Nita’s Serves Homestyle Filipino Cuisine at a Quiet Carson Strip Mall | Eater LA
"When I walk into Nita’s in Carson I see all the classic trappings of an old-school Filipino turo-turo—bright lighting, utilitarian wooden tables, and an inviting steam table brimming with homestyle soups, savory stir-fries, tender braises, and grilled skewers. Founded in 1998 by siblings Marilou Santiago, Imelda Mendoza, and Ferdinand Mendoza and named for their grandmother Nenita “Nita” Mendoza, the family-run spot has spent 26 years serving Carson’s 20,000 Filipino Americans ready-to-eat, reasonably priced comfort food. The steam table changes daily and can include munggo (a savory rice and mung bean stew fragrant with garlic, onion, and patis), wok-tossed pancit with cabbage and carrots, Filipino-style spaghetti with an umami-rich meat sauce balanced by sweet banana ketchup, charred pork barbecue skewers wrapped in foil, piping-hot sinigang in styrofoam bowls, and deep-fried banana-and-jackfruit turon caramelized with sugar. They’ve used the same recipes since day one, which keeps the dishes consistent and keeps people coming back. Beyond popular staples like lechon and adobo, they also serve Lita Mendoza’s Ilocano specialties—igado made with strips of liver and pork tenderloin braised in soy sauce and vinegar, and pinakbet of stewed okra, green beans, and bitter melon flavored with bagoong. The family’s commitment to affordable prices and quality cooking has made Nita’s a longtime community institution that also draws many first-time, non-Filipino diners, and Krystine Santiago helps manage the place that regularly has lines snaking out the door." - Emily Joy Meneses
