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.

Off-Ramp TemperaTour(TM); This Old Thing?; The Best Milkshake in Riverside; Belmont Fiasco; Gronk's Takes on Film; Senator Craig Finds Sympathy with Older Gay Men; Domanick on Pelicano; MacArthur Park is Alive with the Sound of Music; Listener Call

Some Pig; Bob Baker's Marionette Theater; Mid-Century Chimes; Cattle Call; Deep Beef; The ABC's of BBQ; Domanick on Spector; Songs of Protest; The Big Picture; Letters

L.A. Appetites; Sushi Zen; Hot Ramen; I Eat Ramen, Hear Me Roar!; El Pollo Chino; Would You Eat Granny?; Some botanas, por favor; Urban Survivalist; Tree of Life

A Last Goodbye; Hello Tiki-Ti ; Tiki Tribute; Ghost in the Machine; It's Not a Knack; Dad's in Jail; Santee Alley; Eden's Edge; Bahooka; Web Extra

Phantograms; Keystone-Mast Collection; Projecting 3-D Ain't Free; Leaves of Photographs; Humble Art; D.I.Y. 3-D; Reel-D; LA's First Family Of Photography; Julius Shulman; Take My Picture; Shooting History

Kinky in Los Angeles; The Unsung Pelon; Armenian Melodies; Re-Gifting Sound; Cello Fellow; A Little Night Music; Rock En Spanglish; These Kids are Alright; Harper Woods

Doo Dah Surf

Armenian Melodies; Deep Beef; Safer Cities Initiative: One Year Later; Mimislist; Craigslist Considered; Strings Theory; The Mayor of Gladys Park; Skid Row Redux; Sex Abuse; Sapphic Poet