Trust a taqueria with "carnitas" in its name to turn out the town's top tacos. But carnitas are where you begin at Carnitas California, which moved from its longtime home on Morrison Road to a bright new spot on Santa Fe Drive in the summer of 2016. Here, pork is slow-simmered in its own fat and juices in massive pots until the meat nearly falls apart. A quick sear on the griddle crisps the edges, but the pork is otherwise lightly seasoned; a colorful array of house salsas add the proper blast of heat and acidity. Dive deep into traditional carnitas with a mixed plate of the juicy pork, plus buche (stomach) and cueritos (soft-cooked pork skin), or choose from other equally impressive meats, from tangy cochinita pibil to beefy birria and barbacoa. The northbound-only stretch of Santa Fe that Carnitas California calls home means there's only one way to go for the best tacos in town.
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