chowpapi

Sunday

The State of Carnitas in Austin Texas. Part 4: La Monita

Post a Comment July 18, 2010 – 12:04 pm | Share and Save | Permalink |  Print This Post |

Day 4: A strutting cock is scratching at the hot blacktop as I park my Econoline and make my way inside La Monita; Austin’s premiere carneceria [meat house]. A giant dozing Mexican man is aslumber, doubtlessly narcotized from a full ton calorie load. He’s comfortably snoozing over in the corner beneath a Diego Rivera print while two big hombres power down on a couple platters of real deal Mexican chow.

$1.83 will buy you passage straight into a taco filled with porky bliss. A giant mound of shredded,  slow cooked pork shoulder is presented on a small tray with a side of sweet white onions and minced cilantro with a tiny ramekin of a bright red chile seca salsa. Doubled up  warm,commercial corn tortillas provide a starchy blanket for the meats repose.

I’ve always regarded La Monita as the best place in Austin to buy prepared Mexican meats by the pound. Their barbacoa is the finest in town and the carnitas are serious contenders in the pulled pork-style category.

Two *

La Monita

2200 East 7th Street
Austin, TX 78702-3570
(512) 524-4294

About the Stars:

4 ****  Extraordinary, life changing

3 ***   Excellent

2 *     Very good

1 *     Good

0 *     Mediocre to Acceptable

Quality, price, service and ambiance are all taken into account when rating.