Skip to Content
Tacos

Butterflied Suckling Pig and Golden Mustard Salsa: Head to Cudahy to Try Some Of L.A.’s Rarest Tacos From Nayarit

1:35 PM PST on March 9, 2021

[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap]s you make your way through the food stands serving regional specialties from Jalisco to Sonora on the abandoned dusty railroad tracks in Cudahy, you’ll arrive at Los Sabrosos al Horno, where you will be greeted by a pair of young suckling pigs echados (lying down). They will both be peering out at you from under the veil of a checkered kitchen towel, and they will be butterflied from head to toe, resting on a steam table. The crunchy pork skin has been broken up and gathered around the heads, while behind the ears, a spread of tortillas rest steaming on a bed of freshly chopped pork bliss as if they were taking a dip in a hot desert mineral spring.  

“Cuantos?” asks the taquero as he puts the chopping knife down and picks up a pair of tortillas, and starts assembling the first taco on a plate. He grabs a handful of meat, tops it with minced cabbage, drowns it in two mustard-based salsas, and adds a bronzed, jaggedly crispy piece of pork skin before handing it over. This is the one-of-a-kind taco from the town of Acaponeta Nayarit that’s being served by the railroad track on Patata Street off Atlantic Boulevard in the city of Cudahy.

According to Eater, which first reported on the tacos in January: “The suckling pig tacos, featuring whole roasted young pigs, are a rare delight even in Mexico, only found as a common dish in states like Aguascalientes, the tri-state Yucatán, and in the town of Acaponeta, Nayarit, a municipality just south of the Sinaloa border.” Lechón is common to other parts of the world also colonized by Spain, like the Philippines, from where lechón is claimed to have originated.

David Delfín roasts the pig for four hours while only lightly salting it. After resting it on the steam table waiting to be served, the result is soft and juicy pork meat. It’s lean and clean compared to fat and greasy carnitas. The meat breaks apart with each bite as quickly as the tortilla, allowing that golden mustard salsa to permeate your taste buds with a flavor that can only be described as unexpected but welcomed. The crispy pork skin is the only thing on the plate providing a much-needed crunch for your bite. 

The mustard in the sauce is not the primary ingredient in either of the two salsas Delfín makes. The spicy version is diluted with Roma tomatoes and chile serranos with slices of julienned onion slices. The milder version uses tomatillos. The mustard overpowers the salsa in color and the first impressions when you first taste it, then it disappears into the balanced flavors of chile and garlic. 

After all, a taco is only as good as its salsa. 

Los Sabrosos al Horno pops-up on weekends from 1 pm until sell out at 4901 Patata St. Cudahy, CA

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

The Seven Best Tacos Across the J Line (Formerly Known as The Silver Line), From La Puente to Gardena

From calamari tacos to Oaxacan-style braised goat on handmade freshly nixtamalized corn tortillas and Mexicali-style "cooler burritos," this may be the best Metro bus line to take for tacos in the county.

March 28, 2024

L.A. Spent Over $1.73 Million on These Controversial ‘Anti-Homeless’ Signs. Do They Actually Work?

Earlier this month, a leaked memo from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) suggested that these 41.18 zones rarely led to unhoused people being moved into interim shelter or permanent housing. After being cleared, most 41.18 zones quickly became repopulated.

March 27, 2024

Two New Lowrider-Inspired and Dodger-Blue L.A. TACO Hats Are Now Available!

Wear your L.A. TACO swag and support our inclusive, street-level community journalism!

March 27, 2024

A Morning-Only Taco Pop-Up in Northridge Is Making the Biggest Breakfast Burritos in the San Fernando Valley

What does it take to stand out in Los Angeles's saturated taco climate? Focus on San Fernando Valley-style loaded breakfast tacos, "breakfast quesadillas" with crispy cheese skirts, and the beefiest breakfast burritos Balboa Boulevard has ever seen.

March 26, 2024

The Second Round of TACO MADNESS 2024 Is Now Open for Voting! Meet ‘L.A.’s Sweet 16’ That Advanced

Save the date! Our 15th annual taco tournament is taking place on April 13th at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes near Olvera Street. Pre-sale tickets are now available. Our online tournament starts on Monday. Check out this year's contenders!

March 26, 2024
See all posts