No. 72. Pig Snout at Tacos & Carnitas Sahuayo



The long-stewed trompa, pig snout, is hands-down one of my favorite discoveries of the past year. Trompa is such a rare thing to find in Orange County's taquerías that Gustavo and I both rushed down to sample the menu within the first two weeks that Tacos Y Carnitas Sahuayo had opened for business.
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It's a weekend-only dish, however. Just as other Mexican restaurants take long hours to cook tripe into menudo, the snout is a labor-intensive part of the hog, and the restaurant will only make it on their busiest days of the week.

The taquero will pluck a snout from the murky simmering broth, chop it into large cubes, and pile it into a double-layer of fantastic tortillas from Tortillería Ruben. After many hours of slow cooking, the cartilage dissolves into a silky gelatin, the fat and meat break down, and absorb all the flavors of the liquid it cooked in. If you're the type that loves long-simmered tendon in your pho, or the point cut of brisket burnt ends, you undoubtedly understand how deliciously the tough, nasty bits turn out in the hands of expert cooks.

The list so far:

73. Kale and Mushroom Flatbread at 320 Main
74. Congee at King Lobster Palace
75. Fish and Chips at Slapfish
76. Fries at Playground

77. Carne en Su Jugo at La Cocina de Mi Abuelita
78. S'mores at Ti Amo Biscotti & More
79. Broken Rice at Dat Thanh
80. Bulgogi and Potato Pizza at Chicken & Pizza Love Letter
81. Braised Bacon at Break of Dawn
82. Cake Donut at Cream Pan
83. Bistec de Pollo at Mercado El Rey
84. The Rhino at Rancho a Go Go
85. Cabernet Brownies at Blackmarket Bakery
86. Cookie Monster at Lola Ice Cream and Deli
87. Polenta Board at CUCINA Enoteca
88. Falafel Taco at Taco Asylum
89. Wagon-Wheel Bread at THE RANCH Restaurant
90. Toothpick Tacos at Mexico Supermarket
91. Hoppin' John at Memphis at the Santora
92. Free Beans and Chips at Taqueria Zamora
93. Pig in a Blanket Waffle with Gringo Bandito at Cafe Calacas
94. “Pork Hash” at Huong Giang
95. Sweet Chili Chicken Quesadilla At Kogi
96. Licuados at Mil Jugos
97. Hawaiian Ahi Poke at California Fish Grill
98. Takoyaki at Takoyaki Tanota
99. Fiesta Noodles at Jollibee
100. Chilaquiles Verdes Con Huevos Estrellados at La Tablita California

Click here to view our 100 Favorite Dishes of 2010!
Click here to view our 100 Favorite Dishes of 2011!

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