Many livelihoods changed once COVID hit. In early 2020, José Morales Jr. was fired from his job due to the pandemic and instead followed in his father’s footsteps and became a full-time taquero. Previously, he worked part-time with his father on a food cart called Tacos La Carreta on Sundays. There they prepared Mazatlán favorites such as chorreadas, vampiros, carne asada tacos, and papas locas.
Morales Jr. lives in Paramount, but since the municipal codes for food trucks are so strict, he chooses to operate from nearby North Long Beach. While most of the requirements are reasonable, the city of Paramount limits food trucks parked on a public street for only four hours.
My wife and I rotate “date-night” ideas. The last time, I chose Cento Pasta Bar, and dining at that level each week isn’t sustainable. My wife enjoys tacos but doesn’t want to try offerings such as lengua, tripa, and buche. I selected Tacos La Carreta because she loves a good carne asada taco.
We parked on 69th Street in North Long Beach, and as we walked up to La Caretta’s food truck, I noticed several parked cars with couples eating tacos in their vehicles. I was happy that I had a better way to enjoy our dinner.
After receiving our order, I drove to nearby Mayfair Park in Lakewood. This is a popular park with basketball courts, a playground area for young kids, and covered benches suitable for birthday parties. We unfolded our lawn chairs, unbagged our tacos, and quickly dug into our food. Fortunately, I brought dixie cups for our beverages.
I was happy they provided three bags of salsa, sliced cucumbers, a bag with grilled onions, and a chile toreado as seasonings. The carne asada is exceptionally lean and nicely charred, giving it additional flavor. It is topped with finely grated cabbage and minced onions.
The Torito ($6) is a quesadilla made with corn or flour tortilla and filled with the standard carne asada offering. A blistered Anaheim chile is included before it is folded and browned on the grill. The mild chile added a pleasant flavor; salsa provided the heat.
Taco La Caretta is best known for its chorreadas ($4.50). Asiento, a sauce made with pork lard and spooned over the melted cheese on the toasted tortilla. It is like a tostada with melted cheese and topped with carne asada. The asiento sauce adds a rich flavor to this taco. The vampiro taco is the same without the asiento sauce.
Tacos are only $3 each, and you can select between carne asada and tripa. Unlike some vendors, the tripa wasn’t rubbery and had a nice consistency.
Please note that they do not accept credit cards. In addition, there is no ATM nearby, nor do they have a table and chairs set up. All in all, this is an excellent destination for carne asada. Be sure to check their Instagram for their schedule and last-minute changes. @tacos_lacarreta
Taco La Caretta, 3401 E 69th St, Long Beach, CA 90805; restaurantji.com/ca/long-beach/tacos-la-carreta-/
Bryan, this sounds like some delicious fare. It definitely looks amazing. I think you need a glossary though to explain some of the food…ie Mazatlán favorites, chorreadas, vampiros, carne asada tacos, and papas locas. I will have to look them up to have a better idea what they entail.
For those prices I can eat until I burst… Great post kepp up the great work
There is so much to learn about ethnic dining in LA. I usually look up unfamiliar words before I visit. That way I have an idea of what I’m eating. 🙂
I completely understand. Good stuff