Episode 8-Week 2 Carnitas Uruapan

Carnitas Uruapan closed in September 2011.  It will be missed. It has relocated and is being run by former employees at 4233 Spring Street, La Mesa 92042  Here's a post

mmm-yoso is on vacation.  The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

When I started blogging, yea all of seven days ago, the first comment I received was from Ted, who asked if I might possibly review Mexican restaurants in the San Diego area. "Ha!" I thought. Mexican restaurants...what is out there? what is good?...

Then I was reading the chowhound website and recalled seeing a lot of inquiries this summer from people who were going to be staying in downtown San Diego for some sort of convention or another and they, too were asking about 'good Mexican restaurants'. 

Invariably, someone always mentioned "Carnitas Uruapan" for great carnitas, yet I have never seen a review. (Carnitas is essentially orange juice marinated pork, simmered in boiling oil, then braised in the oven to get a crispy crust.).  So, since I am not doing much of anything, I felt it was necessary to at least show some photographs to the few people who do not know about Carnitas Uruapan. It is in Lemon Grove...waaaay out in East county (maybe 12 minutes from downtown, because you get stuck at lights getting out of downtown).

Looks innocuous, eh? Its a lot nicer than the old location, which did not have air conditioning.  That location was taken over by Eminent Domain about 15 years ago.

We went here today, a Sunday, at 1 p.m. We were the only non-Hispanics in the place.  This is a good sign.

Here is the menu, all three pages. You can click onto any of them and they will enlarge.  

This is the main dinner menu and then there is the lunch menu.

If you have paid attention, the name of the place is CARNITAS Uruapan.  Get the carnitas.

Carnitas for two: $12.90...we wanted guacamole also, $3.50

Doesn't look like much, you say? That is a pound of carnitas meat.  You get three corn tortillas each, or two flour tortillas each.  Here is what we made, and what was leftover:

I made a taco and then just a plate of beans, carnitas, guacamole, cilantro, onion and tomato. I used lots of carnitas.

The Mister made himself smaller burrito like servings on the flour tortillas.

After we each had two pretty large servings, this amount of meat was still left over.  We did manage to finish it all though...but I wasn't hungry for dinner...

The "Sampler Platter" is $15.95 and includes about 1/3 lb carnitas, tamale, chile relleño, enchilada, a sopa, taco, rice and beans...lots of side stuff.  Its good.  Its all good.  The carnitas here are great.  The salsa is hot, fresh, the chips are made in house, the tortillas are fresh and warm when they get to your table, the beans are made with lard (wonder where they get it?), the cilantro and onions are plentiful and fresh and it is all brought to your table quickly with a smile.  The only thing I don't like- the iced tea is instant, not brewed.

Carnitas Uruapan 8035 Broadway, Lemon Grove 91945

(619) 462-0704

 

Comments

[Joseph E]

Thanks, I've wanted to hear more about this place for quite a while.

I could be wrong, but I think Carnitas Urapan and other good places cook the pork shoulder by low-temperature deep-frying in lard. The big hunk of pork should get deliciously tender on the inside after a couple hours, with a crispy outside from the molten lard.

However, many places first simmer the meat in broth and then finish it by quickly frying with a little oil or lard, or even by baking in an oven. I tend to think that this product has an inferior flavor, and I believe it is not the traditional form. Unfortunately, most taco shops and the big fast-food chains do it that way.

[Ted]

Hey Cathy,

Thanks for shining a light on a Mexican restaurant. It looks very tasty!!!

[RONW]

Is my comment getting posted now. Didn't on your last post, and I ain't the type to re-post....nope. That said:

"If you have paid attention, the name of the place is CARNITAS Urapan. Get the carnitas."

as much of a Grant's Tomb riddle that is, it's an excellent point to make. Readers tend to miss those finer points in a post (not me, of course) :>

[nhbilly]

I wish you could review some places here in OC too ;-)
Especially Santa Ana.

BTW that's a heck of a deal for 2 people, IMO.

-bill

[cathy]

Hi Joseph- You are correct and Carnitas Urapan does it the correct way. The place has no atomsphere, plastic plates and great food, which is my only requirement...

Ted-I did it because *you* made me have to think. We do go here often and for many years and its just an assumed good place.

RonW-Thanks for noticing...I have tried to do something subtle in each post...and have been unsure if anyone got my little tidbits.

nhbilly-The Mister and I do hit holes in the wall in OC and places north...but mostly closer to Thanksgiving/Christmas and New Years, when we decorate floats for the Rose Parade (www.petalpushers.com)....I didn't know Kirk would ask me to be his "temp" this summer, or would have been carrying the camera. If we do happen to do a road trip before Kirk comes back from his vacation, you will know.

[Captain Jack]

Wow Cathy,

That carnitas platter looks great.

[cathy]

Its that 100% natural lard they fry it in, Jack...you know me and all natural foods...always eating healthy.... :)

[lori]

The correct name is Carnitas Uruapan.

I am glad they do it the right way by frying in lard first. I will give it a try.

[cathy]

Thanks Lori. It didn't look right to me, either...I changed it. You will enjoy the food.

[toisan]

i haven't been to c.u. in ages. i too used to go to their original location in spring valley before cal trans put in the freeway. i remember the owner telling us that they modeled their restaurant after her husband's uncle's restaurant in T.J., where they prepared the carnitas in large copper pans. another hole-in-the-wall carnitas place is on university, btwn 36th and cherokee.

[cathy]

Hi toisan-I have heard of the TJ story...and oh, the old location...no a/c, sometimes bad lighting...and still the same flavor and the same crowds...I will check out the one on University...somehow have missed it..thanks!

[Odisea]

Forget the lime and forget the oven, carnitas are made only adding salt, that receipe is maybe from the mos simple ones, other guys add milk, some others add "nitro salt".

First when the lard is nice hot enough, the pigskin is poured into it to make the "cueritos" , then when they are ready it's time for the big chunks of pork.

My dad says a nice plate (or taco) of carnitas is best served with freshly made corn tortillas, jalapeño chiles and a cold coca-cola, after all that fat from the carnitas a nice melter like the coke. :D

[Cathy]

Hi Odisea-you are right about the simplest way is usually the best. Oh and the thought of a Coke melting the fat...I understand that!. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.