News Summary
Elotes Los Santaneros, a family-owned business in Los Angeles, introduces gourmet elote golf carts to serve traditional Mexican street food in Latino neighborhoods. Established in 2017, the venture aims to fill a gap in elote vendors, offering elotes, esquites, and raspados. With a recognizable fleet of gas-powered carts, the business connects with locals amidst a backdrop of community pride, resilience, and festive culinary offerings, particularly during special occasions. They operate daily and encourage special orders through phone or WhatsApp.
Los Angeles – Elotes Los Santaneros, founded by José Pablo Caselin, has introduced a fleet of gourmet elote golf carts, enhancing the culinary landscape of Central Los Angeles. Established in Hollywood in 2017, this family business caters to the local Latino population, filling a noticeable gap in elote vendors in the area, including Hollywood and East Hollywood, where approximately 30% and 47% of residents identify as Latino, respectively.
The Caselin family operates six gas-powered golf carts, specially designed for selling elotes. Each cart boasts a utility bed that carries various supplies necessary for their tasty offerings. Adorned with novelty Puebla license plates and displaying the Caselin family name in the colors of the Mexican flag, these carts also feature a Mexican flag mounted as a symbol of pride, especially notable amidst ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting the community.
Elotes Los Santaneros can be found from Hollywood Boulevard to Olympic Boulevard, and from Hollywood High School to Vermont Boulevard, appealing to locals in densely populated Latino neighborhoods. To ensure that regular customers are aware of their presence, the golf carts emit a distinctive horn. Additionally, they offer the convenience of ordering special deliveries via phone or WhatsApp.
The menu primarily features elotes and esquites, traditional Mexican street foods. Elotes, or grilled corn on a stick, are served with mayonnaise, melted butter, queso Cotija, and optionally seasoned with lime juice and chile de árbol powder. For those preferring esquites, the preparation involves cooking corn in salted water with epazote and chile de árbol, which is then served in plastic cups with layers of mayo, butter, and Cotija. A trendy twist on this dish is called tostiesquites, which is served in Tostitos bags for the modern palate.
In addition to elotes and esquites, customers can enjoy raspados, a type of shaved ice treat offered in a variety of flavors including pineapple, guanábana (soursop), nanche, strawberry, mango, tamarind, and coconut. The affordable menu prices, typically below $20 before tax and tip, allow for broad access to these beloved treats.
Demonstrating a commitment to serving their community, the Caselin family distributed free elotes and raspados on Mother’s Day at the Lemon Grove Recreation Center, a gesture that resonated positively with local mothers. Since its inception, the business has adapted to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as heightened scrutiny from federal authorities, showcasing resilience and dedication to their craft and community.
Elotes Los Santaneros has gained a reputation as a beloved institution within the neighborhoods of Hollywood, East Hollywood, and Koreatown, with daily operations from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. To reach them, customers can call (323) 557-8499. The presence of gourmet elote golf carts not only provides a delicious taste of Mexican heritage but also strengthens community ties among residents who cherish this culinary tradition.
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Additional Resources
- Eater: Golf-Cart Elotes
- Wikipedia: Elote
- Eater: Elotes Los Santaneros
- Google Search: Elote
- Eater: Elote Tradition
- Google Scholar: Elote
- Eater: Community Impact
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Elote
- Eater: Food Culture
- Google News: Elote
