Tlayudas in L.A.

Tlayuda Vegetariana, layered with black bean paste, topped with queso fresco, cabbage, mushrooms, cactus, avocado and tomatoes.   (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times )

“Tlayuda de Cauliflower y Pasillas,” with Arbol white beans, guajillo roasted cauliflower, charred pasilla peppers and melted oaxacan cheese, by chef Eddie Garcia at Cocina Condesa.   (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times )

A vegetarian Tlayuda with avocado, tomato, beans, cabbage and cheese - topped with a fried serrano chile and a grilled Mexican green onion, is arranged for a photograph at Antequera de Oaxaca.   (Patrick T. Fallon/ For The Los Angeles Times )

Tlayuda at La Mayordomía.   (Amy Scattergood / Los Angeles Times )

A vegetarian tlauda is on the menu at Monte Alban, a Oaxacan restaurant in West Los Angeles. Ingredients are cabbage, black bean paste, tomato, avocado, and string cheese.   (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times )

A 13 inch tlayuda is on the menu at Oaxaca on Wheels.   (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times )

The top of the line classic supreme tlayuda smothered with tasajo, cecina, and strands of quesillo, which is Oaxacan string cheese, along with lettuce, tomato, onion and sliced avocado.   (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Los Angeles Times )

The Tlayuda dish at Aqui es Oaxaca off Venice Blvd in Los Angeles ready to serve.   (Stuart Palley / For The Times )

BruChata -- horchata combined with cold brew coffee from the Bicycle Coffee Co. -- at Tlayuda L.A. in Los Angeles.

Tlayuda L.A. caters to the Hollywood set.

A street vendor pushes a cart past a mammoth mural of Frida Kahlo on a wall at Antequera de Oaxaca.

A flowered, lace-trimmed dress from Tehuantepec hangs at the back of Monte Alban, a Oaxacan restaurant in West Los Angeles where tlayudas are king.

The heavy wood chars at Monte Alban are carved with a motif from the archeological site of Monte Alban, near Oaxaca city.

Filemon Vaquez prepares a tlayuda at Aqui Es Oaxaca in Los Angeles.

A tlayuda de chorizo y chapulines is artfully displayed at Cocina Condesa in Los Angeles.

A tlayuda comes together at Aqui Es Oaxaca. The The three meats -- pork, chorizo and steak -- will be added to the tortilla, along with pork lard, beans, string cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato and salsa.

Tlayudas are on the menu at the Oaxaca on Wheels truck.

Tlayuda mixta is layered with asiento, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, Oaxacan string cheese and three meats at Sabores Oaxaqueños in Los Angeles.

Tlayuda Mixta, layered with asiento, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, oaxacan string cheese and three meats, at Sabores Oaxaqueños.   (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times )