El Porvenir has closed. It will be missed.
mmm-yoso is not on vacation. Cathy is blogging and Kirk is relaxing....don't worry, we'll trade places.
Hi. So, on Christmas Eve I made tamales with my neighbor and I blogged it. Howie wanted to know why I did not put an olive in them (the lady who was showing us how to do it said she never saw it done that way and it must be a regional thing), Liz kind of was going to follow a recipe, of which I didn't print since its just using the ingredients and to taste... and Trent wanted to know where he might find masa preparada in a larger than one pound package..and fresh...presumably at a tortilleria.
I know where I *used to* get fresh masa preparada...and tamales already made for 60¢ each. Its still there, but they aren't selling the preparada during the holidays (competition you know;why do most of the work for someone else) and the tamales are now $1.50 each. It *has* been there forever- 1901 actually...El Porvenir.
Yes, that is it...technically two parking spaces in front, 4 tables and 2 booths inside...the cooking grills for the tortillas in front...and the best darn carnitas you will ever have. A plate of what feels like a pound is $5...the mixed carnita burrito is $2.75 It feels like a half pound.
The mixed carnitas taco is not on the menu and is $2.
I love the taste of the carnitas and the beans here. The beans are made using lard (from where, I say aloud to myself...where oh where can they get such yummy lard?).
Oh and the chile relleño burrito, also $2.75. Just with beans and the home made salsa...
The whole menu is written at the top of these neat pocket calendars. Burritos: carnitas and chile relleño, beans w/ rice, cheese, chorizo and eggs, machaca, chile con carne, pork and beef tamales. That's it...oh but they do sell tortillas $1.95 for a dozen flour and 95¢ for a dozen corn. You know they make them right there, and cook the flour ones for you if you are buying a dozen, or are just getting a burrito. It is excellent here, close to the entrance of the Coronado bridge (2 blocks west, two blocks south).
El Porvenir 1786 National Avenue San Diego 92113 (619) 702-2445 Mon- Sat 8 am-6 pm (mas or menos...it says so on the sign out front)
LARD makes food taste so so so good. When I was in Mexico with my friends I saw vats of lard being used to fry everything. And boy was it good. Lard in Mexico was all natural not the crisco crap lace with chemical here in the USA.
Posted by: nhbilly | Sunday, 07 January 2007 at 10:30 PM
Wow, 1901! I had no idea. And no wonder - That burrito looks eee-normous!
Posted by: Trent | Monday, 08 January 2007 at 09:49 AM
Hi Billy- and the lard at El Porvenir is the "good" stuff.
Oh yes, Trent...that Carnitas burrito weighed a lot..and was so darn good!....I do like the carnitas here best-or at least equal to Carnitas Ururapan.
Posted by: cathy | Monday, 08 January 2007 at 04:12 PM