Some Food for the Road

 Carnitas Michoacan

1901 North Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90031

We try to hit up as many restaurants as possible when we visit LA. We had just had a big barbecue lunch up the street but could not let the chance to try another spot pass us by. Since Katie and I were both full, we decided to take our food to go and eat it once we got home. We were facing an hour-and-a-half trip back to OC, so we'd have time to digest some of the excellent barbecued meats and sides we partook in at Moo's Craft BBQ. 

Less than a mile away, just west of the 5 Freeway, is the original Carnitas Michoacan. This 24-hour spot is a favorite of baseball fans before and after the games at nearby Dodger Stadium. Located on the corner of 19th Avenue and Broadway, the yellow building with red awnings is almost impossible to miss. Their sign states proudly that they have been in business since 1977, and their website is adamant that this is their only location, even though a quick Yelp search yields six other restaurants with their exact name spread far and wide through LA County. So, be aware of the copycats. 

There's a small parking lot behind the restaurant entrance off 19th Avenue. However, I'd imagine there is little chance of snagging one of the coveted 8 parking stalls in the cramped lot during mealtimes. So street parking might be your best bet. Ordering is done at the window alongside Broadway. Once you place your order, you pick up your food in the covered eating area to the right of where you placed your order. The lady who called the order numbers out was pretty quiet, so stay alert and close to the pickup window, so you don't miss getting your food. 

The menu at Carnitas Michoacan is straightforward. There are 11 kinds of tacos and a taco sampler that includes 5 of their most popular tacos for less than $9. Burritos, tortas, sopes, quesadillas, and nachos dot the rest of the menu. Numerous combination meals include the meat of your choice with beans and rice. Most combos are under $10, tacos will set you back on average $2, and only the lengua, tripas, and wet burritos will cost you more than $10. Grabbing our well-packaged food, we returned to OC during the afternoon rush hour.

Since Michoacan is the birthplace of carnitas, and this dish is in the name of this restaurant, it was a no-brainer that I'd be getting this Carnitas Combination  Plate ($8.50). First off, this to-go container was stuffed to the gills with food. Well worth the money for the amount of food that you get. The carnitas had a good flavor and were moist without being too wet. The drawback for me was that it was chopped too finely. I like variety in my carnitas, some big and little pieces and fatty and lean slivers. This was all chopped the same size and was mostly all lean pieces. Both the rice and refried beans were, and I enjoyed switching forkfuls with all the shredded pork.  

Taco Time! After eating up the street, I only ordered two tacos for later, which was a big mistake. I should have tried more than just their Pastor ($1.85) and Carne Asada ($1.85). These were bigger than regular street tacos and full of meat, like the carnitas plate above. The pastor taco was the better of the two. Little chunks of pineapple studded the delicious pork, while the faintly added red salsa added another layer to this taco. The double corn tortilla did an admirable job of keeping everything together. One of the better corn tortillas I have had in a while. The asada taco was decent too. The beef was nicely done and dressed simply with red salsa, onions, and cilantro. An excellent asada taco that has tempted me to try an asada burrito on my next visit. 

Even though we didn't get to enjoy our food from Carnitas Michoacan until we battled the freeway on our way home, I found their food to be quite good, especially when you factor in how little everything costs. It's not only their modest prices, but they also give you lots of food, and their meats are nicely done, especially their pastor and asada. Since they are so close to the freeway, I can see us stopping here frequently on our way home from LA. I'm glad we took the tie to stop on this trip, even though we were full from our meal up the street. 

Out of five avocados (because Michoacan is the only location in the world where avocados can bloom any day f the year, thus making Michoacan the avocado capital of the world), five being best to zero being worst, Carnitas Michoacan gets 3 avocados. 

For more information about Carnitas Michoacan, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.ogcarnitasmichoacan.com/

Another Awesome Barbecue Choice for Southern California

 Moo's Craft Barbecue and Taproom

2118 North Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90031

Regarding barbecue, two spots are almost always mentioned among the best in Southern California, Heritage BBQ in San Juan Capistrano and Moo's Craft Barbecue in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles. 

If you've read my blog sporadically or know me personally, you know my love of Heritage BBQ, which is conveniently located mere miles away from where I live. I generally make four trips or more a year there, and I'm looking forward to trying their newly opened Oceanside restaurant very soon. They are serving the best barbecue I've tried in California, rivaling what I consumed in Dallas over 13 years ago. I wanted to see if the food at Moo's Craft could rival what I've experienced at Heritage. 

Moo's Craft is brought to us by the husband and wife duo Andrew and Michelle Munoz. They started their meteoric rise in 2018 while doing pop-ups in their backyard until they became too popular. They became one of the star attractions at Smorgasburg, a once-a-week food festival held just east of the Fashion District in LA. When COVID struck in early 2020, they pivoted to doing to-go orders out of a community kitchen. With the growing number of fans they had acquired, the next logical step was opening their restaurant. 

