Living in Westwood, decent Mexican food is terribly hard to come by. It may be blasphemous to say, but I am incredibly envious of the plethora of delicious taquerias surrounding USC’s campus. While we boast many great sushi spots, a myriad of top-notch pizza places, and of course, In-N-Out, UCLA’s campus is nearly void of Mexican restaurants. What’s a girl gotta do to get a taco around here?

Alas, one day I discovered a hidden gem: La Choza. Tucked in between a dry cleaner and a Thai place on Westwood Boulevard, one can easily miss La Choza’s unassuming green and yellow sign. Most people I talk to have never heard of it, but when I come across a fellow deprived taco aficionado, the name La Choza brings a special glimmer to their eye.

La Choza serves fresh, authentic, homemade Mexican food as it should be done. No frills, no pretense –just really awesome, simple food. While it is worth the trip south of Wilshire to eat in and enjoy hot chips and a lovely selection of salsas, they offer free delivery to those stranded on campus.

Their menu is sure to have something for everyone, but my go-to is the tacos. La Choza makes perfect, authentic street tacos—two small corn tortillas filled with your choice of meat, topped with a smattering of chopped onions and cilantro, and nothing more. That is how a taco should be. No unsightly additions like American cheese or globs of sour cream will be found on these treasures, and at less than two dollars a taco, you can satisfy your craving on a college budget.

La Choza is my favorite Westwood secret, and I originally wanted to keep it all to myself, but as someone who understands that some of us have needs that only Mexican food can fulfill, I thought I would share.

La Choza is located at 1767 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit lachoza.net.