Carnitas Las Michoacanas

Rolando Park, San Diego · Mexican · $$

These carnitas have been cooked the same way for over fifty years - pork slowly simmered in lard in large cazos until the meat surrenders completely. The technique is Michoacán through and through, and reviewers have been known to drive two hours from Los Angeles just for this. You're in a strip mall on University Avenue in a neighborhood that doesn't advertise itself, but that's exactly where the labor happens.