Lotería expands with new sandwich shop

Are you tired of the same on-campus eateries? Are you looking for a change? Venture to FIGat7th and experience taste-bud adrenaline at Torta Co., a new Mexican sandwich shop that opened this week.

Torta Co., located adjacent to Lotería Grill in the FIG@7th food court, is owned and operated by Jimmy and Andrew Shaw, two brothers who grew up in Mexico City loving torta sandwiches. The Shaws own Lotería Grill restaurants in Santa Monica, Hollywood, Thousand Oaks and Studio City. They also operate the popular Lotería Grill stand at The Farmer’s Market, established in 2002. The Shaw brothers initially wanted to include tortas on the menu at Lotería Grill, but decided against this.

“Before I opened Lotería, I wanted to have tortas on the menu, but I was always disappointed in the bread,” Jimmy Shaw told LAist. “I was able to figure out how to do the bread. When I felt good about that, then we decided to open this.”

Upon biting into one of the Shaws’ sandwiches, it is clear they have figured out “how to do the bread.” At Torta Co., the sandwich bread is baked in-house daily. The rectangular bread has a crunchy outer layer which conceals an ultra-soft center. Each sandwich is heated on an open-top grill in authentic Mexican style.

“The problem I have with tortas in L.A. is the bread — it’s too soft on the outside and lacks texture,” Jimmy Shaw told Los Angeles Magazine. “It’s also bigger than what we are used to in Mexico.”

Upon entering to the food court, it is apparent that Torta Co. values the quality of its ingredients. Sandwich fillings include fresh, locally grown vegetables, various peppers and sauces and a variety of meats.

Vegetarians will enjoy the Tinga de Setas, an option made with oyster mushrooms, smoky tomatoes, onions, chipotle sauce, pinto beans, Oaxacan cheese and avocado. The savory mushrooms only enhance the sandwich’s flavor because they complement the crunchy beans well. This sandwich has a little kick because of the chipotle sauce, so expect a little heat. Overall, this sandwich is a pleasant surprise.

I found the holy grail in the form of the Jamón y Queso, a heavenly concoction of smoked black forest ham, white cheddar cheese, black beans, tomato, avocado, onion, and chipotle mayo. The perfectly smoked ham gave the sandwich a rustic heartiness; the ham’s deep, smoky flavor perfectly complemented the mild cheddar cheese. The thin layer of black beans combined with the toasted torta bread gave the sandwich an extremely satisfying crunch. This beautiful marriage of American and Mexican flavors was only enhanced by the rich avocado and chipotle mayo.

Anyone looking to bookend his or her meal with dessert should try one of Torta Co.’s dessert sandwiches,  such as the Banana Cajeta Torta. This sandwich is a reasonably sized sandwich filled with sautéed bananas, goat’s milk caramel and candied pecans. The sautéed bananas were warm, soft and comforting, while the caramel packed a sweet punch. The crunchy pecans added nice texture to the dish. Many desserts, especially dessert sandwiches or crepes, tend to be cloyingly sweet or have an unappetizing, mushy texture. This sandwich was sweet enough to satisfy dessert needs without being overbearing. It was also incredibly filling. Even though a sweeter sandwich bread would have made this a more satisfying dessert, this sandwich was a solid end to a great meal.

“We are doing typical tortas that you’d find in Mexico City like ham and cheese, and turkey,” Shaw told Los Angeles Magazine. “They will appeal to Mexicans and non-Mexican palates as well. Then we’ll do other more Mexican-style tortas like chicken milanesa, or carne deshebrada (stewed, shredded beef).”

Torta Co. combines classic Mexican flavors and ingredients with an American twist. Each sandwich makes for a satisfying meal and contains interesting flavor combinations that play with texture. Every item on the menu seems like it was carefully thought out, so you won’t find your boring ham and cheese here.

The atmosphere at Torta Co. is lively and fun. Conveniently located next to the food court’s entrance, customers are greeted with the inviting aroma of freshly baked bread. A case of freshly baked torta bread is on display next to the registers, along with decorative sodas and glasses. Torta Co.’s staff is friendly and welcoming; each server had a favorite sandwich and all were eager to make recommendations. Sandwiches are regular-sized, but very filling. Menu items range in price from around $3 for sides to $10 for some sandwiches.

Torta Co. is a welcome change of pace from more traditional sandwich shops and is worth a lunchtime visit.

 

Torta Company is located inside the FIGat7th food court at 

735 S Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90017