opera, exiled and mourning actress Margarita Xirgu reflects on the story of poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, who refused to flee Spanish dictator Francisco Franco’s reign of terror and paid the ultimate price. The martyred Lorca is immortalized through contemporary Spanish song.
RODRIGO
May 1–2 at 8 p.m. | May 16–18 at 2 p.m. | Little Theater, UCLA’s McGowan Hall
After his mistress, Florinda, gives birth to his illegitimate son, the tyrannical King Rodrigo cruelly discards her, initiating a war with Florinda’s brother Giuliano and the scheming Prince Evanco. Composed by George Frideric Handel in 1707 and completed in 1983 with the recovery of a lost scene from Act III, the opera is rooted in the conflict between love and revenge.
SCHOENBERG IN HOLLYWOOD: WEST COAST PREMIERE
May 18–22 | UCLA Nimoy Theater
Composer Tod Machover, hailed as a “musical visionary” by The New York Times, imagines an alternative operatic universe in which revolutionary composer (and former UCLA faculty member) Arnold Schoenberg accepts an invitation to write music for the movies. The performance is a collaboration between the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience.
RIGOLETTO
May 31–June 21 | Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Giuseppe Verdi’s operatic masterpiece follows the powerful and corrupt Duke of Mantua as he attempts to womanize the innocent Gilda, daughter of cursed court jester Rigoletto.
THE OPERA GALA AT UCLA
June 4 | 8 p.m. | UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall
After a year of polishing their craft, students with Opera UCLA, in cooperation with the UCLA Symphony from the Herb Alpert School of Music, will be performing at the opera gala. The performance will feature UCLA students studying opera and music.
RENÉE FLEMING & FRIENDS
June 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Legendary soprano and 18-time Grammy nominee Renée Fleming, along with a bevy of special guests, will take the audience through a set of beloved musical showstoppers performed in conjunction with the L.A. Opera Orchestra.
With thanks to Joey Martin, who before coming to UCLA was the executive chef at the Staples Center and a senior sous chef at the Ritz Carlton; and Nurit Katz, who has assumed various roles in sustainability at UCLA for the past 16 years, and who currently also serves as a commissioner for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Read more from UCLA Magazine’s Winter 2025 issue.
