Carnitas El Momo Boyle Heights
Lunch restaurant · Boyle Heights ·
Carnitas, birria, and tortas with tender, slow-cooked pork
Carnitas, birria, and tortas with tender, slow-cooked pork
"On a heatwave afternoon I stopped in for what I called a “breakfast” taco and ordered the Aporkalypse—a heaping combo of meats—and the buche with tender pork belly; each taco was plate-sized and hard to fold, with tender, salty (not too oily) meat, a double layer of pliant tortillas, a squeeze of lime, and a healthy pour of salsa verde, making it worth braving 107 degrees for." - Eater Staff
"If you love tender, slow-cooked carnitas as much as we do, then there’s a good chance you’ll agree that no one does it better than Carnitas El Momo. This Boyle Heights truck has now expanded with a brick-and-mortar location in Monterey Park, but both spots greet you with the same smells of bubbling cauldrons of carnitas. However, instead of toil and trouble, El Momo serves slowly braised pork cooked in lard and a secret spice blend of contrasting flavors, including the deep sweetness of brown sugar that caramelizes the large chunks of meat to create all kinds of textures. Pork belly, pork shoulder, and pork skin are all on the menu, but the move is to order all three. The gelatinous, chewy skin plays perfectly with the shoulder and fatty belly that come dripping with juice. Food Rundown Carnitas Torta This is a must-try at Carnitas El Momo, but we warn you that it’s a lot. A sturdy bread roll gets piled with a delicious mix of chopped pork shoulder, skin, and belly, all of which gets doused in their salsa roja and plenty of fresh onions and cilantro. This thing is big, so try to pace yourself if you can. Or bring an entire flock of friends to share it with. photo credit: Andrea D'Agosto Taco Mixta The second best thing about El Momo, besides their bubbling cauldrons of magical carnitas, is the fact that you never have to choose between their meat options because you can get all three at once. Their taco mixta is one of the best ways to do so, with the pork belly, jelly-like skin, and pork shoulder each bringing a special something to the tortilla. Make sure to spoon on some salsa roja for a smoky kick that’ll round out the pork overload. photo credit: Andrea D'Agosto" - Sylvio Martins
"Stopping in Boyle Heights, I found the Acosta family’s carnitas to deliver perhaps the 'purest flavor of pork' I’ve encountered in a taco: the pig parts emerge caramelized and herbaceous, generously salted but not overly so, and when I split open a whole jalapeño and squeeze its vinegary juices over the meat that addition sets off pinwheels and sparklers — a light show of acid and sugar and richness. Beyond the humble taco, I indulge in the cheesy mulita when my hedonistic urges strike and welcome the occasional surprise riff on carnitas made with salmon, while the weekend birria has become a staple at many popular trucks. I left smiling not only for the truly incredible food but for the heartening scene of a multigenerational family working together in Boyle Heights." - Farley Elliott
