Just days after Oprah's visit,
Yuca's has branched out to a new, larger location on Hollywood Blvd. Owner
Dora says the Hillhurst location will remain open, but as she gets to know the former
Casa Diaz kitchen, she will start adding Yuca's signature menu items like the yummy
cochinita pibil to the menu of standard Mexican fare.
EatingLA already had some excellent avocado-lashed tacos and tortas from the new location, and it looks like Dora is already showing them how it's done. Best of all, the new location has sparkling clean indoor tables and will soon stay open as late as 10 at night.
Just days after Oprah's visit, Yuca's has branched out to a new, larger location on Hollywood Blvd. Owner Dora says the Hillhurst location will remain open, but as she gets to know the former Casa Diaz kitchen, she will start adding Yuca's signature menu items like the yummy cochinita pibil to the menu of standard Mexican fare. 
EatingLA already had some excellent avocado-lashed tacos and tortas from the new location, and it looks like Dora is already showing them how it's done. Best of all, the new location has sparkling clean indoor tables and will soon stay open as late as 10 at night.
16 comments:
awww...I actually really liked Casa Diaz as it was. But a later night Yuca's is definitely something I can get behind!
This is one the best pieces of news to wake up to for me. A later night Yuca and closer to me even. It's like they heard me talking about them and how they could improve.
yeah, but if you've ever had one of casa diaz's tortas you know they'll be missed - this one's a win/lose proposition for me, personally!
So I just got back from Casa Diaz. I went there expecting a Yuca's burrtio, but after the first bite I realized that Yuca's might have taken over the operations of Casa Diaz, but the food hasn't changed as of yet. The main difference: the carne asada there tastes like it was cooked last night and stored in a pot over some steam all day, while at Yuca's the meat tastes like it's just come off the grill, a feeling that is reinforced by the actual site of three people stuffed into that tiny shack, pulling sizzling beef off a grill and seasoning/chopping it moments before it goes into your burrito. Also, I missed the American cheese at Yuca's; Casa Diaz uses that popular white crumbly cheese. Also: Casa Diaz puts rice in the burrtios; Yuca's does not. In summary, for the classic Yuca's burrito, you must go to Yuca's; maybe one day they'll change the setup at Casa Diaz to make an identical burrtio, but for there's no comparison.
Too bad. Casa Diaz was a new find and a friendly place to drop by and have a snack. No more as it changes hands to this difficult owner and over rated cuisine. Why do you think they'll stay open late?
I agree, I'll miss picking up their tortas for lunch. But i'll enjoy taking the quick jaywalk for Yuca's carnitas...once it arrives.
wow. I am so sad today. I went to my FAVORITE local restaurant Casa Diaz and it finally hit me when I saw the Yucca's biz card. For the last two weeks I've been wondering when Mr. Diaz would be back from vacation because it seemed like the service just suddenly lacked... I was just getting a careless vibe from the new managers or whatever.
I have to say I was devastated actually to find out that Casa Diaz was sold. This place... Senor Diaz and his wife were almost like my surrogate parents... teaching me spanish and serving just the best food... gone.
I wished I would have known... I didnt even get to say goodbye.
I'll see what Yucca's has to offer.... but already I notice a lack in quality.... and from what I understand Dora is the one responsible for all those hideous never emptied mcdonalds reject trash cans around the neighborhood. It's such an eyesore to the community.... Things change but this place seemed timeless. Much Love to the Diaz family. It was a great run. One of the last truly authentic family run restaurants in the area. There's even a Huell Howser episode about the place.
-sadness
There are upsides and downsides to this. If Dora is smart she will keep making tortas with the Casa Diaz recipe. I have to say, though, last week I had 3 tacos there (carnitas, al pastor, carne asada) that rocked! The carnitas is in competition with the best I've had to date. Can't wait for the cochinita to arrive.
I am entirely devastated. I love Casa Diaz. Do we know where they relocated to?
This is the worst news I've heard in a very long time. Casa Diaz is / was awesome, great food, friendly people, a true gem in the neighborhood. Yuca's is a joke. Seriously, American cheese…
yep things are not the same.
Mr. Diaz retired and is cruising to Yellowstone for some fishing,He loves fishing.
He will be missed.
Yes the Yucca vibe is not going over well with daily Diaz regulars.
Hopefully they can turn it around because right now the feeling is as they are doing you a favor when you place an order.
what is the deal with Casa Diaz? the new owners are Yucca's?! Yucca's sucks. Senor Diaz was an icon of the neighborhood. Such a humble man who took obvious pride in his restaurant. We already know that Yucca's uses lower grade ingredients.... :( Remember when they got a "C" at the yucca's on hillhurst and it was closed for a week?
Yucky....it's Casa Doras now< eat at machos around the corner, the service is faster, healthier, and nicer patio! Oh and Dora is witch!
disaster!! casa Diaz was as good as they come. Being an LA native and and having eaten at countless burrito stands through out my life I can safely say Casa Diaz was a champ. Though i suppose its good for the owners; They are a very sweet, elderly couple and their only son lives in alaska, so perhaps now they will be able to see him more.
Friday morning on an idelic country home outside Portland I awoke with the word "Yuca's" coming unbidden out of my mouth. What? I thought to myself supprised by my comment and mostly still asleep. "OMG" thought my wife. I hadn't been at Yucas for years. Sure friends had told me how Dora and Mama were doing well, recognised by Oprah for Christ sake. I had a need, a need for tamales, $700 tamales. After my post Starbucks visit I bipped over to the Hillsboro airport, got the plane, and that evening I was languishing on Hillhurst with Dora providing me with the last Cocinita of the day. Saturday at noon I got 24 Tamales and flew back to Oregon for an amazing dinner with friends. The tamales like a good wine or a good guitar are better slighty aged.
Y'all who rate Casa Diaz over Yuca's are utterly cracked... Casa Diaz' food was OKAY, but nothing revelatory; I always felt slightly ill when eating there, and stopped quickly. Yuca's food is fresh and amazing. The new spot on Hollywood still has some kinks - the service is nice, but bizarre and slow, and some dishes are better than others. The food that is not so great in fact seems to be a holdover from Casa Diaz in fact. The real revelation at Yuca's Hollywood is the breakfast burrito-amazingly spiced potatoes inside! Wow! As for Dora and her personality, she is an entrepreneur with vision: those with a strong point of view aren't going to get along with everyone. I've always liked her and vice versa, but I could see how she could rub some people the wrong way; then again, I probably don't wanna hang with those people. What she's done is only good for the neighborhood and mexican cuisine in L.A. which sorely lacks next to San Fran and even Chicago.
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