Sure, there had been tacos al pastor before he did them, but after the popularity of King Taco, everybody had tacos al pastor. People had had carnitas before, but, suddenly, everybody had carnitas. It just seemed to form the template of what the modern Los Angeles taqueria should be. 

--Jonathan Gold, 2013

Nine years ago, Los Angeles lost an unsung hero, Raul Martinez Sr., the founder of King Taco. To find out why this man was so important to LA, I shared a taco or two (or three) with the late Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold at King Taco #1 in Cypress Park. (Gold died in 2018.)

Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

In 2013, I visited an utterly charming and impish Harlan Ellison at his remarkable home and talked at length with him about his work as a prolific Sci-Fi writer. Then came the dreaded - and expected - phone call from Harlan's alter-ego. (Ellison died in 2018 but I wouldn't be surprised if he sent an angry message from beyond about using his name and "Sci-Fi" in the same sentence.)

Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

Voices from today and yesterday as Off-Ramp marks the 20th anniversary of the Rodney King Riots - which started April 29, 1992 - with a special hour-long program.

KPCC reporters on Driving While Black, be happy in downtown LA with kids, Getty Foundation director assesses Pacific Standard Time, and why restaurants are so damn noisy.

OC man marries a Filippina he met online, raising ire & eyebrows; new online incarnation of LA-based Cracked Magazine; a Grilled Cheese Invitational judge prepares

Alina Szapocznikow's work got more intimate when she got cancer ... why did James Kim lose his ability to speak his native Korean? ... AirSplat and hiring vets ... LA's only known superhero.

Off-Ramp special documentary "Airborne: A Life in Radio with Orson Welles," from R.H. Greene.

During KPCC's Spring member drive, hear the best of Off-Ramp both on air and online: South Bay student poems, Tom Jones, "Columbo" and more!

A Pogues founder explains why Shane MacGowan had to go - The Negro Problem couple's very public breakup - What does that graffiti mean? - GeoCache with Zorro

Off-Ramp's John Rabe goes in-depth with James Fearnley, founding member of the Celtic/Punk band The Pogues, which turns 30 this year.