Lawyer.Eats: Los Jarritos

I was blessed to be born into a family of Mexican heritage. My mother is Mexican, and she's an amazing cook. My brothers and I grew up eating her delicious tacos, tostadas, burritos, enchiladas, tamales - the works. She's a healthy cook - she didn't cook anything especially greasy. But it was fresh, well-seasoned, and delicious.

Growing up in Los Angeles and central California, I was also blessed to be surrounded by tons of amazing Mexican food. The population in my hometown in the central valley is mostly Mexican/Latin American. There are tons of great places to get a delicious taco. My test of a good Mexican restaurant is whether they have good beans and good carnitas. The beans have to be fresh, not too heavy, not too salty. The carnitas have to be greasy enough but not too greasy, not too salty. Carnitas are basically porked braised in pork fat. So they should taste bad for you, but without making you feel ill.

When I moved to Los Angeles for college, I was once again surrounded by tons of terrific Mexican food. My favorite place there was called Los Jarritos II. I went there all the time and took family and friends there. Great delicious carnitas, great chips, hot salsa, quick, cheap, great. I hoped when I moved to Palo Alto for grad school that I would be able to find a place as good. But no dice. There is NO good mexican food in Palo Alto. Nothing. Not even worth trying.

San Francisco however.....San Francisco is another story. There is an entire neighborhood in San Francisco that has a heavy latin influence - lots of Mexican, Central and South Americans with great restaurants. I knew it wouldn't take me long to find "my place" for Mexican food in SF - and I was not disappointed. But I was surprised to find that its name, as well, was Los Jarritos.

The mission is full of taquerias and little crowded places where you can grab a quick bite. But the thing I really like about Los Jarritos is that you can sit down, have a relaxing dinner, and its still delicious and inexpensive.

The chips and salsa at Los Jarritos are pretty good. The salsa they serve before you eat is a cooked salsa - tomatoes, onions, and spices and lots of jalapeno blended until smooth and cooked before its served. The chips are always fresh, made from the corn tortillas that the restaurant makes and uses in all its recipes. My favorite things to order are the tacos - you can get them crispy or soft (I go for crispy). They put a little beans, and then your choice of delicious chicken, spicy beef, carnitas, or just rice if you are a vegetarian. The guacamole is fresh and super tasty, and made spicier if you ask them. The beans - oh man. They are pure heaven. And they are vegetarian, which means no lard - but they are so freakin good you would never know it. And the carnitas are perfect - greasy but not gross, tender, tasty, YUM.

I go to Los Jarritos once a month or so. I like to take people there. My parents have gone with me and my mom gave it her true Latina stamp of approval. I took my friend from high school, L., there for 4th of July dinner. She had the carne asada and said it was amazing. I believe her - but the carnitas are so good that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to try anything else.

So if you are in town and want good authentic Mexican food, in a cozy atmosphere, in the heart of SF - Los Jarritos is it!!

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