That dream was realized in June of 2021 in the Lincoln Heights area of LA, just a block from the 5 Freeway on Broadway. Since opening their doors, they have garnered even more praise. Numerous articles have been written about them and their delicious barbecue; they were named one of the best barbecue spots in all of California and listed amongst the best restaurants in all of LA. Andrew has even been nominated for Best Chef semifinalist by the James Beard Organization. Wow!

Enough build-up for you yet? Katie and I had a vacation day, so we decided to pilgrimage up the freeway to see what Moo's Craft was all about. After finding some parking nearby, we were met with about a 20-minute wait in line to order. This was at 1pm on a Thursday, so you can imagine how busy this place gets on weekends and during peak meal-eating hours. 

The menu above the register is straightforward, especially for barbecue veterans like ourselves. But, of course, it did not hurt that I had studied their menu before leaving home numerous times. They sell their meats, of which there were four the day we were visiting, by half and a full pound. The menu was rounded out by five sandwiches, six sides, and two trays that judging by their prices of $98 and $170, were probably meant for more than just two people. Also, be on the lookout for specials they offer, which could be a collaboration with other barbecue spots or just a chef's whim. Let's check out what we encountered this afternoon. 

Here's a quick overview of the meat tray we pieced together at Moo's Craft. There's always something so magical about walking that metal tray back to your table after picking up your order at the pickup window. It's probably the anticipation of eating after waiting nearly an hour after your arrival, or it's the natural beauty of how they place the items on the tray. It's like a work of art that you actually get to eat. Try to do that with the Mona Lisa. Not gonna happen. Let's take a closer look at what we had going on here. 

Katie is a creature of habit when eating in barbecue restaurants. She always gets the Pork Sandwich ($15) as her main course. The pulled pork was piled high on a brioche bun with vinegar-based slaw on top. The pork was moist but without that wet mop feel to it. The bun did a great job keeping the contents of the sandwich confined. One of the better-pulled pork sandwiches Kaite has had. 

The rest of the platter was all mine, but I did end up sharing some with Kaite and did take enough home for lunch the next day. The Brisket ($17 a pound) was a little leaner than I usually like, but it was still tender and tasted great. The Pork Ribs ($14 a pound) were full of meat, which came off with a slight tug and had a fantastic bark on it. The hype for the Poblano Queso Oaxaca Sausage ($7 each) is much warranted. It was delicious and full of big-time flavor. The casing might be a little tough for some of you, but I found this very enjoyable. Great meats here, not overly smoked, but just enough to notice. 

Lastly, we were here when Moo's Craft collaborated with Hoodoo Brown BBQ, which is out of Connecticut. They were doing a tour of the US and raising money for charity when you bought their Crispy Skin Pork Belly ($14 for a half pound). The pork belly was too fatty for Katie, but I found it nicely done. I enjoyed the contrast between the crispy crust and the rich pork pieces underneath. It was a pleasant surprise that we got to try this because who knows when we will make it to Connecticut. 

Sides are another big part of any barbecue restaurant experience, and these sides from Moo's Craft will definitely enhance your barbecue adventure. All four of these were top-notch. The Frito Pie ($8) was better than I had long ago at the now-closed Barrel and Ashes in Studio City. The Frito Scoops were topped with hearty chili, plenty of grated cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. I could not get enough. The Red Skin Potato Salad ($7) was chunky but had some creaminess with a slight hint of mustard. Next, I warmed up quickly to the Esquites Mexican Street Corn ($7). The sweet corn with the sprinkle of cotija cheese was addictive. Finally, the Mac and Cheese ($8) was a good size and went down very quickly. Katie and I were fork-fighting over bites of this near the end. 

I know it sounds like a cop-out, but the barbecue and sides at Heritage and Moo's Carft are equal in quality but slightly different. I'd say that the meats here at Moo's Craft are a little more on the mellower side, with a little less smokiness included in the meat, which allows the natural flavor of the meat to be more pronounced, which is something that I like from time to time with my barbecue. Also, the sides at Moo's Craft are more straightforward, while the sides at Heritage are more daring and bold. Nevertheless, both spots are worth trying, and it's easy to see why each gets so much love from barbecue fanatics in Southern California. 

Out of five alligators (because Lincoln Heights was home to the Los Angeles Alligator Farm, a major tourist attraction in the city until it moved to Buena Park in 1953), five being best to zero being worst, Moo's Craft BBQ gets 4.5 alligators. 

For more information about Moo's Craft Barbecue, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.mooscraftbarbecue.com/